Island emerges from stealth with a new enterprise-focused web browser – TechCrunch
Island, a Dallas-based startup that built a Chromium-based browser for the enterprise, emerged from stealth with nearly $100 million in funding.
Island says its aptly named Enterprise Browser, which has been in development for nearly two years, aims to bridge the gaps between today’s consumer-focused browsers and increasingly complex enterprise IT and security requirements.
“The most widely deployed application in the enterprise is the browser, but it’s a consumer-driven design,” Island CEO Mike Fey, who previously served as president and COO at Symantec and Symantec, told TechCrunch. GM and CTO of McAfee. “A consumer wants to have infinite freedom; they want to be able to install whatever they want, go wherever they want and do who knows what with their browser without any hassle. The company, however, wants to make sure its customers’ data is safe, their critical information is protected, and they get a good experience.
Island’s browser is based on Chromium, the open source project that powers most major browsers, from Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge to Brave and Vivaldi. The startup says this gives its browser a familiar feel, while allowing it to embed critical security control and governance for enterprise apps and data.
The browser can protect critical internal SaaS and web applications from data leaks, provide secure access to contractors and BYOD workers, and allow security teams to control last-mile actions such as copy, paste, download, uploading, capturing screenshots and other activities that may expose data. It also comes with built-in security features like safe browsing, web filtering, web isolation, exploit prevention, smart network routing, and zero-trust access.
“Think of it as a browser with infinite last-mile control for businesses,” Fey said. “We did things to harden the environment, encrypt the elements and provide more control. Were not necessarily removing the pirate, we remove the victory. The reality is that the data they want to access is not on your device for them to steal. »
Island, which has more than 100 employees, has secured nearly $100 million in funding from top seed investors including Insight Partners, Sequoia Capital, Cyberstarts and Stripes. The startup told TechCrunch it will use the investment to recruit staff and expand its go-to-market strategy.
“I want to have 200 engineers as fast as possible with one caveat, we won’t sacrifice on talent,” Fey said. “So as soon as we can recruit 200 incredible engineers, we will take them.”
The company said it was already considering its next raise. “Series A and Series B are obviously out there, and to fulfill our dream hopes, we will have to increase soon,” Fey said.
