eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG

07/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/08/2026 08:31

eCAPITAL backs Dawnguard to define the missing layer in enterprise cloud security

The Amsterdam-based company founded by Mahdi Abdulrazak and Kim van Lavieren is redefining cloud security by moving protection to where it matters most: the architecture phase. Instead of identifying vulnerabilities after deployment, Dawnguard enables organizations to design, validate, and continuously enforce secure cloud architectures from day one.

As AI accelerates software development and infrastructure becomes increasingly autonomous, security can no longer remain a reactive function. Dawnguard's architecture-first approach addresses one of the most fundamental shifts in cybersecurity by helping organizations prevent risks before they are introduced into production. With that, Day-0 architecture security is not an evolution of CNAPP, it is a new paradigm. And when Forbes starts making your case for you, you're no longer pitching a product. You're naming a shift that's already happening.

Alongside its public product launch and the opening of its New York office, Dawnguard announced an additional $3.3 million in pre-seed funding, bringing the company's total funding to more than $6.3 million. The round was led by Curiosity VC and eCAPITAL, with participation form existing investor BNVT Capital. The funding will support this next phase of commercializing Dawnguard's AI-native security architecture platform.

Cloud transformation and AI infrastructure have made security complexity a board-level problem for enterprises and solving it requires people who have lived on both sides of it. Mahdi and Kim have. Shift-left architecture security is the answer the industry has been missing, and Dawnguard is the team to build it.

Dirk Seewald, Managing Partner, eCAPITAL

About eCAPITAL: Founded 1999 in Germany, eCAPITAL is a venture capital investor focusing on European early- and growth-stage deep-tech companies with a positive impact on society. With entrepreneurial spirit and assets under management totaling over €400 million, the eCAPITAL team is investing in the verticals of Cybersecurity + Defense Tech, AI Tech + Infrastructure Software, Climate Tech, New Materials + Semiconductors. In addition to financial resources, eCAPITAL offers its portfolio companies strategic support and access to an international network of entrepreneurs, scientists, investors and founders. For more information visit https://www.ecapital.vc.

Media Contact:
eCAPITAL ENTREPRENEURIAL PARTNERS AG
 Aileen Tebbe
Phone: +49 251 70 37 67 0
Email: [email protected]
www.ecapital.vc

eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG published this content on July 08, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 08, 2026 at 14:32 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]