Kevin Mandia, the cybersecurity veteran who founded Mandiant and sold it to Google for $5.4 billion in 2022, has quietly launched Armadin, a startup racing to counter the surge in AI-powered hacking threats. The company, which emerged from stealth on Thursday, has already secured a $24 million seed round and is in discussions for more than $100 million in additional funding at a valuation exceeding $600 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

Armadin’s mission centers on restoring the defender’s edge in an era where generative AI tools like ChatGPT enable even novice attackers to craft sophisticated exploits. ‘AI is going to make the offense much easier,’ Mandia warned earlier this year, predicting AI-agent-enabled cyberattacks within months, as reported by Axios. His new venture aims to deploy AI-driven detection and response systems to match that pace.

The seed funding came from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners and prominent individuals in the cybersecurity space, sources said. Armadin’s platform focuses on real-time threat hunting across cloud environments, leveraging machine learning to identify anomalies that traditional tools miss.

From Mandiant Sale to AI Frontlines

Mandia’s track record lends immediate credibility. After building Mandiant into a leader in incident response—famous for uncovering China’s APT1 hacking operation—he navigated its acquisition by FireEye, then Google. Post-sale, he joined Google’s cloud security team but left earlier this year to pursue AI-specific defenses, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Industry insiders note Armadin’s aggressive fundraising reflects investor hunger for solutions to AI-amplified risks. ‘We’re seeing AI lower the barrier to entry for ransomware and phishing at scale,’ said a venture capitalist involved in early talks, speaking anonymously. Posts on X echoed this buzz, with Techmeme highlighting the seed raise and valuation talks on December 18.

Armadin’s team includes alumni from Mandiant, Palo Alto Networks, and OpenAI, positioning it to integrate large language models for proactive threat simulation. The startup plans to launch its beta platform in Q1 2026, targeting enterprises in finance and healthcare.

AI’s Double-Edged Sword in Cyber Warfare

Mandia’s warnings date back months. In May, he told Neuron Expert that generative AI could empower criminals within a year, urging safeguards like watermarking AI outputs. Recent incidents, such as AI-generated phishing campaigns targeting Ukrainian infrastructure, validate his concerns.

Defenders, however, gain from AI too. Armadin’s approach uses autonomous agents to triage alerts 10 times faster than humans, per demo details shared with investors. This mirrors trends at competitors like Wiz and Crowdstrike, but with a sharper focus on AI-native attacks.

Funding momentum is fierce. GuruFocus reported the $24 million seed on December 18, noting Armadin’s aim to address threats from state actors and cybercriminals alike. Talks for the $100 million-plus round, led by top-tier VCs, could close by year-end, sources added.

Investor Calculus Amid Valuation Surge

The $600 million-plus target valuation—staggering for a seed-stage firm—signals confidence in Armadin’s defensibility. Comparable deals include ServiceNow’s rumored $7 billion bid for Armis, as covered by CNBC, highlighting M&A appetite in cyber.

Mandia emphasized institutional knowledge as a moat in a 2023 RSA Conference talk, advice echoed in Cybersecurity Dive. Armadin operationalizes this with a ‘threat intelligence flywheel’ that learns from global incidents.

Risks loom, including AI model reliability and regulatory scrutiny. Yet, with cyberattacks costing $10.5 trillion annually by 2025 per Cybersecurity Ventures, demand outpaces supply.

Building the Next Cyber Powerhouse

Armadin’s stealth exit coincides with Mandia’s board role at Expel, where he discussed GenAI’s defender advantages in a CRN interview. This portfolio approach amplifies his influence.

Early customers include Fortune 500 firms testing pilots. Success hinges on execution, but Mandia’s history—from dissecting SolarWinds to now preempting AI hacks—positions Armadin as a frontrunner.

As AI evolves, so do threats. Armadin’s bet: Match fire with smarter fire.