Cyberattacks are on the rise, with organizations experiencing an average of around 1,300 attacks per week in Q1 2024. The cost of these attacks is also climbing, with cybercrime-related losses projected to surge to over $13 billion by 2028, according to Statista. In response to this growing threat, startup Axiado is developing innovative "security" chips and apps designed to provide end-to-end protection for devices and data centers.

Founded in 2017, Axiado's solution focuses on securing devices ranging from data centers to 5G base stations. According to CEO Gopi Sirineni, "Our solution gives companies the power to fully secure their digital infrastructure end-to-end." This is particularly important, as some machines remain vulnerable to attack during the boot sequence, the initial start-up process, due to a lack of checks on whether the sequence has been tampered with.

Axiado's chip aims to protect against boot-level attacks by authenticating boot-level updates before they're executed and regularly checking the integrity of the boot sequence. Sirineni claims that this prevents boot-level attacks from penetrating systems in which Axiado's chip is installed. The chip also handles runtime security, providing protection for software, apps, and workloads post-boot, similar to chips like Microsoft's Pluton, Google's Titan, and Apple's T2.

The chip employs root-of-trust technology, which cryptographically protects against hardware tampering. Additionally, the chip drives Axiado's cybersecurity monitoring platform, which uses AI engines to learn a platform's behavior and compare it to blacklisted patterns provided by the customer. Sirineni explained that the platform is designed to be complementary to port-of-entry protection and act as a last line of defense.

While custom silicon can improve security, it's essential to note that it's not a panacea. Researchers have found flaws in secure boot chips, such as Apple's T2, and supply chain issues can lead to secure boot failings. Axiado claims its chips haven't been defeated, but this could be due to their relatively small install base.

Beyond its security-focused products, Axiado has also launched a system that dynamically adjusts data center cooling to reduce costs. This system leverages the company's chip to measure and adjust cooling automatically based on workloads, similar to systems from startups like Phaidra. Axiado has a partnership with manufacturing firm Jabil to develop server cybersecurity solutions and recently raised $60 million in a Series C funding round led by Maverick Silicon, with participation from Samsung Catalyst Fund, Atreides Management, and Crosslink Capital.

The new funding brings Axiado's total raised to $140 million and will be used to support go-to-market efforts and expand the company's workforce across its San Jose, India, and Taiwan offices. Sirineni stated that the company has been sampling products for a year and plans to use the funding to take products to mass production and start revenue generation in 2025.

As cyberattacks continue to rise, innovative solutions like Axiado's security chips and apps are crucial in providing end-to-end protection for devices and data centers. With its recent funding and partnerships, Axiado is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the cybersecurity landscape.