ThreatLocker® Raises $115M Series D to Continue Delivering Zero Trust Endpoint Security to More Organizations

Round led by global growth equity firm General Atlantic, along with StepStone Group and the D. E. Shaw group, to accelerate product innovation and increase reach of Zero Trust endpoint security to organizations globally.

ORLANDO, Fla., April 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThreatLocker®, a global cybersecurity leader that offers a Zero Trust endpoint security solution, today announced it has raised $115M in Series D funding led by existing investor General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, with participation from other major investors StepStone Group and the D. E. Shaw group. With the new investment, ThreatLocker® will continue to focus on driving product innovation to bring the power of Zero Trust security to more organizations and accelerating the company’s global expansion.

ThreatLocker® provides organizations with the ability to protect their IT operations with an effective Zero Trust approach to cybersecurity. The product suite provides enterprise-level server and endpoint security by blocking untrusted software, including ransomware, scripts and libraries, and exploits of known and unknown application vulnerabilities through Default Deny Application Control, Ringfencing™, Storage Control, Privileged Access Management, Network Access Control, as well as its new Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) and Managed Detection & Response (MDR) solutions. ThreatLocker® believes that its customers should have complete control over their network and devices, know what is trying to infiltrate their stack, and not live in fear of the next cyberattack. With a powerful security tool suite designed to enable organizations to easily and directly control exactly what applications run on their endpoints, ThreatLocker® customers can rest assured knowing that their businesses are protected using the Zero Trust model framework that protects them from various cyber threats, including unknown malware, ransomware, and exploits for known and unknown vulnerabilities.

ThreatLocker® CEO Danny Jenkins commented, “ThreatLocker has made a huge impact in the industry in driving a least-privilege approach forward over the last few years and has introduced new EDR and MDR products within a single cybersecurity platform for our customers. We believe this new injection of capital will enable us to continue to develop Zero Trust products and grow ThreatLocker’s market presence. We are very excited to be partnering again with General Atlantic, as well as with new investors, StepStone Group & the D. E. Shaw group, and look forward to leveraging their teams’ deep experience in bringing products to market and scaling technologically-disruptive businesses.”

To add to this, ThreatLocker® COO Sami Jenkins commented, “We are thrilled to extend our partnerships with General Atlantic and look forward to working with StepStone and the D. E. Shaw group.” 

The new investment follows another year of growth as ThreatLocker® doubled its revenue and added 50% to its workforce. Today, ThreatLocker® has thousands of partners and protects over 50,000 organizations. Serving companies who are serious about security, ThreatLocker® partners with Enterprises and Managed Service Providers (and MSSPs), including many financial institutions, healthcare organizations, and airlines such as Emirates and JetBlue Airways.

Gary Reiner, Operating Partner at General Atlantic, continued, “ThreatLocker effectively takes the guesswork out of threat detection with its Zero Trust approach. As companies of all sizes increasingly focus on filling in gaps in their security stacks, Zero Trust is becoming a necessity – and we view ThreatLocker as an emerging leader in this paradigm shift. We are thrilled to further our partnership with the team to accelerate ThreatLocker’s growth as an endpoint security disruptor.”

About ThreatLocker® 
ThreatLocker® is a global cybersecurity leader, providing enterprise-level Zero Trust cybersecurity tools to improve the security of servers and endpoints. Founded in 2017 by Danny Jenkins, Sami Jenkins, and John Carolan, ThreatLocker® now serves thousands of organizations globally and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida, USA. For more information, visit: https://www.threatlocker.com/

About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global growth investor with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 520 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector-specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon, and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic has approximately $84 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of March 31, 2024, and more than 300 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, Munich, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stamford and Tel Aviv. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

About The D. E. Shaw Group
The D. E. Shaw group is a global investment and technology development firm with more than $60 billion in investment capital as of March 1, 2024, and offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Since our founding in 1988, our firm has earned a reputation for successful investing based on innovation, careful risk management, and the quality and depth of our staff. We have a significant presence in the world’s capital markets, investing in a wide range of companies and financial instruments in both developed and developing economies. For more information, visit www.deshaw.com.

Media Contacts

ThreatLocker®
Spencer Ford
(689) 217-4246
spencer.ford@threatlocker.com

General Atlantic
Emily Japlon & Sara Widmann
media@generalatlantic.com

The D. E. Shaw group
media-inquiries@deshaw.com

Spencer Ford
ThreatLocker Inc.
+16892174246
spencer.ford@threatlocker.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9104839

UK businesses must prioritise payment technology to build customer loyalty and stay competitive: New research from Lloyds Bank and FreedomPay

London, United Kingdom, April 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
  • Less than a third (27%) of businesses are confident they offer seamless payments experiences.
  • Almost two-thirds of businesses (59%) across Retail, Food & Beverages and Hospitality believe a good checkout experience offers the same competitive advantage as having the best products.
  • Customer preference is the factor most likely to influence businesses’ investment in payment technologies.

New research from Lloyds Bank and FreedomPay highlights the importance of UK businesses investing in new payment technology.

Two-thirds (59%) of UK Retail, Food & Beverage (F&B) and Hospitality companies were found to already put payments at the heart of their customer experience strategy, reflecting the growing importance of payment options to customers.

For retail-focused businesses, 59% believe that a good checkout experience is essential to building customer loyalty, with respondents believing it is as much a competitive advantage as having the best products.

Meanwhile, 57% of retailers said that a poor payment experience could have a detrimental effect on their business, pushing customers to competitors who offer a better experience.

The findings come as payment infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a critical part of customers’ shopping experience. As high inflation takes its toll on both independent venues and enterprise chains, this research demonstrates the need for businesses to prioritise customer satisfaction and build brand loyalty.

A Chip Off the Old Block

However, despite understanding the importance of providing a good payment experience for customers, making this a reality appears to be a challenge for many businesses.

Half of all business surveyed (49%) said they had not invested in payment solution updates at all, and only 27% of respondents felt confident in their omnichannel payment experience offering.

This disparity highlights that businesses have a lot of room for growth, as investment in new payment technology could lead to significantly enhanced customer experiences and result in increased sales.

Data leads to better customer engagement

Other findings highlighted how businesses are using data, with many understanding that payments data can help them to make more informed decisions. 80% of respondents said they are using payments data to learn more about their customers to tailor services and products for them, which can be crucial to maintaining customer engagement and driving brand loyalty.

FreedomPay’s President Chris Kronenthal said:
“What is evident from our research is that brands must focus on payments innovation now more than ever. Understanding what customers expect and want from a payment experience is fundamental to ensuring that customers keep coming back. Choosing the right payments partner can support strategic business decisions and streamline checkout to help to deliver a personalised, seamless, and data-driven experience any time, any place.”

Melinda Roylett, Managing Director, Lloyds Bank Merchant Services said:
“The way we pay has undergone rapid shifts in the past few years. Accelerated by the pandemic, technological advancements and innovative ways of using open banking have led to the increasing adoption of contactless, digital wallet solutions and embedded finance options such as Buy Now, Pay Later. Consumers now have more choice than ever. This means that businesses also need to think about how they use the payment experience at checkout to build business growth.”

We hope you enjoy the full Report at lloydsbank.com/paymentsinsight

ABOUT FREEDOMPAY

FreedomPay’s Next Level Commerce™ platform transforms existing payment systems and processes from legacy to leading edge. As the premier choice for many of the largest companies across the globe in retail, hospitality, lodging, gaming, sports and entertainment, foodservice, education, healthcare and financial services, FreedomPay’s technology has been purposely built to deliver rock solid performance in the highly complex environment of global commerce. The company maintains a world-class security environment and was first to earn the coveted validation by the PCI Security Standards Council against Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE/EMV) standard in North America. FreedomPay’s robust solutions across payments, security, identity, and data analytics are available in-store, online and on-mobile and are supported by rapid API adoption. The award winning FreedomPay Commerce Platform operates on a single, unified technology stack across multiple continents allowing enterprises to deliver an innovative Next Level experience on a global scale. www.freedompay.com

ABOUT LLOYDS BANKING GROUP

  • Lloyds Banking Group is a leading UK based financial services group providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused on personal and commercial customers.
  • We are proud to be by the side of British business, supporting more than 1 million UK businesses with leading digital and relationship banking services, as they start up, grow, thrive and trade internationally.
  • As part of the Group, Lloyds Bank Cardnet Merchant Services offers leading end-to-end payment acceptance solutions. We help businesses from all parts of the UK, and across all different sectors and sizes, giving them the support they need to take payments online, in store, or over the phone at any time.
  • For more information on how we help businesses to receive payments please visit: www.lloydsbank.com/cardnet

Attachments

Adam Charles, Media Relations
Lloyds Bank
0207 356 2374
Adam.charles@lloydsbanking.com

Hill & Knowlton for FreedomPay
freedompayUK@hillandknowlton.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9104694

Makkah Medical Team Saves Pakistani Umrah Pilgrim from the Brink of Death

A Pakistani pilgrim experienced a severe heart attack during Umrah rituals but was successfully rescued by a medical team at King Abdullah Medical City in Makkah. Responding swiftly, the team completed life-saving procedures in under 40 minutes. Initially admitted to Al-Haram Emergency Hospital for evaluations, the pilgrim was later transferred to King Abdullah Medical City for catheterization of heart arteries and successful placement of stents. 'He was taken directly to Mina Al-Wadi Hospital, and rapid coordination took place between the health authorities, as the patient was urgently transferred from the holy site to the emergency department in the medical city,' the Saudi Press Agency said. After recuperating in the intensive care unit, the pilgrim was discharged from the hospital in good health. The Makkah Healthcare Cluster has prepared specialized medical teams to receive such cases around the clock. Source: Pro Pakistani

PM determined to double country’s exports in five years

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his confidence that volume of the country's exports will be doubled over the next five years. Addressing the business community in Karachi today, he said the government, in consultation with business community, will chalk out a comprehensive policy framework to increase the exports that would ultimately help ensuring export-led growth. The Prime Minister said the government is also fully focused on bringing revolution in sectors of agriculture, mines and minerals, Information Technology and Industry. He also expressed the government's resolve to reduce unemployment, poverty and inflation in the country. Regarding sugar situation in the country, Shehbaz Sharif said the government would go for export of the commodity in case its stock is surplus. He said the government is also focusing on curbing smuggling of the commodity. The Prime Minister said due to the government's prudent policies, positive news are being received in macroeconomic indicators. He said the cur rent account is in surplus, remittances are going higher, inflation is moving down, and the stock exchange is showing record progress. About the privatization process, the Prime Minister assured to conclude it in a transparent way without any bureaucratic delay. He said the government paid rebates worth 65 billion rupees immediately after assuming the power. Source: Radio Pakistan

Over 121,000 Prohibited Firearm Licenses Were Issued by Previous 4 Governments

The Ministry of Interior has revealed that over half a million arms licenses were issued during the tenure of the past four governments. However, a deeper investigation has unearthed a concerning truth - over 121,000 of these licenses were illegal. The Supreme Court's intervention triggered an urgent investigation into the matter, shedding light on various loopholes exploited in the issuance process. Particularly alarming is the discovery that over 100,000 submachine gun licenses were granted, indicating a significant oversight in regulatory procedures. What's particularly concerning is that these licenses span across different government administrations, with both the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) governments implicated. The PTI government accounted for 70,000 licenses, while the PDM government issued 40,000 during their respective tenures. Even in the final month of the PDM government, an additional 5,000 licenses were granted, raising questions about the urgency a nd transparency of the process. Moreover, the investigation uncovered a staggering 21,000 fake licenses, casting doubts on the integrity of the entire licensing system. Shockingly, some of these licenses were issued to prominent political figures, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Jahangir Khan Tareen, Nawaz Sharif, and Faryal Talpur. Further complicating matters is the revelation that licenses were granted on the directives of federal ministers and senators. For instance, 37 licenses were issued to National Assembly member Fahmida Mirza and her spouse, while 24 were allocated to Senator Rubina Khalid. Similar instances were found with other politicians, raising serious questions about preferential treatment and undue influence. Additionally, the investigation revealed a revenue stream exceeding Rs1 billion generated from firearms license fees, further highlighting the scale of the issue. In response to these findings, the Interior Ministry has initiated a comprehensive review of all issued firearms l icenses. A spokesperson for the ministry has assured the public of a thorough investigation, with the report set to be submitted to the Supreme Court in due course. However, concerns remain about the accountability and transparency of the licensing process, as well as the potential security risks posed by the proliferation of illegal firearms. Source: Pro Pakistani