Bessemer backs ZenGuard

ZenGuard will use the fresh capital for product development – it plans to release new products in 2016 – and to hire additional staff.

The deal marks the second investment in a German startup for Bessemer; the VC backed remote support solution company TeamViewer in 2009. The business was merged with software company GFI in 2010 and exited to private equity firm Permira in 2014. Bessemer has also backed startups such as Skype, Pinterest and LinkedIn in the past.

Previous funding
In October 2014, Holtzbrinck Ventures led a $3.2m series-A funding round for ZenGuard, alongside Project A Ventures, Shortcut Ventures and T-Venture.

In October 2013, Project A backed ZenGuard in a six-figure seed round.

Company
Founded in 2013 and based in Berlin, internet security company ZenGuard, which develops the ZenMate product, focuses on three areas: securing internet privacy by blocking website trackers, ensuring privacy for connections with public wifi, and offering VPN to bypass country-restrictions on websites.

ZenMate stated its products were downloaded more than 25 million times and are used by customers across 180 countries.

People
Bessemer Ventures Partners – Alex Ferrara (parter).
ZenGuard – Simon Specka (CEO and co-founder).

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