Switzerland has never been a hotspot for startup culture in Europe, at least historically. It’s often admired for its banking system or picturesque landscapes rather than its tech maisons. But over the past few years, some companies from the Swiss Alps have started to make their mark, and Saporo seems determined to climb higher than the Matterhorn itself. As long as you're interested in cybersecurity and understand how identity systems work within companies, this growing star might have caught your attention.
Saporo’s €7M Series A funding puts it center stage in the European cybersecurity scene, promising an 80% reduction in identity attack paths for its clients. Unlike big-name U.S. counterparts, Saporo carves its niche with a graph-based approach that models identity systems as potential attack mazes. For entrepreneurs aiming to grow their own tech ventures, this type of specialized focus is a lesson worth dissecting.
Let’s uncover what makes this funding round particularly compelling, especially if you’re wondering how cybersecurity or niche tech can open doors for you.
Understanding Identity Challenges in Business Systems
Large enterprises now operate in decentralized identity ecosystems, think Active Directory, AWS, Google Workspace. With billions of possible configurations, missteps create a winding labyrinth attackers can exploit. Except these missteps aren’t just technical errors. They connect to budgeting priorities, corporate culture, and even forgotten onboarding steps. In short, identity security isn't just IT-exclusive; it reflects decision-making at every organizational layer.
Saporo’s platform enters this maze by visualizing the attack paths. The results? A major clean-up giving businesses breathing room against breaches.
As I built my own startup incubator, the F/MS Startup Game, tackling overlooked priorities often reshaped what seemed “technical” into strategic priorities. For founders of growing ventures, projects like Saporo highlight how deep digging into unsolved systemic problems can lead to creating unique solutions.
What Makes Saporo’s Series A Stand Out?
European funding rounds rarely reach flashy U.S. numbers, and that’s part of what makes Saporo’s approach more intriguing. They secured strategic investors. For instance, TIN Capital, the lead investor, doesn’t simply throw money but offers ways to scale internationally. Other backers, such as CDP Venture Capital, focus on tech-driven scalabilities, an important match for cybersecurity.
Their funding strategy includes plans to grow customer networks in Benelux and advanced development in AI-driven remediations, a hot topic for engineers and tech CPOs seeking automation-friendly solutions. This blend of precision and thoughtful investor partnerships is its real edge. As founders (especially self-funded like me) often try to balance client-focused goals with funding limitations, Saporo’s approach reminds us how to steer commitments smartly.
Lessons for Female Entrepreneurs in Europe
For women navigating Europe’s entrepreneurial world, Saporo’s growth provides major takeaways:
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Diving Deep into Solutions: Saporo didn’t half-guess what identity security issues look like; they modeled it. Similarly, entrepreneurs should tackle problems with research-backed, iterative methods, whether you're working in tech, retail, or education platforms.
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Hyper-Niche Positioning: With identity-based threats growing, Saporo focused on becoming the definitive problem solver. As you plant your business idea, always ask yourself: How can I specialize in one problem my audience struggles to solve?
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Strategic Investor Alignment: Their champions didn’t just write checks, they strategically fit within the roadmap. As a founder, never pursue partnerships unless the investor fills those adaptable gaps (whether networks, regulatory expertise, etc.).
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Growth by Collaboration: Startups can feel like isolating trenches. Saporo leverages investor collaborations strategically, scaling stage by stage. Replicating their client-specific execution matters, whether through funding or peer-sharing projects.
Turning Insights into Startup Success
If you’re inspired by Saporo’s example and plan to start, build, or fundraise, here’s how to channel this type of momentum:
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Step-by-Step Risk Prioritization: Whether creating AI models like Saporo or building gaming tools like I did with Fe/male Switch, risk prioritization ensures no bandwidth leaks. Clients value clear solutions that align with their headaches.
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Map the Growth Partnership: Investors help reduce blind spots and add momentum. Work backward: where should strategic resources (tech, marketing, accessibility scaling) focus in phases? Saporo methodically deployed enabling features for reducing paths, one fix at a time.
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Keep Scaling Modular: Saporo didn’t promise the moon; it refined core identity issues and steadily expanded compatible integrations like GitHub/cloud-based environments. For starters, modular products minimize post-launch patch chaos, keeping customer retention solid.
Avoid Common Pitfalls
When I hear other founders gripe about failed projects, similar mistakes come up repeatedly:
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Ignoring Iterative Prototyping: Skip the perfect launch mindset. Timing changes quickly, so version adaptations avoid stale value propositions.
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Losing Network Leverage: Overlooking investor/client synergy runs businesses into execution bottlenecks. Prioritize communicative early relationships.
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Overdoing Data Automation: AI often blazes shortcuts, but over-relying on automation harms personal ownership. Always balance personality back into foundational steps.
Closing Thoughts
Saporo epitomizes how niche solutions build strength before trendy appeal. €7M is undoubtedly meaningful (without playing numbers up artificially), but their growth comes from layered, refined thinking. If Swiss startups can dominate cybersecurity paths relative to global competition, there’s no corner across Europe’s business ecosystem that’s unreachable when properly focused.
Startup life already tests your stamina, but working intentionally tests your patience differently. Learning from growing tech players, asking internal explorations alongside market experiments simply sharpens skills you'd rather trial consistently than not trial at all. Take visibility deeper, no matter how scattered your tech understanding begins. Success eventually builds on effort, not perfection.
Saporo Official Platform
FAQ
1. What is Saporo's main product focus?
Saporo specializes in Identity Security Posture Management (ISPM), using graph-based algorithms to visualize and reduce identity-based attack paths for organizations. Explore Saporo’s ISPM solution
2. What does Saporo promise its clients in terms of cybersecurity improvement?
Saporo promises up to an 80% reduction in identity attack paths within the first year by prioritizing and eliminating critical risks in identity systems.
3. What is significant about Saporo’s €7M Series A funding?
The funding round, led by TIN Capital, focuses on scaling Saporo's platform, expanding its customer networks in Europe, and enhancing AI-driven remediations. Learn about TIN Capital’s role
4. What sets Saporo apart from its competitors?
Unlike competitors, Saporo provides a detailed attacker’s map of potential identity attack paths, enabling proactive remediation instead of just offering visibility.
5. Which regions will Saporo prioritize for growth after this new funding round?
Saporo plans to expand to Benelux, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, and the USA. Read about Saporo’s funding strategy
6. Who were the lead investors in the Series A funding, and what value do they add?
Lead investors include TIN Capital, which supports international scaling, and other strategic partners like CDP Venture Capital and Lightbird VC. Discover CDP Venture Capital’s investment collaboration
7. How does Saporo address identity-based attack challenges?
Saporo uses its graph-native platform to identify misconfigurations, reduce privilege exposures, and disrupt potential paths attackers could exploit.
8. What industries does Saporo cater to?
Saporo serves industries with complex identity systems, including banking, healthcare, and insurance.
9. Why is identity cybersecurity critical for enterprises?
Identity-based attacks account for about 80% of modern cyber incidents, making identity management systems an essential focus for organizational security. Learn more about identity security
10. What are Saporo’s plans for the future?
Saporo aims to integrate its solutions into more cloud and developer environments such as GitHub and Google Workspace while enhancing automation and scalability. Explore Saporo’s vision
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.
