Bearer

Bearer operates as a data-first security software company, providing a developer-centric Static Application Security Testing (SAST) solution. The company was established in 2018 by CEO Guillaume Montard, a serial entrepreneur since 2006, and CTO Cédric Fabianski, a passionate open-source software developer. Their professional relationship began at Montard's previous company, where Fabianski was the first employee.

The firm's primary offering is the Bearer Data Security Platform, a SaaS solution designed to integrate into developer workflows without causing friction. It functions by continuously scanning source code to automatically discover sensitive data flows, identify security risks, and detect policy gaps during the coding phase. The platform is engineered to pinpoint technical and business logic flaws in code, providing developers with actionable advice to mitigate issues efficiently. A key feature is its ability to perform these functions without requiring direct access to the underlying source code or the sensitive data itself.

Bearer's business model targets enterprises, particularly in sectors with strict data security and compliance requirements like healthcare, e-commerce, and financial services. The solution automates data security compliance, reducing the burden on software engineers to be experts in global data protection regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Its detection engine is built to protect various sensitive data types, including Protected Health Information (PHI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and financial data. By October 2022, the company had raised a total of $8 million in seed funding over two tranches, with investors including Alven, Kima Ventures, Partech, and Point Nine. In March 2024, Bearer was acquired by Cycode, an Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) platform. The acquisition aimed to integrate Bearer's AI-powered SAST, API discovery, and data leak protection capabilities to enhance Cycode's platform, promising faster scanning and more precise findings.

Keywords: data security, SAST, application security, DevSecOps, code analysis, data leak protection, API discovery, security automation, compliance automation, PII protection, PHI protection, developer security tools, source code scanning, vulnerability remediation, Cycode acquisition, Guillaume Montard, Cédric Fabianski, shift-left security, data flow monitoring, business logic flaws