In a business world dominated by hybrid and remote work environments, cybersecurity continues to pose challenges for companies of all sizes. One often-overlooked gap lies in securing unmanaged devices such as employee-owned laptops or contractor equipment, which are used alongside corporate systems. Addressing this emerging issue, Antwerp-based startup XFA has successfully raised €1.5 million in seed funding to scale its solution, aimed at bridging this critical security gap.
Why This Matters for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
The rise of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and flexible work setups has left organizations vulnerable. Traditional security tools require full control over devices, which doesn't align with the privacy and autonomy many modern workers demand. In my experience working across startups in Europe, I've noticed how companies understandably under-prioritize this challenge. Still, even one compromised personal device can lead to major consequences, including data breaches, compliance violations, and financial losses.
For XFA, this blind spot represents an opportunity to redefine how companies secure their network without overstepping on privacy. And for entrepreneurs, it’s a lesson in spotting under-served areas within booming industries like cybersecurity.
What Makes XFA Different?
From my understanding of their operations, XFA approaches the problem with simplicity. Here’s how their solution stands out:
- Real-Time Device Verification: Instead of controlling every device via invasive software, XFA verifies the security of devices at the moment they connect to company systems.
- Privacy-First Approach: Employees don’t need to install management tools; the platform respects user privacy, which is significant under GDPR and similar regulations.
- Ease of Deployment: Their plug-and-play solution reportedly enables company-wide setup within 15 minutes, reducing onboarding friction.
Compare this to traditional Mobile Device Management (MDM), which struggles with compliance issues and often fails to cover personal and contractor-owned devices.
The Funding and What’s Next
The company’s €1.5 million seed round was led by Belgium-based ScaleFund and Dutch investment group Curiosity, with additional backing from PMV and Seeder Fund. As someone who has pitched to VCs, I know first-hand the weight investors place on scalability, and XFA delivers on this front by addressing a global issue. In Europe alone, over 60% of workplace devices may be unmanaged, exposing serious vulnerabilities for mid-sized and large enterprises.
XFA plans to use this funding to expand its reach across North America, Europe, and Asia. The market potential here is immense for founders willing to bet on solutions in the cybersecurity and compliance space. Successful examples like XFA are excellent case studies for entrepreneurs hoping to secure their first funding rounds.
How Startups Can Secure Workplaces with Limited Budgets
For startups or small businesses without hefty IT budgets, XFA’s strategy illustrates how high-impact measures can be implemented, even with restricted resources:
- Understand the Security Layers: Focus initially on critical gaps, unmanaged devices, legacy systems, or infrequent updates, which can lead to quick wins.
- Collaborate Internally: Involve your team early when introducing new security protocols to ensure buy-in.
- Opt for Scalable Solutions: Evaluate tools like XFA that are lightweight but powerful. Look for single-pane dashboards and non-invasive tools that align privacy with security.
- Meet Compliance Standards Early: Certifications like ISO 27001 or SOC 2 are often necessary for SaaS startups. Adopt tools that help you meet these requirements easily.
Scaling startups rarely have the luxury of “perfect” cybersecurity measures. Focus on solutions that adapt to your specific needs.
Five Common Mistakes Businesses Make in Device Security
After working with startups across multiple industries, I’ve noticed common reliability gaps:
- Ignoring BYOD Policies: Without one, employees might use unsecured devices to access sensitive data, leaving companies vulnerable.
- Delaying Security Patches: This happens a lot due to resource constraints but can be solved with clear guidance and automated reminders.
- Overlooking Contractors or Freelancers: They often use personal devices that aren’t vetted for security updates.
- Underestimating the Scope of Risk: Some founders think their team is “too small to be targeted,” which is never true.
- Not Prioritizing Education: Employees need regular training on risks like phishing attacks or sharing work files on unsecured platforms.
Lessons for Entrepreneurs
XFA’s success is a shining example of spotting a growing need before it becomes a trend. If I were starting over, I’d look closely at markets intersecting compliance, privacy, and emerging tech. These are spaces where adaptation precedes bigger companies entering the mix.
For cybersecurity startups in particular, there’s a growing call from businesses for solutions that are effective without being intrusive. From my perspective, winning startups today don’t just solve problems, they embed smoothly into the lifestyle, workflows, and concerns of end-users and decision-makers.
Where to Learn More
For founders interested in how XFA’s solution works in practice, you can find detailed insights in the original XFA announcement via EU-Startups. Alternatively, look into other forward-thinking investors like ScaleFund or Curiosity VC to identify valuable funding partners in niche tech markets.
Closing Thought
Entrepreneurs, if you’re looking for inspiration from XFA’s story, focus on solving hidden pain points in existing systems. Especially as technology continues to reshape work culture, the businesses that call out and fix overlooked vulnerabilities will always stay ahead.
Even if you’re not in cybersecurity, there’s an important lesson here: listen closely to underserved markets, they may hold your next winning idea.
FAQ
1. What issue is XFA solving in workplace cybersecurity?
XFA addresses unmanaged device security, a critical gap caused by the rise of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and flexible work setups. Their platform ensures real-time device security verification without invasive software. Read more about XFA’s solution.
2. How does XFA's tool work?
XFA’s platform verifies device security at login, providing visibility and security updates without requiring device management tools. It’s designed to respect privacy while offering ease of deployment. Learn more about XFA’s technology.
3. What sets XFA’s solution apart from traditional MDM tools?
Unlike traditional Mobile Device Management, XFA doesn’t require invasive software or full device control, aligning with GDPR regulations and user privacy needs. Find details about XFA’s privacy-first approach.
4. Who funded XFA’s €1.5 million Seed round?
The funding was led by ScaleFund and Curiosity, with participation from PMV, Seeder Fund, and a group of entrepreneurs collaborated under Investee. Explore ScaleFund’s investments | Learn more about Curiosity VC.
5. What are XFA’s plans with the funding?
XFA aims to expand its reach across North America, Europe, and Asia while enhancing its platform to tackle global cybersecurity challenges. Read about XFA's growth strategy.
6. Who are the founders of XFA?
XFA was founded by Lars Veelaert, a former cybersecurity advisor, and Gijs Van Laer, a PhD holder in cryptography from Johns Hopkins University. Discover the team behind XFA.
7. What role does compliance play in XFA’s strategy?
XFA partners with compliance firms to help businesses meet certifications like ISO 27001 and SOC 2, highlighting their commitment to regulatory standards. Learn about XFA's compliance features.
8. How long does it take to deploy XFA’s security platform?
XFA’s plug-and-play solution can be deployed organization-wide in just 15 minutes. Discover XFA’s deployment advantages.
9. What is the market potential for XFA’s solution?
Over 60% of workplace devices in Europe remain unmanaged, creating a large addressable market for XFA’s privacy-first cybersecurity solution. Understand the market need XFA is addressing.
10. Which businesses can benefit most from XFA’s platform?
Mid-sized and large enterprises with unmanaged or personal work devices are the primary beneficiaries of XFA’s innovative security approach.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.