As cyber threats grow more sophisticated and AI-powered attacks become a reality, Ireland is quietly building a reputation as a centre for cybersecurity innovation. Two recent funding rounds — ZeroRisk's $10 million Series A and Vaultree's €8.1 million Series A extension — highlight a trend that extends well beyond individual companies.
ZeroRisk: Protecting the Payments Ecosystem
Dublin-founded ZeroRisk, which closed its $10 million Series A led by MiddleGame Ventures with Elkstone participation, helps banks and payment providers manage and reduce cyber risk across their merchant portfolios. The company's client list reads like a who's who of global finance: Bank of America, Global Payments, and Checkout.com all use its platform.
Founded in 2023, ZeroRisk plans to triple its revenue in 2026 and is expanding across Dublin, Atlanta, and Longford. The company sits at a critical intersection of fintech and cybersecurity — as payment ecosystems become more complex, the attack surface for each participant grows correspondingly. ZeroRisk's approach of assessing and managing risk at the merchant level addresses a genuine gap that traditional security solutions have not filled.
Vaultree: Encryption Without Compromise
Cork-based Vaultree takes a different approach to the security challenge: making encryption so seamless that it does not require trade-offs in performance or usability. The company's technology uses searchable symmetric encryption and fully homomorphic encryption — techniques that allow data to be searched and processed while remaining encrypted.
With total financing now exceeding €20 million following its €8.1 million extension, Vaultree is backed by notable investors including Molten Ventures, Ten Eleven Ventures, SentinelOne, Elkstone Partners, and CircleRock Capital. The technology has obvious applications in healthcare, finance, government, and any sector where data privacy is paramount.
The Bigger Picture
These two raises are part of a broader cybersecurity momentum in Ireland. Tines, the Dublin-based security workflow automation company, is among the most prominent Irish startups of the current generation. Evervault focuses on data-security infrastructure. Protex AI operates at the intersection of artificial intelligence and security.
Enterprise Ireland has warned that cyber threats are becoming "high level" with AI — a trend that Ireland's AI adoption leadership only accelerates. Malicious actors are increasingly using AI tools to craft more convincing phishing attacks, identify vulnerabilities faster, and automate breach attempts at scale. This reality is driving demand for defensive solutions across every industry.
Why Ireland for Cybersecurity?
Ireland's position as a cybersecurity hub is supported by several structural advantages. The country hosts the European operations of major technology companies that are themselves major cybersecurity purchasers and developers. The talent pool includes graduates from strong computer science and engineering programmes. The regulatory environment — including GDPR enforcement through Ireland's Data Protection Commission — creates both demand for compliance solutions and expertise in navigating complex regulatory requirements.
For businesses across all sectors, the message is clear: cybersecurity is not a technology concern — it is a business survival concern. Irish companies building solutions in this space are addressing global demand from a strong domestic foundation.
At Umbak Technologies, security is not an afterthought — it is baked into every application we build. From secure authentication and encrypted data handling to GDPR-compliant architectures, we ensure that the web and mobile applications we deliver protect your business and your customers from day one.