Searchlight Cyber Expands with Acquisition of Assetnote
Deal News | Jan 29, 2025 | Charlesbank Capital
Searchlight Cyber, a leader in cyber threat intelligence, has acquired Assetnote, an Attack Surface Management (ASM) firm based in Brisbane. This acquisition, Searchlight's first, will integrate Assetnote's pioneering ASM technology with Searchlight's dark web intelligence to form a comprehensive Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM) platform. Assetnote, founded in 2018 by experts in offensive security, is known for its continuous vulnerability discovery and management solutions, with prominent customers like Linktree, Afterpay, and Canva. The acquisition follows a strategic growth investment by Charlesbank Capital Partners, announced in January 2024, and aims to expand Searchlight’s market reach and capabilities. Assetnote’s team, including founders CEO Michael Gianarakis and CTO Shubham Shah, will join Searchlight to lead the ASM segment in Australia. AGC Partners provided financial advice to Assetnote, with Mintz and Corrs Chambers Westgarth offering legal counsel to Searchlight.
Sectors
- Cybersecurity
- Private Equity
- Technology
Geography
- United Kingdom – Searchlight Cyber is likely based out of Portsmouth, UK as suggested by the dateline.
- United States – The involvement of Washington DC in the dateline suggests some operational or business connection.
- Australia – Brisbane is the location of Assetnote, the target company of the acquisition.
Industry
- Cybersecurity – The article discusses the acquisition of Assetnote, an ASM company that enhances cybersecurity measures against cyber threats and attacks.
- Private Equity – The involvement of Charlesbank Capital Partners as an investor in Searchlight Cyber adds a private equity dimension to the strategic acquisition discussion.
- Technology – Focus on integration of innovative technological solutions like ASM and CTEM to enhance security measures.
Financials
- – No specific financial terms of the deal were disclosed in the article.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Searchlight Cyber | Acquiring Company | Company | A cybersecurity firm that focuses on threat intelligence and has acquired Assetnote to enhance its offerings. |
| Assetnote | Target Company | Company | A Brisbane-based ASM company that provides continuous vulnerability discovery and has been acquired by Searchlight Cyber. |
| Charlesbank Capital Partners | Investor | Company | A private equity firm that has provided strategic growth investment to Searchlight Cyber. |
| AGC Partners | Financial Advisor | Company | Served as the exclusive financial advisor to Assetnote during the acquisition process. |
| Mintz | Legal Advisor | Company | Provided legal advice to Searchlight Cyber for the acquisition. |
| Corrs Chambers Westgarth | Legal Advisor | Company | Another legal advisory partner for Searchlight Cyber similar to Mintz. |
| Michael Gianarakis | CEO, Co-Founder | People | CEO and Co-Founder of Assetnote, will continue with the company post-acquisition. |
| Shubham Shah | CTO, Co-Founder | People | CTO and Co-Founder of Assetnote, involved in future operations within Searchlight. |