Cleo Capital, a prominent early-stage venture fund, is doubling down on the fight against cybercrime with the launch of a new accelerator program.
Designed to address the escalating wave of online threats, the 12-week, fully remote program offers $250,000 in funding for a 7% equity stake, targeting pre-seed and seed-stage companies globally.
Applications close on January 20, 2025, with the program kicking off on February 24, 2025.
Founder and Managing Partner Sarah Kunst says the initiative was sparked by her firsthand encounters with the rise of cyber fraud.
Kunst, an adviser to dating app Bumble and an investor in crypto and fintech, says she’s seen cyber threats hit close to home. Stories from her father and grandmother, who faced scams in smaller towns, highlighted how widespread these issues have become.
“You know it’s out of control,” Kunst told TechCrunch. “Ninety percent of Americans are confronted with cybersecurity issues, most in their consumer lives or on their devices. This is a massive opportunity far too important to pass up.”
Kunst believes the market is ripe for innovative solutions, particularly those tackling consumer-facing cybersecurity challenges.
Her accelerator seeks startups addressing problems such as:
- Tools for verifying online identities to combat fraud on social media or dating apps.
- Applications to protect users from government-backed cyberattacks.
- Solutions enhancing online safety without compromising privacy.
Aiming for a Safer Internet
Kunst warns that unchecked cyber threats risk making the internet "unusable." Cleo Capital’s program is calling for startups in consumer tech, defense, and developer infrastructure to reshape how people interact with the online world.
“This is the small start of a giant industry,” Kunst said. “We need and deserve an internet that has some amount of trust and security. Cleo is funding that shift.”
Founders aiming to make an impact in the cybersecurity space can find more information and apply via Cleo Capital.