• 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
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • 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
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Success
In 2026, many employers are ditching merit-based pay bumps in favor of ‘peanut butter raises’
By Emma BurleighFebruary 2, 2026
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Trump may have shot himself in the foot at the Fed, as Powell could stay on while Miran resigns from White House post
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 4, 2026
13 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Investing
Tech stocks go into free fall as it dawns on traders that AI has the ability to cut revenues across the board
By Jim EdwardsFebruary 4, 2026
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Cybersecurity
Top AI leaders are begging people not to use Moltbook, a social media platform for AI agents: It’s a ‘disaster waiting to happen’
By Eva RoytburgFebruary 2, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Gates Foundation doubles down on foreign aid as U.S. government largely withdraws
By Thalia Beaty and The Associated PressFebruary 3, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Politics
Peter Thiel warns the Antichrist and apocalypse are linked to the ‘end of modernity’ currently happening—and cites Greta Thunberg as a driving example
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 4, 2026
9 hours 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.


Latest in Tech

A man in a suit wearing glasses.
Big TechAlphabet
Alphabet plans to double capex spending to a possible $185 billion—but it’s keeping CEO Sundar Pichai up at night
By Amanda GerutFebruary 4, 2026
4 hours ago
electricity
EnvironmentElectricity
Over a million people are losing power during a freezing snowstorm while data centers nearby guzzle electricity
By Nikki Luke, Conor Harrison and The ConversationFebruary 4, 2026
8 hours ago
Phone displaying quantum computing company IonQ's logo.
Big Techquantum computing
IonQ, the biggest quantum computing company on the stock market, disputes short-seller claims it failed to disclose holes in its revenue
By Jeremy Kahn and Jim EdwardsFebruary 4, 2026
8 hours ago
altman
Startups & VentureMarkets
Scott Galloway predicts OpenAI could pull its IPO amid AI ‘vibe shift’ as investors ‘gag’ on Trump proximity, questionable revenue
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 4, 2026
8 hours ago
AILayoffs
Pinterest cracks down on dissent, fires engineers for an internal layoff tool as AI shake-ups keep employees on edge and in line
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 4, 2026
8 hours ago
McNuggets
Travel & LeisureMcDonald's
McDonald’s wants you to eat caviar McNuggets this Valentine’s Day
By Dee-Ann Durbin and The Associated PressFebruary 4, 2026
8 hours ago