Insider Brief
- Anagram raised $10 million in Series A funding, led by Madrona with participation from General Catalyst, Bloomberg Beta, and others, to expand its AI-driven security training platform.
- The platform transforms cybersecurity training by embedding security into daily behavior, using real-time nudges and personalized microlearning to reduce phishing failure rates from ~20% to ~6%.
- Anagram plans to enhance its AI-powered security agent, helping employees make smarter security decisions in real time as AI-driven cyber threats continue to evolve.
PRESS RELEASE — Anagram, the world’s first human-driven security platform, designed to embed security into everyday behavior, has announced it has raised $10 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Madrona, with continued participation from General Catalyst, Bloomberg Beta, Operator Partners, and Secure Octane.
The funding comes at a critical time as AI-powered security threats escalate. “AI is a massive force multiplier for attackers. Hackers can now craft highly convincing attacks at scale,” said Vivek Ramaswami, Partner at Madrona. “Traditional, legacy security training is no longer sufficient against modern attacks or translate awareness into action. Anagram is built to actually change behavior, helping employees make better security decisions every day. Anagram is the future of cybersecurity training.”
The Problem with Traditional Security Training
Existing security awareness training has long been ineffective. Traditional, one-size-fits-all programs fail to change behavior and often leave companies open to dangerous and costly breaches. Meanwhile, AI is revolutionizing the threat landscape, enabling cybercriminals to use generative AI to create hyper-personalized, convincing messages at scale — messages that are nearly indistinguishable from legitimate communication.
The challenge is compounded by the expanding attack surface, driven by the rise of remote work and the widespread use of collaboration tools outside of email. At the same time, traditional security tools are losing ground as AI-powered threats grow more sophisticated, rendering solutions focused solely on network defense and backend monitoring increasingly ineffective.
Anagram’s Innovative Approach
Facing the unprecedented convergence of these modern enterprise security challenges, Anagram has crafted a uniquely effective solution. Drawing on years of firsthand experience as an engineer at Bloomberg, Harley Sugarman, CEO and Founder of Anagram, built the platform with a deep understanding of what works — and what doesn’t — in enterprise security training. By blending customized microlearning with real-time security nudges, the platform drives measurable behavior change and reinforces good security habits. Trusted by leading global enterprises, including several of the Fortune 500, and currently supporting over 500,000 global users, Anagram has demonstrated significant impact, including reducing phishing failure rates from ~20% to ~6%.
“In an era where AI-powered cyber threats are increasing, security training must evolve,” said Lena Smart, former CISO at MongoDB. “Anagram’s product has cracked the code on translating awareness into action. In a short time, I’ve already seen them create lasting behavior change that strengthens employee security from the ground up. In a crowded space, they’re leagues ahead of the competition.”
A Vision for the Future
“I don’t buy the argument that people are a company’s weakest link. People built skyscrapers. People put a man on the moon. People can learn not to click a link in a phishing email. Anagram is different — we flip the script on ‘human risk management’, and focus on making security habits stick,” said Harley Sugarman, CEO and Founder of Anagram.
With this new funding, Anagram will continue to enhance its AI-driven personalization engine, and launch its first AI-powered “security agent” that provides context-aware, real-time “nudges” that meet employees where they are, helping them make smarter decisions in the moment.
Anagram has also partnered with renowned industry leaders, including Steve Zalewski (Levi Strauss), Lena Smart (MongoDB), Tim Youngblood (McDonald’s, T-Mobile), David Cross (Atlassian, Oracle), and Andrew Wilder (Nestlé). These collaborations underscore Anagram’s commitment to driving innovation and delivering impactful security solutions.
For more information about Anagram and its innovative approach to cybersecurity training, visit www.anagramsecurity.com
About Anagram
Anagram is the world’s first human-driven security platform that delivers real results. We go beyond traditional methods — like outdated videos and quizzes — by offering AI-driven phishing simulations and interactive, customizable training designed to engage and educate employees. Our hands-on learning approach and immersive puzzles ensure lasting behavior change, turning your workforce into a proactive line of defense against cyber threats.
Contacts
Media Contact:
Rebecca Auguste
Head of Marketing
Rebecca@anagramsecurity.com
