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Virtru

Category: AI in Cybersecurity

Virtru provides end-to-end data encryption and privacy solutions that enable organizations to securely share sensitive information while maintaining control over their data. Virtru was founded in 2012. The company is led by John Ackerly. Based in Washington, D.C., USA. Team size: 51-200. Total funding raised: $141M. Latest round: Series C. Key investors include ICONIQ Growth, Bessemer Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Soros Fund Management, Tiger Global Management.

Founded
2012
Headquarters
Washington, D.C., USA
Team size
51-200
Total funding
$141M

Value proposition

Offers easy-to-use, data-centric encryption that integrates seamlessly with existing workflows (like Gmail and Outlook), allowing senders to revoke access or set expiration even after sharing.

Products and solutions

Virtru Email Protection (for Gmail and Outlook), Virtru Secure Share, Virtru Data Protection Platform (SDKs/APIs), Persistent Data Control (Attribute-based access controls), Compliance Solutions (HIPAA/GDPR/FedRAMP)

Unique value

Pioneered the use of the Trusted Data Format (TDF), an open standard for data-centric security that embeds protection directly into the data itself.

Target customer

Enterprises, government agencies, healthcare providers, and educational institutions requiring secure data sharing and compliance.

Industries served

Government/Public Sector, Healthcare/Life Sciences, Financial Services, Education

Technology advantage

Data-centric security model allows for persistent control over data wherever it travels, unlike traditional perimeter-based security. This enables features like revoking access to emails and files after they have been sent.

How they differentiate

Virtru differentiates through its seamless integration into existing user workflows (Gmail/O365), its open-standards-based architecture (TDF), and its granular, persistent post-send control features.

Main competitors

Zscaler, Broadcom (Symantec), PreVeil

Key partnerships

Google Cloud Partner, Microsoft Partner (Office 365 integration), Collaborations with U.S. federal agencies for FedRAMP-authorized solutions

Notable customers

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, State of Maryland Department of Health, Fortune 500 companies

Major milestones

Pioneered and open-sourced the Trusted Data Format (TDF)., Achieved FedRAMP authorization, enabling significant U.S. federal market penetration., Selected as a Google Cloud recommended partner for secure collaboration.

Growth metrics

Protects data for over 7,000 organizations worldwide.

Market positioning

A leader in unstructured data protection and data-centric security, particularly strong in regulated industries and government sectors due to its focus on compliance and robust control features.

Geographic focus

Global, with a strong focus on the US market, particularly within the federal government sector.

Patents and IP

Holds patents related to Trusted Data Format (TDF) technology and secure key management systems.

About John Ackerly

John Ackerly is the Co-Founder and CEO of Virtru, a data encryption and privacy solutions company. Prior to Virtru, he was an investor at Lindsay Goldberg LLC and served as the lead technology policy advisor at the White House National Economic Council.

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