A bold new chapter in cybersecurity has begun with AirMDR’s announcement of a $15.5 million seed funding round, signaling strong investor confidence in the company’s mission to bring AI-driven Managed Detection and Response (MDR) to every enterprise. As the demand for faster, smarter, and more affordable security operations surges, AirMDR is positioning itself as the next major innovator in the space by building an AI-native Security Operations Center (SOC) as a Service that marries automation with expert human oversight.
With this new infusion of capital—$10.5 million added to an initial $5 million seed round—the company plans to intensify its sales and marketing efforts and expand the research and development behind its flagship product. The goal: deliver the quality of a Fortune 500 SOC to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), a segment long underserved by traditional MDR and managed security services providers (MSSPs).
A New Standard in Managed Detection and Response
At the heart of AirMDR’s innovation is its “Virtual Analyst”—an AI engine designed to autonomously triage, investigate, and respond to security alerts with the speed and precision typically reserved for elite enterprise SOCs. Capable of completing investigations in under five minutes—and in some cases, just two minutes—AirMDR’s AI can perform tasks that would take a human analyst 45 minutes or more. According to the company, this represents a potential 20x increase in speed and efficiency.
This performance boost isn’t theoretical. AirMDR’s system is already in production across several enterprise environments, combining automated playbooks with over 240 out-of-the-box integrations to seamlessly fit into existing security stacks. And for those with more complex infrastructures, AirMDR promises custom integrations in just two to four weeks.
In addition to speed and compatibility, AirMDR offers affordability. “Our mission is to bring Fortune 500 quality SOC to every enterprise at an affordable price,” said Kumar Saurabh, co-founder and CEO of AirMDR. “We are running in production across multiple enterprises. Our hybrid model, combining AI Analysts with a 24×7 team of expert human analysts, provides a second layer of defense that best meets the needs of MDR buyers.”
From SIEM to SOAR to AI SOC: A Founder’s Vision
This isn’t Kumar Saurabh’s first time leading innovation in cybersecurity. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Saurabh is best known for co-founding Sumo Logic, the first cloud-based SIEM, and LogicHub, an early leader in security automation and SOAR. He also held key leadership roles at ArcSight, a pioneer in first-generation SIEM technology.
A serial entrepreneur with a track record of building forward-looking cybersecurity platforms, Saurabh’s latest venture emerged from a recognition that traditional models—dependent on overwhelmed human analysts and limited automation—can no longer keep up with the scale and complexity of modern threats. Inspired in part by breakthroughs in generative AI, Saurabh co-founded AirMDR to leverage artificial intelligence not just as a tool, but as a foundational architecture for security operations.
“Kumar Saurabh, through his leadership experience, is one of those relentless founders we look to support with his execution and vision for the future of cybersecurity,” said Alfred Chuang, Managing Partner at Race Capital, which led the latest funding round.
Saurabh’s co-founder, Anthony Morris, brings another 25 years of hands-on experience in SIEM, security engineering, and incident response. Together, the leadership team brings unmatched credibility to AirMDR’s mission of reshaping the MDR landscape.
Real-Time Response, Real-World Impact
AirMDR’s offering goes beyond software. Delivered as a fully managed service, it combines the responsiveness of automation with the judgment of seasoned professionals. The company’s 24/7 SOC team supervises, validates, and continuously trains the AI analyst—nicknamed “Darryl”—to ensure accurate, contextual responses to incoming threats.
“Traditional MDRs often fall short in SMB environments, struggling with slow response times and high-quality alert handling,” said Saurabh. “AirMDR solves this with a powerful AI analyst that autonomously triages 100% of alerts in real time.”
Customers benefit from full transparency. Every investigation is documented in plain English, allowing organizations to understand what occurred, how it was handled, and what steps were taken to contain the threat. Whether they want 1-click approvals or fully autonomous operation, clients have full control over the level of automation in their environments.
AirMDR user Randy Potts, CISO, full-service loan servicing company RTR, stated, “AirMDR is amazing, in about a week, they had recreated all of the alerts my team had created over almost 9 years. Their ability to dig through logs and identify what is important shows how automation and AI can be a game changer for us in security operations, monitoring, and threat hunting.”
This model is particularly appealing to small and mid-sized businesses that lack the resources to build or staff their own SOCs. AirMDR aims to level the playing field, delivering high-quality security at a lower cost than traditional providers, while still offering white-glove onboarding, expert tuning, and ongoing support.
Industry Recognition and Investor Backing
The MDR market is booming—expected to reach $5 billion by the end of 2025—and AirMDR is poised to become a major player. The company recently earned an Honorable Mention in the 2025 Black Hat Startup Spotlight Competition, signaling strong industry recognition for its approach.
“We’re at the tipping point of a major transformation in security operations,” said David Gruber, Principal Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). “AI-native MDRs aren’t just improving analyst efficiency; they’re materially reshaping the economics and scalability of threat detection and response for SMBs.”
This sentiment is echoed by AirMDR’s backers, which include Foundation Capital, Race Capital, and Storm Ventures—firms known for investing in transformational technologies.
“We believe in AirMDR’s mission to solve businesses’ most pressing security challenges through the use of AI combined with MDR,” said Race Capital’s Chuang.
A Future Fueled by Autonomy and Trust
With the close of this seed round and a growing roster of enterprise customers, AirMDR is firmly on the path to becoming a key player in the AI-powered cybersecurity ecosystem. Its SOC 2 certification also assures clients of its commitment to operational integrity and data protection.
Looking ahead, the company envisions a future in which Virtual Analysts handle the bulk of SOC workloads—transforming how threat detection and response is delivered across industries. The company’s internal mantra—”Customer Obsession,” “Radical Candor,” “Constant Innovation,” and “Embrace Challenges”—reflects a commitment to not just building cutting-edge technology, but delivering lasting value to those who need it most.
“Without using automation and now AI, it is impossible to make and keep an enterprise secure—even more so in small and medium-sized enterprises,” the company states in its briefing document. “AirMDR was formed to provide an efficient, effective, and affordable managed detection and response.”
Whether you’re a startup with limited IT staff or an MSSP looking to enhance your offerings, AirMDR presents a compelling new option—offering speed, transparency, and enterprise-grade security, powered by relentless innovation.
Steven Bowcut is an award-winning journalist covering cyber and physical security. He is an editor and writer for Brilliance Security Magazine as well as other security and non-security online publications. Follow and connect with Steve on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.