An ex-Google engineer helped build Chainguard, a startup now valued at $3.5 billion, to make software supply chains safer and easier to trust. The company is part of a fast-growing cybersecurity space where buyers want cleaner, more secure open-source software and container images. Software today is built from thousands of open-source parts, and one weak dependency can create serious risk. That is the problem Chainguard wants to solve. Founded in 2021 by Dan Lorenc and other former Google and VMware engineers, the company builds tools that help businesses secure the software supply chain from the start.
Chainguard became a unicorn in 2024 after raising $140 million at a $1.12 billion valuation, and it later raised another $356 million in Series D funding in 2025. That latest round pushed its valuation to $3.5 billion, showing strong investor confidence in supply-chain security. The company says it has now raised $612 million in total.
The startup focuses on open-source software and container images, which are widely used in cloud apps. Its core idea is simple: instead of waiting to detect a problem later, it tries to build software on a safer foundation. Chainguard already counts more than 150 customers, including ANZ Bank, Canva, GitLab, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, VPBank, and Wiz.
The timing matters. Software supply chain attacks and dependency risks have made security a top priority for engineering teams. As companies move faster with cloud and AI, they need trusted software components they can use without adding hidden threats. Chainguard’s rise shows how a technical problem can become a big business. It also reflects a larger trend: startups that reduce cyber risk are drawing major funding because software security is now a business necessity, not just an IT concern.
FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]
1. What does software supply chain mean?
It means the path software follows from code creation to delivery. It includes open-source packages, containers, builds, and updates used in apps.
2. Why is Chainguard important?
Chainguard helps companies use secure open-source software and trusted container images, reducing the chance of hidden bugs or malicious code.
3. Who founded Chainguard?
Dan Lorenc, a former Google and Microsoft engineer, co-founded Chainguard with other former Google, VMware, and Google product team members.