Tackling privilege sprawl with Zero Standing Privilege model
Why 33N Invested in Apono
At 33N, we focus on the infrastructure layers that quietly but decisively determine how enterprises run and defend themselves. As companies distribute workloads across cloud environments and embed AI throughout their operations, Identity and Access Management (IAM) sits at the center of this architecture.
Apono offers a fundamentally new approach here: a Zero Standing Privilege architecture that shifts permissioning from static configuration to real-time, contextual workflows.
Last month we celebrated the participation in Apono’s $34M Series B, led by U.S. Venture Partners and joined by Swisscom Ventures, Vertex Ventures and existing investors, reflecting our conviction in Apono’s approach.
A Market Under Structural Pressure
IAM is one of cybersecurity’s largest and most strained cyber segments. Incumbents like Okta, Sailpoint and Cyberark together add up to $50B in market cap. Cloud adoption, federated architectures, and AI-driven tooling have fragmented control and expanded the permission surface attackers target. Programs built around standing privileges struggle with overprovisioning, dormant access, and inconsistent enforcement. Meanwhile, regulators increasingly expect continuous verification, not periodic attestation. Apono sits squarely at this intersection—security, automation, and real-time auditability.
A Distinctive Zero Standing Privilege Approach
Rather than layering tools on legacy privilege models, Apono removes standing access altogether. The platform operationalizes Just-in-Time (JIT) and Just-Enough-Access (JEA) through policy-driven automation that integrates directly into engineering workflows. Access is granted only when needed and based on contextual signals such as incident severity or deployment stage. The system is built to support not just humans but the growing wave of bots, pipelines, and agentic systems that require rapid, precise permissions.
The Team Behind
Apono’s founders translate a bold architectural thesis into a developer-friendly system deployed quickly in complex environments. Customers consistently highlighted the platform’s ease of setup and balanced design—rare traits in privileged access tooling. The team’s forward-looking roadmap, unifying human and machine identities under one access engine, strengthens their long-term position.
Strong Product-Market Fit
Apono has quadrupled its customer base in the past year, winning trust from enterprises such as Intel, HPE, and Monday.com. These organizations require deterministic access controls that do not impede operations — a high bar that Apono meets. Adoption by leading cybersecurity vendors further validates the platform and its role within the broader security ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
Privileged access will be a foundational layer of the Agentic Era as AI systems assume more operational responsibility. Access decisions will occur more frequently, span more identities and require richer context. Apono is building the infrastructure to support this shift—securely and at scale. Our investment reflects conviction in the product, the team and the industry’s move toward dynamic, context-aware permissioning.
We’re excited to contribute actively to Apono’s success. The winds keep on blowing!
33N Company Updates 🚀
DataGalaxy
Featured in the new research by ISG Software Research, Analyst Perspective: DataGalaxy Addresses the Governance and Value of Data – Read more
Exein
CEO Gianni Cuozzo was awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Scaleup category from EY Italy – Read more
Became a technical partner of Crossed Swords 2025, a cyber defence exercise conducted by the NATO – Read more
Named as a Representative Vendor in the 2025 Gartner Market Guide for Embedded Security for IoT Connectivity – Read more
Panorays
StrikeReady
Nominated as a Top 5 finalist for SANS Institute Difference Makers Award in Innovation of the year category – Read more
Gathering key CISOs in Las Vegas – Register here!
Acoru
Hiring several positions, including Sales & Marketing, after Series A!
Apono
Hiring several positions, including Sales & Marketing, after Series B!
Released MCP Server for admins, allowing admins to manage and automate privileged access workflows, in natural language, through MCP-compatible tooling – Read more
Attending AWS Re:invent at Booth #1228 – reach out!
Upcoming Events for 33N 🤝
AWS Re:invent, 1-5Dec, Las Vegas — Guy Horowitz
Black Hat Europe, London, 8-11 Dec — Gonçalo B., Gonçalo S.
Cyberweek, Tel-Aviv, 8-11 Dec — Guy Horowitz
Reach out to meet us there!
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