Berlin’s NetBird raises €8.5 million to offer a European open-source alternative to SSL VPN giants

Berlin-based NetBird, an open-source network security platform, has secured €8.5 million in Series A funding. This investment round aims to fuel the company's growth, expand its team, and solidify its position as a European alternative to established US vendors in the network security space, especially for remote access. The development underscores the increasing focus on digital sovereignty and the demand for European-based tech solutions. The funding round was led by Pace Capital, with participation from Nauta Capital, InReach Ventures, and Antler. NetBird, founded in 2021 by Misha Bragin and Maycon Santos, offers a Zero Trust network security platform. It combines a WireGuard-based overlay network with Zero Trust Network Access to provide a unified open-source solution for secure connectivity, eliminating the need for complex VPN configurations. NetBird's approach is centered on simplicity and relies on organic adoption within the tech community, positioning itself as a challenger to traditional VPN providers. Their software-defined networking (SDN) eliminates the complexities of managing VPN gateways and firewall configurations. This impacts network engineers, DevOps teams, and security practitioners who are seeking more streamlined and secure solutions. The new funding will allow NetBird to scale its platform and expand its engineering and product teams. The company is actively targeting customers migrating from traditional SSL VPN solutions, such as those from Sophos, SonicWall, and Fortinet. The company emphasizes its commitment to European digital sovereignty by offering a security infrastructure developed within Europe.