Today’s evolving hybrid work environment has introduced an increased need to protect smart devices for two key demographics — small and medium businesses and at-home consumers. In a continuation of our Investing in 5G: Portfolio Spotlight Series, we spoke with Sivan Rauscher, CEO and co-founder of SAM Seamless Network, to learn more about enterprise-level security for consumer and SMB devices — and how 5G can support with upleveled security for both.
Verizon Ventures recently announced its investment in SAM earlier this year, at the close of its Series B funding round.
Tell us about your company. What problem are you solving and why is it especially relevant now?
SAM was founded in 2016 with an objective to provide a holistic cybersecurity solution for 'unmanaged' networks and smart devices.
We quickly realized that consumers and small businesses need more visibility and control of what is going on in their network; it is our objective to make network security accessible, seamless and simple for end users.
Today, we have expanded our reach from protecting home networks to SMBs, and soon our technology will secure smart cities and 5G networks. Using our unique technology for device recognition and behavioral analysis, our goal is to protect connected devices. We want to prevent the spread of widespread attacks, giving control back to end-users and adding the cherry on top of great user experience.
What's the connection between cybersecurity and 5G? What does it mean for your company’s mission now, and in the future?
5G will ultimately allow more functionality on the edge of a network, as well as accelerated adoption and sophistication of next-gen IoTs. For SAM, 5G networks highlight the fact that connectivity and security are inseparable. We are currently engaging with several of our partners to make our technology accessible beyond the agent-based, router-based approach.
How should entrepreneurs in the cybersecurity space be thinking about 5G?
5G is a great opportunity to bring more value to end users. The number of use cases are significantly increasing with more connected devices that do more and process more data. Security will need to be a fundamental part of the 5G infrastructure and of every device that connects to it.
Do you have any tips or go-to resources for founders in your industry/area?
Take advantage of industry forums and communities to expand your network and establish new relationships that could lead to prosperous partnerships. I can say that for SAM, certain communities have helped us better understand the ecosystem we operate in and think of new creative ways to use our technology to solve the impending industry challenges.
How has Verizon Ventures helped you get to where you need to be?
We tend to choose strategic investors for the simple reason that we truly believe a great partnership leads to even greater technology. Besides the obvious support in funding, the partnership with Verizon Ventures is crucial for us to develop our capabilities in the 5G world. Having Verizon Ventures as an investor means that we have the best support when it comes to innovation in the industry and we look forward to the evolving relationship.
Sivan Rauscher, CEO and co-founder of SAM Seamless Networks
