50 startups that will boom in 2018, according to VCs
2017-11-27
Duo Security: Making passwords more secure
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Company name: Duo Security
VC: Avery Rosin, Principal at Lead Edge Capital
Relationship: Investor
Funding: $121.5 million
What it does: Duo is a cloud service that offers password management services and makes sure devices are virus-free before they connect to the corporate network.
Why it’s hot: “Duo just reached a valuation over $1 billion with their latest growth financing that we co-led, after first investing in the business nearly three years ago,” says Rosin.
The company is growing fast, has made a name for itself with health care, tech and other big enterprises, and earlier this year hired Josh Yavor, form Former Head of Corporate Security for Facebook.
Toast: Software that runs restaurants
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Company name: Toast
VC: Kent Bennet at Bessemer VP and Avery Rosin at Lead Edge Capital
Relationship: Investors
Funding: $134 million
What it does: Toast is a mobile app for restaurants that handles everything from taking orders at tables to food ordering and loyalty programs.
Why it’s hot: Toast is growing so fast it landed at No. 3 on the Deloitte Fast 500. “This is an incredible product loved by several thousand restaurants,” says Bennet.