In a world where cybersecurity threats grow more sophisticated by the day, Norway's Bsure has secured a significant milestone that places it at the forefront of tackling digital vulnerabilities. The Norwegian startup has raised €1.8 million in seed funding to address an often-overlooked menace in the world of organizational IT: risky and inactive Microsoft accounts.
Why This News Matters to Entrepreneurs
If you are running a business or planning to launch a startup, I urge you to take cybersecurity just as seriously as cash flow or product-market fit. Developing groundbreaking ideas is exciting, but if your digital infrastructure is vulnerable, you could lose everything in an instant. What Bsure is doing resonates with this sentiment, it’s one startup protecting countless others from hidden, yet potentially disastrous, digital blind spots.
Microsoft may be the backbone of IT for many businesses, but tools like Azure Active Directory (now Microsoft Entra ID) can easily turn into liabilities without proper oversight. The problem is larger than one might think. According to Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2024, up to 40% of user accounts in company networks are either inactive or completely unmonitored. These accounts aren’t just dead weight, they’re ticking time bombs. Hackers target unmonitored accounts to gain unauthorized entry, compromising sensitive data and exposing businesses to regulatory risks.
As someone with over 20 years of experience in launching and scaling technology startups, I’ve consistently observed how essential cybersecurity and operational efficiency are to building sustainable businesses. Like Bsure, whose work focuses on uncovering and managing unused Microsoft accounts, small innovations in addressing blind spots can save companies significant time, money, and reputational damage.
Let’s dive into the details of Bsure’s journey, its product offerings, and, perhaps most importantly, how you can learn from their approach to set your own business up for enduring success.
What Problem is Bsure Solving?
Bsure isn’t just another tech company, it’s a lifeline for organizations broadly unaware of what’s lurking in their digital backyards.
In simple terms, the larger your IT environment, the harder it is to track every single user, administrator, license, and app. And if you’re still operating in the startup phase, a lack of tech oversight can compound over time, leading to costly or dangerous oversights.
Key Insights into the Problem:
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License Waste: Companies often end up paying for unnecessary licenses tied to inactive accounts. This issue is estimated to cost U.S. businesses alone nearly $2 billion annually, according to a Gartner Study on licensing inefficiencies.
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Security Black Hole: The real danger lies in security. Attacks targeting unmonitored accounts often go unnoticed until it’s too late, and with fines under frameworks like the EU’s NIS2 Directive or DORA Regulation, businesses could be subject to massive penalties, sometimes totaling up to 2% of revenue.
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Compliance Nightmares: Beyond financial cost, regulatory compliance becomes nearly impossible without a clear picture of user roles, access points, and overall systems hygiene. As businesses scale, complexity increases dramatically, compounding risks.
How Does Bsure Work?
Bsure’s product is designed with simplicity in mind, a feature that my own team strives to emulate in every project. Complexity can kill early-stage and even mature startups. That’s why smart entrepreneurs focus on reducing user resistance, and Bsure does just that.
Here are the standout features of their tool:
- Real-Time Detection: The platform syncs continuously with Microsoft Entra ID, ensuring organizations have up-to-date visibility into users, apps, and administrative roles.
- License Optimization: Bsure generates actionable insights to help organizations revoke licenses or repurpose resources to active accounts.
- Compliance Readiness: The tool creates continuous documentation of vulnerabilities that entrepreneurs can showcase during audits.
- Actionable AI: Although still in R&D, Bsure is reportedly working on AI-driven enhancements that will automate remediation processes for flagged issues.
For an early-stage startup with limited resources, imagine how much peace of mind you could gain by implementing such a system. Instead of late-night worries about cybersecurity, founders could focus on scaling their product, knowing that the digital infrastructure is protected.
The Bigger Picture: Why Investors Bet on Bsure
This €1.8 million seed round was spearheaded by Scale Capital, a Copenhagen-based venture capital firm that has a reputation for investing in practical B2B tech solutions. Here’s why this matters to business owners like you:
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Proof of Market Need: When professional investors back a startup like Bsure, it validates that the problem they’re solving isn’t just theoretical. For small businesses looking to enter the B2B space, this is a reminder, always clearly articulate the issue you’re solving and tie real-world financial consequences to it.
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The Nordic Advantage: Investors increasingly focus on Nordic companies due to their efficiency and emphasis on practical innovation. Bsure’s funding success serves as a masterclass in aligning your mission with the market.
A How-To Guide for Entrepreneurs: Implementing Bsure Principles in Your Own Business
The philosophy behind Bsure’s product, uncovering and eliminating risk before it becomes harmful, can also apply to every entrepreneur’s journey. Here’s my guide to incorporating these principles:
- Audit Regularly: Just as Bsure audits digital infrastructures, review your company’s financial, operational, and technological health consistently.
- Keep Costs Low: Especially in the early stages, don’t pay for service subscriptions or SaaS tools that you’re not actively using.
- Automate Early: This is key as your organization grows. Invest in tools that offer continuity without needing manual intervention.
- Embrace Regulation: Don’t shy away from compliance requirements, they often give you a structured roadmap for safeguarding and growing your business. Look at regulations as opportunities, not roadblocks.
Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Tech Venture
- Underestimating Risks: Whether it’s cybersecurity like Bsure’s focus or another “invisible” issue in your business, make it a habit to investigate future risks today.
- Focusing Only on Product: Great products fail every day because their creators never look beyond development. Pay attention to marketing, financials, and compliance.
- Ignoring Scalability: Your systems, whether they involve IT or business processes, need to grow as your company does. Otherwise, growth risks becoming unsustainable.
Conclusion: The Key Takeaway
Bsure is a brilliant reminder of how overlooked areas can become massive opportunities. The company saw a mostly unnoticed yet incredibly costly problem in a rapidly growing target market due to increased regulatory demands and shifts to cloud computing. This highlights a quintessential entrepreneurial lesson: solving urgent problems backed by financial outcomes is the key to unlocking venture funding and business sustainability.
For any founder out there, the story isn’t just about celebrating Bsure. It’s about recognizing that your journey will require just as much courage and problem-solving as theirs. Use tools like the one they’ve built to ensure you’re operating at maximum efficiency and minimum risk.
In the race to scale a company, your first priorities should always be: protect your business, optimize costs, and focus on solving tangible problems. Who knows? The next Bsure-level idea could be sitting right in front of you.
Have questions about startup scaling, B2B tech strategies, or how to get investor-ready? Reach out to me via Fe/male Switch, and let’s transform your vision into a thriving business.
FAQ
1. What is Bsure and what problem does it solve?
Bsure is a Norwegian startup that identifies risky and inactive Microsoft accounts within organizational IT environments. It tackles cyber threats caused by unmonitored accounts and optimizes license usage. Explore Bsure
2. Why are inactive Microsoft accounts a security risk?
Inactive accounts can be exploited by hackers for unauthorized access to sensitive data, creating vulnerabilities for organizations. Read Microsoft’s Digital Defense Report 2024
3. How much seed funding did Bsure secure?
Bsure secured €1.8 million in seed funding to strengthen its product development and expand internationally. Read about Bsure’s funding
4. Who led Bsure’s funding round?
The seed funding round was led by Scale Capital, a Copenhagen-based venture capital firm focusing on B2B tech solutions. Learn more about Scale Capital
5. How does Bsure’s platform work?
Bsure offers real-time detection of inactive Microsoft accounts, license optimization, compliance readiness, and continuous documentation. Read about Bsure’s product features
6. What regulations drive the need for tools like Bsure?
European regulations like the NIS2 Directive and Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) require organizations to monitor IT environments and ensure secure access management. Explore NIS2 Directive | Learn about DORA
7. What are some financial consequences of license inefficiencies?
Inactive accounts tied to unnecessary licenses cost businesses in the U.S. approximately $2 billion annually, according to a Gartner study. Read Gartner’s insights
8. How does Bsure benefit startups and small businesses?
For early-stage businesses, Bsure offers peace of mind by mitigating cybersecurity risks and optimizing IT expenses, enabling founders to focus on scaling their products. Discover the benefits for startups
9. What role does AI play in Bsure’s roadmap?
Bsure is researching AI-driven features to automate remediation processes for identified risks, enhancing operational efficiency. Read about Bsure’s AI potential
10. Why do investors prioritize Nordic startups like Bsure?
Nordic companies like Bsure are known for their efficiency and practical innovation, making them attractive to global investors. Learn about Nordic innovation
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.