Dust Mobile, the leading mobile cyber-defense operator, announces a €12 million Series B round of financing led by the Defense Innovation Fund, managed by Bpifrance and subscribed by the Defense Innovation Agency (AID), designed to support innovation in dual and cross-functional technologies, along with historical investors Tikehau Ace Capital, the European leader in digital security private equity, via the Brienne III fund (a fund dedicated to cybersecurity), and OMNES Capital, a major player in private equity and infrastructure investment.
Dust Mobile offers a secure-by-design cyber defense solution for mobile communications. The user benefits from global coverage, protection, detection, real-time alerting of attacks and automatic execution of countermeasures. Thanks to its SIM Cybercell technology, compatible with any connected devices or applications, the solution protects against attacks on mobile cellular networks and attacks on SIM cards. It therefore completes efficiently the mobile communications security chain and the cyber ecosystem already in place.
Founded in 2017 by François d’Ormesson and Jean Michel Henrard, the company then launched the first solution that addresses the security of critical mobile communications in the face of cyber threats related to transmissions, signaling protocols (SS7, Diameter, GTP, SIP, Camel, …) and vulnerabilities intrinsic to cellular mobile networks.
Today, with more than 684 mobile operator partners worldwide, Dust Mobile brings a high level of resiliency and security to governments and enterprises in 214 countries and territories.
Since its creation, Dust Mobile has received numerous awards: it is the winner of the Grand Défi Cyber (France 1st Minister) and the winner of Mobility for Business. Telecommunications operator registered in France with ARCEP and in Belgium with IPBT, Dust Mobile is a member of the international telecommunications bodies ITU, GSMA, 3GPP, ETSI, RIPE and in particular of the GSMA “Security & Fraud” and ITU SG17 groups. More recently, Dust Mobile has joined the Cercle de l’Arbalète. This new round of financing will enable the company to accelerate its development in Europe and abroad, strengthen its operational and commercial resources, and implement new services for a unique customer experience, while continuing to develop its technological lead and competitive advantages.
“We are thrilled with this new stage of acceleration in our development. Dust Mobile’s mission is to help companies and governments protect themselves from cyber threats, which are increasingly targeting cell phones and other connected objects,” says Jean Michel Henrard, CEO and co-founder of Dust Mobile, “Cyber defenses are extremely limited when it comes to attacks on inter-operator transmissions and signaling. These increasingly sophisticated attacks allow for remote interception of mobile communications, real-time geolocation of equipment, targeted denial of service, and digital identity theft, all without detection by users. The support of our funds will enable companies and governments to protect themselves more effectively.”
Nicolas Berdou, Investor for the Defense Innovation Fund at Bpifrance, states: “The cyber defense of companies in the Defense industrial and technological core and of governmental organizations is key to face the permanent threats to our know-how and our sovereignty. Supporting the scaling up of Dust Mobile’s innovative and dual solution to protect telecommunications is at the heart of the Defense Innovation Fund’s strategy.”
“Dust Mobile has made a significant impact in the industry by addressing an identified weakness in mobile communications. We are excited to continue to support their growth as they continue to meet the growing security needs of businesses and governments with their highly efficient and easy-to use technology,” add Quentin Besnard, Tikehau Ace Capital.
“In the face of increasingly numerous, sophisticated and lethal cyber threats, and with a view to creating sovereign European cyber solutions, our support for Dust Mobile was a no-brainer,” affirm Michel de Lempdes, Managing Partner, Omnes.
Press contact:
- Omnes – communication@omnescapital.com
- Dust Mobile – Fabrice PELOSI – fpelosi@epoka.fr – Tel : +33 6 18 01 36 18
- Bpifrance – Sophie Santandrea – Sophie.santandrea@bpifrance.fr – Tel : +33 (0)1 45 65 51 62
- Tikehau Ace Capital, Audrey Hood, +33 6 15 08 25 68, ahood@tikehau-ace.capital