Mesh Security Ltd, the Irish-founded email security firm backed by Elkstone, has been acquired multinational cybersecurity technology company Bitdefender.

The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Mesh Security's email security platform will be integrated into Bitdefender's flagship GravityZone platform, which is used by more than 41,000 clients.

Mesh has 4,000 customers across the US, UK and Ireland, and its platform is designed specifically for managed service providers, combining perimeter protection via a secure email gateway (SEG) with mailbox-level defence through API deployment.

The company said this creates enhanced threat visibility that will contribute valuable telemetry to Bitdefender's global threat intelligence network.

For Bitdefender's partners, Mesh will provide a centralised platform that makes it easier to manage email security for multiple clients while offering round-the-clock protection, lower operations costs, real-time threat updates and seamless integration into existing operations.

Founded in 2020 by Brian Byrne (CEO), Ralph Casey (CTO), and Daimhin Kavanagh (CIO), Mesh was built to address the increasingly complex email security challenges facing managed service providers, including business email compromise, ransomware, and spear-phishing attacks.

The platform's user-friendly design and MSP-focused architecture enable providers to deliver efficient, scalable protection to their clients.

Mesh's entire staff will remain in place to continue developing the platform, and all employees will retain their positions.

The company intends to expand its product development under Bitdefender's ownership, providing security for the workforce while accelerating innovation for customers. 

“This is the beginning of something even bigger,” said Byrne. “We’ve always focused on building practical, powerful email security that just works—and Bitdefender shares that same mindset. We’re excited to join forces and bring stronger protection to even more organisations.”

"We are incredibly grateful to Elkstone for their unwavering support, which has been integral to our journey," he added.

"As we embark on this next chapter, we remain committed to delivering practical and powerful email security that truly works.

"With Bitdefender by our side, we are excited to enhance protection for even more organisations together."

The acquisition represents the first exit from Elkstone's Venture Fund I, Ireland's largest early-stage venture fund, which launched in April 2022.

Elkstone led Mesh's €1.55m seed funding round in 2023 alongside Enterprise Ireland, providing the capital for the company to scale employee and customer numbers.

"We are proud to have backed the Mesh team through their rapid growth journey, driven by the experience of founders Brian, Ralph, and Daimhin," said Niall McEvoy, managing director of venture at Elkstone.

"At Elkstone, we work closely with our founders to support them on their scaling journey, and it was incredibly rewarding to be part of the team's success leading to today's acquisition.

"It's also a significant moment for Elkstone two years after our initial investment. It serves as a shining example of the success of Irish ventures on the global stage."

Mesh Security Ltd made a €308,100 loss in 2024, more than double the €146,200 the firm lost in 2023. The company has shareholders' funds of €998,600, according to its latest accounts.

Headquartered in Bucharest and San Antonio, Bitdefender reported revenues of €296m in 2022 and has more than 1,800 employees.

“We are pleased to announce our intent to acquire Mesh, a strategic move that will complement our GravityZone XDR platform and empower of our MDR service to help businesses combat email-borne threats as they continue to evolve,” said Andrei Florescu, president and general manager of Bitdefender Business Solutions Group.

“Mesh combines brings leading-edge innovation with from a deeply experienced team that shares our commitment to effective, real-world security. Together, we will further strengthen our ability to provide proven and trusted email protection to our global customer base.”

(Pic: Getty Images)