November 29, 2001
CONSUL Risk Management, a global IT security software provider, today announced a second-round injection of 11 million euros from new investors SOFTBANK Europe Ventures (SBEV) and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, along with existing investors, NeSBIC CTe Fund and Kennet Capital. This new funding will enable CONSUL to further establish itself as an innovative leader in the enterprise security audit software market by enhancing its audit and administration software product offering, as well as globally expanding the business.
Security auditing software is crucial to the overall security architecture of any business because it ensures that the front-line, security infrastructure is cohesively deployed from the start and prevents it from being undermined at a later stage. CONSUL software covers the activities of internal as well as external users, such as suppliers, customers, partners as well as malicious individuals. IT security auditing is also becoming a 'must-have,' rather than a 'would-like-to-have' due to the demands of new e-business IT infrastructures, operational imperatives and new legislation. The security audit market is poised for rapid growth, as almost all of the Fortune 500 companies have deployed front-line security infrastructure (including firewalls, intrusion detection and user authentication systems), but only the most advanced have yet taken the essential next step of auditing and verifying the security of these infrastructures on an on-going basis.
CONSUL has developed comprehensive, multi-platform security software for IT networks, which does for the network what a security video camera does in a department store or an airport. CONSUL's signature solution, Consul/eAudit version 3.1 (CeA) observes, records and reports the activity of both authorized and unauthorized users on the IT network, thus enabling a company to deter security breaches. With CeA, large corporations are able to manage their security infrastructure efficiently, safely and at a lower cost.
"We have invested in CONSUL because we recognize the increasing need for companies to audit their IT security, and CONSUL's software covers the widest range of platforms and applications in the industry," said James Stuart, managing director of SOFTBANK Europe Ventures. "CONSUL is already one of the largest private companies in the security software industry, with an impressive client base in the US and Europe. This investment will enable it to become globally recognized as a leading force in this industry."
In addition to addressing the audit sector of the security enterprise software market, CONSUL also provides software and consultancy to the emerging group of Managed Security Service (MSS) companies. These services and solutions enable small and medium companies to immediately meet their required IT security level with little effort or financial investment on their part.
Tolga Uzuner, of DrKW's OM Investments team, said: "This investment is consistent with our vision for enterprise security needs in the next-generation open platforms which will be critical to growth of e-business. CONSUL is positioned at the forefront of enterprise-wide audit security and we look forward to contributing to their continued growth."
"The addition of the global reach and service capacities of SBEV and DrKW as investors complements CONSUL's original backers and rounds out a strong team of investors behind the company, said Martin Poulsen, a vice president at Kennet Capital Limited.
"We are thrilled to welcome SOFTBANK Europe Ventures (SBEV) and Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein as new CONSUL investors," said Koen Bouwers, CEO of CONSUL Risk Management. "The additional investment by previous investors, NeSBIC and Kennet Capital, speaks to the results CONSUL has delivered to date and their confidence in our future. We look forward to using this new financing to further enhance our enterprise-wide audit and administration software and continue our global expansion."
CONSUL is a leading worldwide IT security software developer specialized in audit and admin tools for enterprise-wide security management. CONSUL has years of experience with security and system performance solutions. Based in Delft, The Netherlands, CONSUL was founded in 1986 and has since then grown into the largest independent security software company in the Netherlands. CONSUL is internationally represented by subsidiaries in the USA, Germany and Denmark, and sales offices worldwide. In 1998, NeSBIC CTe Fund and Kennet Capital participated in the financing of the company. Since 1995, CONSUL has been active in the US market and has an office in the Boston area. CONSUL is committed to the highest standard in its products and services, which range from consultancy, managed security services, penetration testing to enterprise-wide audit and administration security software. With CONSUL security solutions, large corporations can manage their security infrastructure efficiently, safely and at lower cost. CONSUL consultancy and managed security services enable medium and small corporations to meet their required IT security level with great ease. Confidence in a networked world!
Please visit www.consul.com for more information.
Kennet Capital Limited is the early-stage venture capital affiliate of Broadview, a leading global M&A advisor and private equity investor focused exclusively on the IT, communications and media industries. The fund has $275 million under management. Kennet Capital Limited places a strong emphasis on investments in networking and communications technologies, semiconductor IP, Internet infrastructure and enterprise software. Kennet Capital Limited strives to leverage the collective intellectual capital of the entire Broadview organization to the benefit of portfolio companies. Kennet Capital Limited is regulated by IMRO in the UK.
For additional information, visit www.kennet.com
SOFTBANK Europe Ventures (SBEV) is a venture capital fund, focusing on best-of-breed, early-stage technology companies across Europe and Israel. SOFTBANK Europe Ventures' goal is to partner with the most promising entrepreneurs to help build world-class companies. The fund is managed through its office in London. SBEV is part of SOFTBANK CORP, one of the world's leaders in technology, with holdings in more than 600 companies globally. SBEV brings its portfolio companies the benefits of its active hands-on approach, as well as SOFTBANK's international network of companies, contacts and partners.
For more information, please visit www.softbank.com
Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein is the marketing name for the investment bank of Dresdner Bank AG, a member of the Allianz Group. Headquartered in London, Frankfurt and New York, DrKW provides a full range of investment banking products and services to European and other international clients including corporations, institutions and governments through its Investment Banking, Global Equities, Global Debt, Online Markets and Private Equity business lines. DrKW adds value for its clients by utilizing its strengths in European debt and equity markets and its leading position in European distribution, risk management, derivatives and international M&A and advisory work. For more information, please visit www.drkw.com
The fund managed by the OM Investments team has an investment focus on private emerging technology companies whose innovations will impact the evolution of the financial services industry or where a large proportion of revenue may be derived from financial clients.
The NeSBIC CTe Fund is a leading Pan-European independent venture capital fund targeted exclusively at fast growing communications & infrastructure and enabling technologies companies, which are not yet listed on the stock exchange. As a value-added venture capital partner, the CTe Fund truly takes an active part in helping portfolio companies achieve their business vision. In the last three years the CTe Fund has established an international portfolio of over 30 companies in this specific market segment. Well known examples are: VersaTel Telecom, EC-Gate, Altitude Software, Inforay, Energiebedrijf.com, Poseidon and BabyXL. For more information, please visit www.ctefund.com