Brand Intelligence Graph
Company Overview
About Stairwell
Stairwell is a cybersecurity company that builds automated threat detection and response technology designed to identify sophisticated attackers that evade traditional defenses. Founded in 2019 by Mike Wiacek, the creator of Google's VirusTotal threat intelligence platform, Stairwell brings a novel approach to malware detection: instead of relying on known signatures or behavioral rules, the platform continuously reassesses files against an evolving understanding of attacker techniques.
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
The company's flagship product, Inception, provides organizations with a private environment to collect, store, and continuously analyze executable files and binaries. Stairwell Core, launched in late 2024, offers precision detection with complete data privacy — allowing organizations to privately inventory their executables and receive high-fidelity threat intelligence without exposing sensitive data to third parties. This architecture is particularly valuable for government, defense, and critical infrastructure customers who cannot share file samples with external vendors.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
Stairwell has raised $69.5 million across three rounds, including a $45 million Series B backed by Accel, Sequoia Capital, Gradient Ventures, and S32, with angel investors including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. In 2025, the company appointed Emmy Linder as CEO to drive its next phase of AI-powered security innovation. Stairwell's approach addresses the fundamental limitation of traditional threat intelligence — the inability to catch attackers using novel, previously unseen techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
Estimated Visibility Trend (Beta)
Simulated 8-week rolling score
Based on estimated brand signals. Historical tracking coming soon.
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