Proofpoint (a leading cybersecurity and compliance company) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy Hornetsecurity Group, a leading pan-European provider of AI-powered Microsoft 365 (M365) security, data protection, compliance, and security awareness services.
This deal significantly enhances Proofpoint’s ability to provide human-centric security to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) globally through managed service providers (MSPs), further enhancing all organizations to protect their people and defend their data. And by combining Proofpoint’s global leadership with Hornetsecurity’s deep expertise in the MSP ecosystem, the two companies will advance their shared mission to protect organizations of all sizes and the people behind them.
Hornetsecurity features high-performing businesses in the Proofpoint portfolio, with over $160 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), over 20% year-over-year growth, and performance above the Rule of 60, an indicator of healthy market demand and exceptional business operations at scale.
Hornetsecurity and Proofpoint provide solutions servicing distinct market segments. Hornetsecurity provides solutions to over 12,000 channel partners and MSPs and more than 125,000 SMBs across Europe, while Proofpoint established itself as a global leader in enterprise-grade security.
Together, these companies will deliver complementary, purpose-built platforms fueled by shared threat intelligence to serve every customer globally with a powerful new standard in human-centric security.
Hornetsecurity’s flagship product 365 Total Protection is a comprehensive cloud security solution for M365, giving MSPs a multi-tenant, unified platform to deliver integrated services including advanced email security, backup, security awareness, access and permission control, and domain fraud protection. And the Hornetsecurity team will continue to drive innovation across their Total Protection product platform to deliver additional innovative solutions to their partners and customers.
Via the combination of shared threat intelligence and AI models, both Proofpoint and Hornetsecurity customers and partners will benefit from improved efficacy of their leading detection ensembles against threat actors.
Upon the closing of the deal, Proofpoint intends to leverage its global reach to make the power of the Hornetsecurity platform available for MSPs and their customers worldwide, advancing the shared mission of protecting every organization’s people, data, and operations. Hornetsecurity will serve as the central hub for all MSP and SMB customers within the group, ensuring a unified approach, enhanced service delivery, and accelerated innovation tailored to the needs of these key customer segments.
Hornetsecurity’s CEO Daniel Hofmann will remain at the head of the company, continuing to drive its strategic growth and vision. And the management team will remain on board, championing the company’s vision and proven product strategy while accelerating innovation to deliver the next generation of cybersecurity solutions.
KEY QUOTES:
“As attackers grow more sophisticated and people remain the primary target, organizations need security that protects them wherever they work—across email, cloud applications, and every digital channel. With the addition of Hornetsecurity, we’re excited to extend our industry-leading, human-centric security platform to better serve the unique needs of MSPs and SMBs. We look forward to deepening our investment in the European markets as part of our global growth strategy.”
Sumit Dhawan, CEO of Proofpoint
“Hornetsecurity’s AI-powered security platform enables thousands of MSPs to deliver enterprise-grade protection to their SMB customers across Europe. With the breadth of human-centric risks only growing, joining Proofpoint is a natural next step in our journey to build the strongest global offering of M365 security services. By coming together, we can better serve our partners and customers and extend that protection globally to help MSPs everywhere safeguard their customers’ people, data, and operations.”
Daniel Hofmann, founder and CEO of Hornetsecurity
