Symbiotic Security secures $3m to boost shift-left strategy

Symbiotic Security has launched a new software solution that integrates real-time detection and remediation of security vulnerabilities directly into the software development process while offering just-in-time training for developers.

The company has secured $3 million in pre-seed funding from investors like Lerer Hippeau and Axeleo Capital to support the deployment of this software-as-a-service product, which is designed to work seamlessly within the developers' Integrated Development Environment (IDE).

This product aims to tackle some of the prevalent challenges identified in a Ponemon survey, where IT and IT security practitioners cited a lack of integrated security tools and increased workload for developers as major barriers to successful "shift-left" security implementation.

Jerome Robert, Co-Founder and CEO of Symbiotic Security, commented, "Traditional approaches to code security are broken, which we fix by integrating security at the time code is written. Symbiotic requires no additional developer training - it is the training. Our mission is to be the developer's partner in security and we believe that this is the defining moment for cyber security where the vision of 'shift-left' is finally realized."

The "shift-left" strategy focuses on incorporating security measures into the earliest stages of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), which involves equipping developers with the tools necessary for securing their software right from the start.

Symbiotic Security offers real-time feedback on security vulnerabilities during code development, provides remediation suggestions, and offers contextual training to educate developers on specific security issues they encounter.

The company has initiated its minimum viable product, already active at eight companies, to gather iterated feedback and testing. Feedback from early adopters indicates that the tool has facilitated both remediation and training in real time without disrupting existing workflows.

Graham Brown, Managing Partner at Lerer Hippeau, expressed support for Symbiotic's approach, saying, "Jerome and co-founder Edouard Viot have a deep understanding of the problems underlying traditional code security and demonstrated remarkable foresight with their approach to addressing the growing demand for shift-left security solutions. Symbiotic has the potential to transform the industry, empowering developers and security teams alike."

Simon Elcham, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Trustpair, also commented positively, stating, "Symbiotic Security is a security solution that truly understands developers and makes them more productive. By integrating into our existing workflows, it has helped our development and security teams work more efficiently, reducing security backlogs and enhancing code quality. Symbiotic Security is outpacing market standards in both functionality and business impact."

By embedding security mechanisms within the development process, Symbiotic Security aims to eliminate security backlogs, reduce costs, and help developers ship secure code without disruption. This approach keeps security as a foundational element of the SDLC, scanning code in real-time to identify and mitigate threats immediately as they arise.