ExtraHop to be acquired by Bain Capital Private Equity and Crosspoint Capital Partners

ExtraHop has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Bain Capital Private Equity and Crosspoint Capital Partners in a strategic transaction valued at $900 million. Bain Capital is a leading investor in technology companies and a unit of one of the world's top multi-asset alternative investment firms. Crosspoint Capital is a private equity firm focused on cybersecurity, privacy and infrastructure software sectors.

ExtraHop CEO Arif Kareem and co-founders Jesse Rothstein, Chief Technology Officer, and Raja Mukerji, Chief Customer Officer, will continue in their respective roles. Rothstein and Mukerji will also remain significant investors in the Company.

According to research from IDC, ExtraHop is among the top three players in network detection and response (NDR), the second fastest growing segment of the cybersecurity market. The Company's growth has far exceeded that of the segment, and it has extended the power of its flagship platform to consolidate adjacent markets like intrusion detection, network forensics, and IoT security.

“Organizations today face an array of incredibly sophisticated cyber attacks with diverse motivations that run the gamut from theft of sensitive personal and business data to illicit profit. Attackers have long had the advantage, and we’re on a mission to change that,” said Kareem. “By combining our exceptional team, market need, and technology with the deep domain expertise and resources of Bain Capital and Crosspoint Capital, ExtraHop has the opportunity to grow faster and accelerate our innovation to help our customers defend their operations from even the most advanced threats.”

“As the events of the last few weeks make crystal clear, cybersecurity is now a mission-critical requirement in the strategy and operations of every organization on the planet, with enormous implications for financial and reputational well-being. We believe that network detection and response is the next major cybersecurity segment and that ExtraHop has the best enterprise technology in the space,” said David Humphrey, a Managing Director at Bain Capital Private Equity.

“The Company’s approach is uniquely positioned to help enterprises defend against the most advanced cyber threats and address the security challenges of multi-cloud environments, enterprise IoT, and hybrid workforces. We are thrilled to join the talented team at ExtraHop, in partnership with Crosspoint Capital, to help accelerate the growth of the business and continue advancements in the art of cyber defense,” added Max de Groen, a Managing Director at Bain Capital Private Equity. ExtraHop is the first dedicated investment made from Bain Capital Fund XIII, the firm’s latest flagship $11.8 billion private equity fund.

“After many years of building and delivering network visibility into the cyber industry, I was very impressed with the capabilities of ExtraHop in their ability to protect the evolving network as workloads shift to the cloud and networks expand beyond what corporations control,” said Greg Clark, Managing Partner at Crosspoint Capital. “When you're under attack, deep visibility into east-west traffic is vital for modern defense and ExtraHop has set itself apart in this emerging category with powerful AI and behavior-based analytics.”

Ian Loring, Managing Partner at Crosspoint Capital, added “ExtraHop brings a unique level of visibility into networks and delivers sophisticated real-time detection, investigation, and response capabilities to organizations around the world. We are excited to partner with the ExtraHop team and Bain Capital to support the Company in the next chapter of its growth.”

ExtraHop is among the first investments in Crosspoint Capital Fund I, a $1.3 billion private equity fund focused on the cybersecurity, privacy and infrastructure software sectors.

The transaction is expected to close in the summer of 2021 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. 

Qatalyst Partners is serving as the exclusive financial advisor to ExtraHop, and Wilson Sonsini is serving as legal counsel. Morgan Stanley is serving as the financial advisor to Bain Capital. Ropes & Gray LLP is serving as legal counsel to Bain Capital and Crosspoint Capital.