• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechCybersecurity

Australia Leads $45 Million Investment in Data Security Startup

Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
Robert Hackett
By
Robert Hackett
Robert Hackett
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 6, 2017, 5:00 AM ET
Liberal Party Launch Election Campaign In Brisbane
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Treasurer Peter Costello raises his arms to greet his supporters during the Brisbane leg of the Coalition Party election campaign launch at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre on November 12, 2007 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)Bradley Kanaris—Getty Images

A sovereign wealth fund owned by the Australian government has spearheaded a $45 million investment in the cybersecurity firm Bitglass, the company said Friday.

The Aussie asset manager, called the Future Fund, is joined by venture capital backers New Enterprise Associates, Norwest Venture Partners, Singtel’s investing subsidiary Innov8, and others.

Established in 2006, the Future Fund holds more than A$120 billion (roughly $90 billion) under management today.

Based in Campbell, Calif., Bitglass has raised three rounds of funding since its founding in 2013, making this its series C round. The startup has raised a total of $80 million to date, the last round worth $25 million in August 2014.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Bitglass is what’s known as a cloud security access broker, meaning its product serves as a gateway to other cloud services, such as Microsoft (MSFT) Office 365, Salesforce (CRM), Google (GOOG) G Suite, Box (BOX), and Slack. The company aims to protect data stored on servers outside corporate networks, a point of potential vulnerability as workforces increasingly access externally stored computer files using mobile devices.

“Think of us as a firewall in the cloud,” said Nat Kausik, CEO and cofounder of Bitglass, on a call with Fortune.

Here’s how it works: Imagine a salesperson logging into Microsoft Outlook to check email. Bitglass manages connections like these for its customers by applying encryption and security policies to ensure only authorized individuals have access to certain data.

“In the office you might allow full access,” Kausik said, offering an example of a security policy based on geolocation. “On a mobile device in Timbuktu you might have restricted access.”

Kausik, an HP alum who sold two prior companies to Cisco (CSCO) and Computer Associates, said that Bitglass became cash flow even in the middle of last year, although he expects that will not last. The chief exec said he plans to use the latest cash injection to focus on growth in new markets.

For more on Australia’s treasury, watch:

Bitglass has about 70 employees and 500 customers, Kausik said. The firm recently opened an office in Amsterdam, he said.

When asked why Bitglass chose to go with Australia’s Future Fund as an investor, Kausik said that the match-up “represented geographical expansion for us.” The company’s other investors are based in Singapore and the U.S.

The Future Fund invests in businesses with the intention of meeting the Australian government’s pension liabilities to civil servants. In recent months, the fund has returned less than its originators had hoped.

Peter Costello, the former treasurer of Australia and the fund’s founder and chairman, recently said that the fund’s managers might have to pursue riskier investment opportunities to reach the government’s mandated growth goals.

About the Author
Robert Hackett
By Robert Hackett
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Disney’s new CEO is exploring a ‘super app’ for theme park tickets, movies and more
Big TechMedia
Disney’s new CEO is exploring a ‘super app’ for theme park tickets, movies and more
By Thomas Buckley, Lucas Shaw and BloombergMay 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Apple raises Mac Mini’s starting price to $799 after AI frenzy drains supply
AIChips
Apple raises Mac Mini’s starting price to $799 after AI frenzy drains supply
By Chris Welch, Mark Gurman and BloombergMay 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Unionized workers form alliance with rich tech giants on AI data centers, pushing back on local opposition and redrawing political lines
AIData centers
Unionized workers form alliance with rich tech giants on AI data centers, pushing back on local opposition and redrawing political lines
By Marc Levy and The Associated PressMay 2, 2026
6 hours ago
Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
AIchief executive officer (CEO)
Jensen Huang says some CEOs have a ‘God complex’ when it comes to AI apocalypse warnings, which can create shortages of critical workers
By Jason MaMay 2, 2026
12 hours ago
Photo of several people working on a presentation together
AICareers
Big Tech is shelling out up to $1 million for new hires who will never have to write a line of code
By Sydney LakeMay 2, 2026
14 hours ago
dario
CommentaryAnthropic
Anthropic’s most powerful AI model just exposed a crisis in corporate governance. Here’s the framework every CEO needs.
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Stephen Henriques, Dan Kent and Holden LeeMay 2, 2026
17 hours ago

Most Popular

Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
2 days ago
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
Economy
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
By Jacqueline MunisMay 2, 2026
13 hours ago
Stop donating to Harvard and the Ivy League. There's a better option that MacKenzie Scott already figured out
Commentary
Stop donating to Harvard and the Ivy League. There's a better option that MacKenzie Scott already figured out
By Ed Smith-LewisMay 2, 2026
19 hours ago
The American household just took an 81% margin cut. Wall Street hasn’t priced it in
Commentary
The American household just took an 81% margin cut. Wall Street hasn’t priced it in
By Katica RoyMay 2, 2026
16 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 1, 2026
2 days ago
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
Law
A Chick-fil-A worker got fired and then showed up behind the register to allegedly refund himself over $80,000 in mac and cheese
By Catherina GioinoMay 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.