# Ballistic Ventures

> Ballistic Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests only in cybersecurity. Founded in 2021 by a group of longtime security operators and investors - including Fortify and AlienVault veteran Roger Thornton, longtime Kleiner Perkins partner Ted Schlein, and Mandiant founder Kevin Mandia - it has raised roughly $660 million across three funds and backed dozens of companies working on AI security, identity, deepfake detection, cloud defense, and incident response.

- **Founded:** 2021
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, California, United States
- **Founders:** Roger Thornton (Co-Founder and General Partner), Ted Schlein (Co-Founder and General Partner (Chairman)), Kevin Mandia (General Partner (founder of Mandiant)), Barmak Meftah (Co-Founder and General Partner), Jake Seid (Co-Founder and General Partner)
- **Team size:** Approximately 37 people
- **Products:** Early-stage cybersecurity investing, Operator support / platform, Company incubation, Ballistic X Pursuit fellows program
- **Notable:** Named Investor of the Year by SC Media (2023), Backed Talon Cyber Security, acquired by Palo Alto Networks in what was called the largest venture-backed acquisition of 2023, Backed Pangea, acquired by CrowdStrike

## Products & services

- **Early-stage cybersecurity investing** — Seed and Series A capital directed exclusively at cybersecurity and cyber-adjacent startups.
- **Operator support / platform** — Hands-on help with hiring, product, board governance, and landing the first customers, drawing on partners who founded and ran security companies.
- **Company incubation** — Incubating and co-building new cybersecurity companies from the earliest stages.
- **Ballistic X Pursuit fellows program** — A program to identify and support emerging cybersecurity founders and talent.

## Achievements

- Named Investor of the Year by SC Media (2023)
- Backed Talon Cyber Security, acquired by Palo Alto Networks in what was called the largest venture-backed acquisition of 2023
- Backed Pangea, acquired by CrowdStrike
- Raised an oversubscribed $360 million Fund II in 2024
- Assembled a founding team including the founder of Mandiant and a longtime Kleiner Perkins partner

## Latest updates

- **2025-04** — Filed with the SEC to raise a new fund targeting $100 million, about a year after closing Fund II.
- **2024-03** — Closed an oversubscribed $360 million Fund II to back the next generation of cybersecurity startups.
- **2023-11** — Began raising Fund II amid a tightening venture market.
- **2023-09** — Named Investor of the Year by SC Media.

## Links

- Website: https://ballisticventures.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ballistic-ventures
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJYknMuS4-celzBoJbx5NKw

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ballistic-ventures
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-16