Connecticut Innovations, the state’s quasi-public venture investment firm, has invested in Indian cybersecurity firm CloudSEK, which said it is the first Indian-origin cybersecurity company to receive funding from a U.S. state-backed venture fund.
The investment is part of CloudSEK’s $10 million Series B2 funding round. The company said it plans to establish its U.S. regional headquarters in Connecticut and recruit local talent in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
The partnership began after CloudSEK won Connecticut Innovations’ VentureClash pitch competition in 2025. At that event, CloudSEK’s co-founder and CEO Rahul Sasi, and product owner Nivya Ravi pitched to a panel that included former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and Gov. Ned Lamont.
CloudSEK, founded in 2015, provides AI-backed cyber threat intelligence and serves more than 300 organizations across the banking, healthcare, technology and government sectors. The company has a global workforce of more than 250 employees, including five currently based in the United States.
CloudSEK plans to expand its U.S. presence to 15 employees by the end of the current financial year in March and targets a headcount of over 20 employees in the U.S. within the following 12 months.
In addition to recruiting cybersecurity and AI talent from the region, CloudSEK said it plans to use the Connecticut Innovations funding to form partnerships with local academic and research institutions, and drive cybersecurity research in the state.
“With Connecticut as our U.S. anchor, we are committed to creating jobs, investing in localized research, and strengthening cyber resilience in the Western world,” Sasi said.
CloudSEK previously raised $19 million in a Series B1 round led by U.S.-based Commvault with participation from MassMutual Ventures and other investors.
