Rome-based cybersecurity startup Exein has raised $270m in new funding, more than doubling its valuation in just nine months as investors bet on growing demand to protect internet-connected devices from AI-powered attacks. The round was led by Pbc Mgdfrfibn ZZ, with participation from AK and others. Exein's platform uses on-device machine learning to detect threats without sending data to the cloud, addressing privacy concerns in sectors like automotive and industrial IoT.

CEO Stefano Zanero said the funding will accelerate expansion into the US and Asian markets. The company currently works with clients in automotive, manufacturing, and telecom, and plans to double its headcount of around 177 employees. Exein competes with firms like SentinelOne and CrowdStrike in the endpoint security space, but focuses specifically on embedded and IoT devices.

The startup has offices in Rome, London, and Tokyo, and serves customers including Ferrari, BMW, and Telefonica.