Blackstone leads investment in data-security firm Cyera at $9 billion valuation, WSJ reports

Investment Overview - Blackstone is leading a $400 million investment in Cyera, valuing the Israeli data-security startup at $9 billion [1] - Cyera, founded in 2021, is backed by venture capital firms Sequoia Capital and Accel, and has an AI-powered platform [1] Funding History - Cyera raised $540 million in a funding round in June 2023, which doubled its valuation to $6 billion [2] - The company has raised a total of $1.3 billion since its inception [3] Company Growth - Cyera reported a 353% growth in Fortune 500 companies over the past 18 months [3] - The company has expanded to 10 countries and increased its workforce to nearly 800 employees globally [3] - Its valuation has increased 12 times since its founding [3] Market Demand - The rapid adoption of AI has led to increased spending by companies on data security, driving higher demand for firms like Cyera [2]