Late in 2025, Equixly, an Italian cybersecurity startup based in Verona, made waves by raising €10 million in Series A funding to address the growing threats against APIs. Imagine my excitement learning about this as a female entrepreneur bootstrapping my own ventures in tech. Here’s why this funding round doesn’t just affect the cybersecurity world, it holds lessons for every entrepreneur pushing boundaries in their own domains.
API security has become a pain point for businesses globally. APIs are the hidden engines behind almost all digital services, connecting systems in banking, energy, retail, and beyond. But here’s the catch: the more we rely on APIs, the riskier they become. In 2025 alone, API-related breaches were estimated to cost businesses $200 billion. Equixly steps into this chaotic landscape with an agentic AI platform that constantly tests APIs for vulnerabilities. These AI agents mimic human hackers, uncovering flaws that many traditional tools miss.
The Funding Story and What It Means
Equixly’s €10 million round included investors like 33N Ventures and Alpha Intelligence Capital, alongside some familiar names who’ve backed them before, such as JME Ventures and 360 Capital. And while funding news might sound run-of-the-mill these days, this one is special because it underscores how “startups-thought-through” with expertise can secure top-tier support. Equixly plans to use the funds for team growth, model development, and breaking into the UK market by next year. Expansion isn’t just about funding, it’s about vision, execution, and readiness. Starting with small steps like local sales offices is smart.
For founders like me who’ve largely self-funded, the lesson here is strategy. Even if your growth is bootstrapped, you can scale strategically by focusing resources where they make the most impact, much like Equixly expanding its immediate footprint by opening a UK branch.
How Equixly’s Tech Stands Out
The discussion around APIs can sound incredibly technical, so let’s keep it simple. Equixly’s core tech dives deeper and more continuously than regular tools. Why? Their autonomous agents don’t just scan for known flaws, they learn how systems work, simulate complex hacking scenarios, and adapt over time. Remember those “shadow APIs,” the endpoints companies often forget about? Equixly uncovers those too. It’s like putting a vigilant, hyper-intelligent cybersecurity officer on autopilot for your systems.
One stat I found staggering: these AI agents reportedly identify up to 80% more hidden vulnerabilities than standard scanning tools. As someone who works in intellectual property protection, I constantly see how overlooked details can become massive problems. Equixly’s approach to proactively catching and correcting risks mirrors the diligence entrepreneurs need to adopt in managing their businesses.
Practical Tips on How to Embrace Advanced Tools
If, like me, you’re running a startup on tight margins, large-scale adoption of tech like Equixly’s might feel like it’s out of reach. But there’s still a lot we can borrow from their approach. Here are some ideas:
- Automate What You Can Early On: Whether it’s marketing, processes, or even elements of cybersecurity, investing in automation tools can save you mental bandwidth later.
- Test Everything Continuously: Equixly doesn’t stop testing APIs. Entrepreneurs should apply the same principle to business assumptions, keep reviewing audience feedback, cash flow decisions, and service performance.
- Don’t Ignore Shadow Risks: Just as some APIs go unnoticed, you might have blind spots in your customer engagement or team management. Take a moment to map out potential problem areas.
Common Mistakes in Scaling as a Female Entrepreneur
Expanding your business can be thrilling but also filled with traps. Reflecting on Equixly’s systematic approach, honing the product, targeting key markets, and fundraising, reminds me of missteps to avoid:
- Expanding Too Broadly: Targeting everything and everywhere dilutes focus. Equixly’s decision to focus on the UK first before going global is a lesson in patience.
- Neglecting the Product’s Value: If you solve real pain points, you build trust. Equixly nailed this, its clients hail from industries like banking and retail where trust is non-negotiable.
- Overlooking Community Building: Whether you’re selling cybersecurity or a SaaS platform, who you know matters. Equixly’s investors can now open doors that would remain closed otherwise.
The Female Perspective: Where to Learn From
As women in entrepreneurship, we walk a slightly different road. Seeing Equixly win big felt inspiring. While their focus is tech, their success embodies traits we can emulate, dedication to a problem's depth, partnership-building, and courage to scale smartly despite the odds. Businesses are ecosystems, not islands, and this funding round proves the power of partnerships to boost visibility.
A Useful Insight: How to Approach Investors Like 33N
Good investors don’t just fund, they challenge your blind spots, open networks, and offer guidance. Identifying the right ones is a process. Here are steps I always recommend:
- Identify Value Beyond Money: Equixly went with 33N Ventures, whose B2B focus directly aligns with APIs. Don’t just choose investors for their cash, choose for connections.
- Start Early: Start engaging with potential investors before you need funding. Equixly likely built its investor relationships over months, if not years.
- Show Scalability: Even as startups, showing how your product can scale across geographies, like Equixly heading from Italy to the UK, strengthens your case.
Wrapping It Up: Lessons to Carry Forward
Equixly’s €10 million funding is more than corporate success, it is a blueprint for scaling thoughtfully while sticking to your vision. As I keep bootstrapping and fine-tuning my ventures, stories like these remind me that showing unique value always wins. Whether you’re seeking funding or tweaking your startup strategy, think about the balance between focus and ambition. Who knows, maybe we’ll be seeing your success story next.
FAQ
1. What is Equixly, and how much funding did they recently raise?
Equixly is an Italian cybersecurity startup specializing in API security using agentic AI technology. The company recently raised €10 million in Series A funding. Read more about Equixly's funding on Tech.eu
2. Who led Equixly's €10 million Series A funding round?
The funding round was led by 33N Ventures, with additional investment from Alpha Intelligence Capital and existing investors such as JME Ventures and 360 Capital. Learn more about Equixly's investors
3. What is the main focus of Equixly's technology?
Equixly's platform focuses on automating API security testing using AI agents that mimic hacker behavior to uncover vulnerabilities and enhance system defense. Discover how Equixly's AI platform works
4. What industries does Equixly's solution cater to?
Equixly serves industries like banking, energy, insurance, and retail, helping them strengthen their API security against evolving threats. Explore Equixly's market reach on Tech.eu
5. What makes Equixly's API security stand out from traditional tools?
Equixly's autonomous AI agents simulate human hacker behavior, continuously monitor systems, and detect up to 80% more vulnerabilities than conventional methods. Check out Equixly's unique approach
6. How does Equixly plan to use its funding?
The funds will be used to expand the team, improve the AI technology, and establish a sales office in the UK for international growth. Learn more about Equixly's growth plans
7. What is the significance of the €200 billion API security crisis in 2025?
In 2025, API-related breaches cost businesses an estimated $200 billion, highlighting the urgent need for advanced security solutions like Equixly's. Discover API security trends
8. What role does automation play in Equixly’s platform?
Equixly leverages autonomous AI for continuous penetration tests, automating vulnerability detection and minimizing risks in API-driven systems. Explore Equixly's automation techniques
9. What is a "shadow API," and how does Equixly address it?
A "shadow API" refers to endpoints a company might overlook or be unaware of. Equixly's platform identifies such APIs to ensure full system security. Learn more about shadow APIs
10. Who can benefit the most from Equixly's solutions?
Companies with high API dependencies, especially those in regulated or security-critical sectors like finance, energy, and retail, benefit greatly from Equixly's advanced API security. Read about Equixly’s impact on enterprises
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
