AI and the Iran war are two of the most disruptive factors impacting business in 2026. Bold, an Israeli cybersecurity startup that just emerged from stealth with $40 million in funding, is well-versed in both.
The Tel Aviv-based startup has developed AI software that protects corporate devices such as laptops from the growing threat of cyberattacks.
The company was also built during wartime, giving the startup’s 35-year-old co-founder and CEO, Nati Hazut, a sense of “resiliency” to Israel’s tech industry, she told Business Insider.
“I think that’s part of our reality and part of our strength,” Hazut said.
Since the outbreak of the war, Israel has been hit by Iranian retaliatory attacks, which for some companies has meant taking shelter in air raid shelters. Despite the disruption, Hazut said the team has continued to operate and build new features.
“It would be better to live without it, and this is what we all want,” Hazut added.
Bold has developed an AI agent that installs on corporate devices such as laptops, which are potential entry points for cyber threats.
In cybersecurity, these are known as endpoints and are one of the most common ways hackers gain entry. “AI has fundamentally changed” the way companies think about endpoints and the risks associated with them, Hazut said.
Nati Hazut, Bold CEO. bold
Once installed, Bold’s AI agent monitors anomalous activity on the device, including how the user interacts with apps and data. When AI agents detect anomalous user behavior, they do more than just suggest that your organization block or allow actions. Instead, it will “communicate with the user” to suggest other actions and explain the risks, Hazut said.
AI runs directly on your device and does not require an internet connection. By not sending or receiving information to or from the cloud, Bold says, latency is reduced and privacy risks are reduced. The company uses a small AI model, so the device doesn’t require a powerful AI chip to run.
“The market is used to us.”
Hazut previously founded two other cybersecurity ventures and co-founded Bold with Hadar Krasner and Omri Mallis.
Bold’s customers include US enterprise companies Shutterfly and Tekion, as well as other Fortune 500 companies. Hazut said the startup is particularly focused on highly regulated industries.
“One of the biggest challenges in endpoint security is protecting users without slowing them down,” said Jeff Simon, CISO at Shutterfly. “As AI becomes part of daily workflows, Bold helps enforce security in an effective yet unobtrusive way, so teams can continue to act quickly without creating new risks.”
The investment was led by Red Dot Capital Partners with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners and Picture Capital. Bold plans to use the $40 million raised to advance its go-to-market strategy and expand globally, with a focus on the United States.
Hazut said Bold began its fundraising process before the war with Iran broke out, but investors typically understand that regional conflicts will escalate and are instead focused on the company and its technology.
“I feel like the market has gotten used to us in a way and is kind of oblivious to the situation,” Hazut said.
