NetBird, an open-source network security platform, has raised €4 million in seed funding to expand its mission of democratising Zero Trust network security.
The funding round was co-led by InReach Ventures and Nauta Capital, with participation from Antler and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. NetBird plans to use the investment to scale its operations, enhance its platform, and establish a global presence in the burgeoning network security market.
Misha Bragin, Co-Founder and CEO of NetBird, commented: “Together with a small team of incredibly talented engineers, we’ve built an open-source platform that reflects the needs of today’s connected world and sets the foundation for the secure networks of tomorrow. We’re at the right time to scale our mission, as the Zero Trust security market is rapidly growing, and we’re excited to lead the charge in making these advanced technologies accessible to organizations of all sizes.”
Founded in 2021 by Misha Bragin and Maycon Santos, NetBird addresses a challenge in the security needs of modern enterprises: ensuring seamless and secure connectivity in the era of hybrid work and distributed infrastructure. The platform replaces traditional VPNs with a peer-to-peer, WireGuard-based solution integrated with Zero Trust principles. This approach simplifies network security, offering easy-to-use access controls and eliminating the complexities and inefficiencies often associated with traditional solutions.
NetBird has gained traction since its launch, reportedly connecting hundreds of thousands of users and devices worldwide. By aiming for affordability and ease of use, the platform hopes to ensure that advanced security is accessible to organisations of all sizes. The open-source community has played a crucial role in NetBird’s success, contributing feedback and fostering rapid innovation.
Maycon Santos, Co-Founder and CTO of NetBird, noted: “The open-source community has been incredibly supportive, and that feedback loop allows us to innovate quickly. We listen to our users, and their input helps us make network security better for everyone.”
According to NetBird, the rise of Zero Trust as a security paradigm has been driven by the transition to hybrid work and increasing cyber threats. The approach, which operates on the principle of “never trust, always verify,” ensures continuous authentication of users and devices.
Amanda Jones Floyd, Partner at InReach Ventures, praised the team’s vision: “NetBird’s approach redefines what’s possible in network security. The way that NetBird has managed to break down complex network security into a beautifully simple, user-friendly product is really inspiring. With their open-source approach, Misha and Maycon and the NetBird team, have created something special—a vibrant community where every user feels heard and valued.”
Carles Ferrer, General Partner at Nauta, added: “NetBird solves these challenges by combining a Mesh-VPN architecture with Zero Trust Network Access Controls, providing a solution which is more efficient, cheaper and more secure than a traditional VPN. We’re lucky enough to have been part of the journey so far and are delighted to be backing Misha, Maycon and the team once again as they grow NetBird.“
