Cato Networks

Cato Networks is an Israel-based cybersecurity and enterprise networking company founded in Tel Aviv in 2015 by Shlomo Kramer and Gur Shatz. The company develops Cato SASE Cloud, a cloud-native Secure Access Service Edge platform designed to converge wide-area networking and security functions within a single globally distributed service. Its approach addresses organizations with distributed offices, remote employees, mobile users, cloud workloads, and Internet-connected business applications that would traditionally be managed through separate networking and security products. The company was established by technology entrepreneurs with backgrounds in cybersecurity and networking. Kramer previously co-founded Check Point Software Technologies and Imperva, while Shatz was associated with Incapsula. Cato initially focused on protecting enterprise WAN connections and mobile devices through capabilities including next-generation firewalling, URL filtering, application control, and VPN access. It formally launched its service in February 2016. Cato's platform combines software-defined wide-area networking, managed security services, and a private global backbone delivered through cloud points of presence. This architecture is intended to reduce the need for enterprises to backhaul traffic through traditional data centers or operate numerous separate network-security appliances. The company has subsequently expanded its platform with threat hunting, managed detection and response, and cloud access security broker capabilities, broadening its scope from connectivity and perimeter protection toward cloud and operational security. Cato has financed its expansion through multiple private funding rounds. It raised a $20 million Series A, followed by a $50 million Series B in 2016, a $55 million Series C in 2019, and a $77 million Series D in 2020. A further $130 million Series E announced in November 2020 reportedly valued the company above $1 billion. In October 2021, Cato announced a $200 million financing at a reported $2.5 billion valuation, making it a technology unicorn. The company remained privately held. In September 2025, Cato announced the acquisition of Israeli AI-security startup Aim Security, described as its first acquisition. The announcement also reported that Cato had exceeded $300 million in annual recurring revenue and had raised a further $50 million in a Series G round, bringing reported cumulative funding to $409 million and the estimated valuation to more than $4.8 billion. These figures are company- and press-reported rather than public-market disclosures. Cato's positioning is that of a SASE specialist offering a unified, cloud-delivered alternative to separately deployed WAN, firewall, remote-access, and cloud-security systems.

Cato Networks was founded in Tel Aviv in 2015 by Shlomo Kramer and Gur Shatz. Kramer brought experience from co-founding Check Point Software Technologies and Imperva, while Shatz had a background connected with Incapsula and enterprise networking. The founders established Cato around the idea that enterprise communications and security could be delivered through one cloud-native architecture rather than through a collection of separately managed appliances, circuits, and security services. The company received a $20 million Series A from U.S. Venture Partners and Aspect Ventures. Cato officially launched its service in February 2016. Its initial offering focused on protecting wide-area network links and mobile devices. Core functions included next-generation firewalling, URL filtering, application control, VPN access, and other network-security services. A $50 million Series B announced in September 2016 supported the company's product and market expansion. Cato's service developed into a SASE platform combining software-defined wide-area networking, managed security, and global backbone connectivity. The model was designed for enterprises operating across offices, remote locations, mobile workforces, cloud environments, and the public Internet. Instead of requiring each location to maintain a conventional stack of networking and security appliances, customers could connect to Cato's cloud service and apply centrally managed policies across their environments. In June 2018, Cato added threat-hunting capabilities to its networking service. The company raised $55 million in Series C financing in 2019 and $77 million in Series D financing in April 2020. In November 2020, it announced a $130 million Series E led by Lightspeed Partners, with participation from Greylock Partners, U.S. Venture Partners, Aspect Capital, Innov8, and Coatue Management. The financing reportedly valued Cato at more than $1 billion. Cato continued adding security operations capabilities. In June 2021 it launched an updated managed detection and response platform intended to identify threats across its network. In October of the same year, it announced $200 million in financing led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with existing investors including Greylock, Acrew Capital, Coatue, and Singtel Innov8 also participating. The round reportedly valued the private company at $2.5 billion. In February 2022, Cato added cloud access security broker capabilities, extending protection to cloud applications. The company describes Cato SASE Cloud as a globally distributed service supporting more than 73 points of presence in over 150 countries. Its platform scope includes SD-WAN, secure Internet access, firewalling, remote access, cloud security, threat detection, and related operational functions. Cato's market identity is therefore centered on convergence: replacing or simplifying fragmented enterprise networking and security architectures through a single cloud-delivered service. In September 2025, Cato announced its acquisition of Aim Security, an Israel-based AI-security startup. The transaction was described as Cato's first merger-and-acquisition deal and was intended to strengthen its presence in AI security. The same announcement reported that Cato had surpassed $300 million in annual recurring revenue and had raised an additional $50 million in a Series G round. Those disclosures brought reported total funding to $409 million and the estimated valuation to more than $4.8 billion. Cato remained privately held, so these valuation and revenue figures were not public-company filings.

• 2025

  Cato announces its first acquisition

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cato announces the acquisition of Aim Security and reports expansion into AI security.

• 2022

  CASB capabilities are introduced

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cato adds cloud access security broker functionality to its SASE platform.

• 2021

  Cato reaches a reported $2.5 billion valuation

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  The company announces a $200 million financing at a reported $2.5 billion valuation.

• 2020

  Cato becomes a reported technology unicorn

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  A $130 million Series E reportedly values Cato above $1 billion.

• 2018

  Threat hunting is added

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  The company expands its platform with threat-hunting capabilities.

• 2016

  Commercial launch of the Cato service

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Cato officially launches its initial cloud networking and security service for WAN connections and mobile devices.

• 2015

  Cato Networks is founded

  [1]Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org

  Shlomo Kramer and Gur Shatz establish Cato Networks in Tel Aviv to develop a cloud-based convergence of enterprise networking and security.

SASE specialist and cloud-native provider that unifies enterprise networking, secure access, and cybersecurity through a globally distributed service.

• Secure Access Service Edge platform · 2016

  Cato SASE Cloud

  Cato SASE Cloud is the company's principal cloud-delivered platform. It brings together SD-WAN connectivity, secure Internet access, firewalling, remote-access VPN, application control, URL filtering, threat detection, and other security services. The platform is designed for centralized policy management across branch offices, remote users, mobile devices, cloud resources, and Internet-connected applications. Cato delivers the service through a distributed global network rather than requiring customers to deploy the entire security stack at every site.

• Software-defined wide-area networking · 2016

  Cato SD-WAN

  Cato's SD-WAN capability provides connectivity between enterprise locations, users, cloud environments, and the wider Internet through the company's cloud backbone. It is positioned as part of an integrated SASE architecture, allowing network traffic and security controls to be managed together rather than through separate WAN and security products.

• Managed security and threat detection · 2021

  Cato Managed Detection and Response

  Cato's managed detection and response capabilities monitor activity across its network service to identify potential security threats. An updated version announced in 2021 extended the platform's security operations focus beyond connectivity and preventive controls toward detection, investigation, and response support.

• Cloud access security broker · 2022

  Cato CASB

  Cato added cloud access security broker capabilities in 2022 to extend its unified security model to cloud applications. The functionality is intended to help organizations apply security controls and visibility to cloud-service access as part of the wider Cato SASE Cloud environment.

• 2025

  Acquire Aim SecurityM&A

  Background

  Cato sought to expand into the rapidly developing AI-security segment.

  Action taken

  Cato announced the acquisition of Israeli AI-security startup Aim Security, described as its first acquisition.

  Aftermath

  The deal was presented as a step toward adding AI-security capabilities to Cato's broader platform strategy.

  Source

• 2022

  Add cloud access security broker capabilitiesProduct launch

  Background

  As enterprise applications and workloads moved into cloud services, Cato expanded beyond WAN and perimeter security.

  Action taken

  The company added CASB functionality to Cato SASE Cloud.

  Aftermath

  The platform's coverage extended to security controls for cloud applications.

  Source

• 2015

  Build a cloud-native SASE platformStrategy

  Background

  The founders identified a need to combine enterprise communication and security functions for organizations with distributed offices, remote users, and cloud resources.

  Action taken

  Cato developed a globally delivered service integrating SD-WAN, security controls, remote access, and backbone connectivity.

  Aftermath

  The strategy became the basis of Cato's product identity and private-market expansion.

  Source

• 2021-06-24

  Cato introduces Cato MDR 2.0[3]Cato 推出 Cato MDR 2.0lightreading.com

  Reported: 2021-06-24

  Cato Networks introduced Cato MDR 2.0, a managed detection and response service that identifies threats and vulnerabilities upon deployment and includes an automated security assessment and a dedicated security expert for each customer.

1. 1Cato Networksen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cato Networks official websitecatonetworks.com
3. 3Cato 推出 Cato MDR 2.0lightreading.com