July 23 (Reuters) - Online security and compliance

management platform Vanta was valued at $4.15 billion in its

latest fundraising round, up from $2.45 billion just a year ago,

as investor appeal of risk-mitigating software rises in tandem

with cyber attacks.

The $150 million Series-D round, led by new investor

Wellington Management, brings Vanta's total external funding to

$504 million, Vanta said on Wednesday.

Businesses' increasing reliance on cloud and artificial

intelligence technologies has also amplified their exposure to

cyber attacks. As they expand across borders, they also have to

deal with compliance requirements that vary greatly by nations.

In recent months, hacker targets have included retailer

Marks & Spencer ( MAKSF ), tech behemoth Microsoft ( MSFT ) and

insurer Aflac ( AFL ).

"Vanta's AI-driven platform is moving beyond the standard

for security and compliance - with real-time, continuous

verification that's essential for every industry in today's

business environment," said Matt Witheiler of Wellington

Management.

Venture financing arms of major corporations also

participated in the round, indicating industry validation. These

included Goldman Sachs Alternatives, J.P. Morgan, CrowdStrike

Ventures and Atlassian Ventures - whose parent Atlassian ( TEAM )

is a Vanta customer as well.

The AI boom has helped U.S. startups attract investment in

the first half of 2025, even as venture capital firms struggled

to raise money, according to a Pitchbook report.

Vanta's previous funding round in July 2024, led by Sequoia

Capital, had valued it at $2.45 billion, implying a 69% rise in

valuation in a year.

Founded in 2018 by Christina Cacioppo, Vanta helps over

12,000 clients across 58 countries in automating compliance and

security procedures.

Its newly launched AI agent can help teams finish security

reviews 81% faster, the company said.

Vanta employs more than 1,000 people across its offices in

Dublin, London, New York, San Francisco and Sydney.