Edera, a trailblazer in secure-by-design Kubernetes and AI solutions, has announced raising $5 million in a seed funding round led by 645 Ventures and Eniac Ventures. Additional participants include FPV Ventures, Generationship, Precursor Ventures, and Rosecliff Ventures. The round also saw angel investments from prominent figures such as Kubernetes co-creator Joe Beda, Filippo Valsorda, Mandy Andress, Jeff Behl, and Nikitha Suryadevara from Kleiner Perkins, highlighting strong support from both the Kubernetes and venture communities.

Kubernetes, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, is widely used across enterprises for container orchestration. However, security around running multi-tenancy workloads remains an unresolved issue, leading to costly breaches for businesses. Edera addresses this challenge with its cutting-edge technology, offering the first-ever solution to deliver container isolation at the container level using a type 1 hypervisor. The platform uses the Rust programming language for its memory-safe control plane, creating a secure environment with no shared kernel state between containers. This not only enhances security but also allows companies to run GPUs for AI workloads more efficiently.

Edera’s platform stands out because it is designed to be versatile, functioning in public cloud, private cloud, and on-premise environments without the need for additional virtualization extensions or custom infrastructure. The simplicity and scalability of the platform promise to save companies millions in cloud costs, all while providing a robust solution to Kubernetes security issues that have plagued enterprises for years.

According to Hadley Harris, cofounder and general partner at Eniac Ventures, Edera is introducing real innovation by leveraging hypervisor technology and memory-safe principles, offering a much-needed breakthrough in enterprise security. “They’ve assessed hypervisor technologies and new memory-safe principles to solve one of the biggest security challenges of this era. We couldn’t be more excited to support this work,” Harris remarked.

Edera’s introduction comes at a crucial time, as security incidents related to Kubernetes are widespread. A staggering 90% of companies have reported at least one Kubernetes or container security incident in the past year, with many experiencing revenue and customer losses. The platform’s proactive approach to securing workloads, rather than relying on detection post-attack, offers a radical shift for enterprises seeking stronger security assurances in an era where container adoption continues to grow.

Edera co-founder and CTO, Alex Zenla, emphasized that companies have long been relying on patchwork tools that haven’t solved core Kubernetes security problems. Edera’s solution, however, integrates proven technologies to deliver a new level of security with Rust-based architecture, making it a game-changer in container orchestration. Zenla stated, “Our product is built on proven technologies and introduces a memory-safe Rust control plane to radically change the Kubernetes security landscape. We’re incredibly excited to share what we’ve been able to build with our customers and the industry at large.”

Beyond enhancing Kubernetes security, Edera’s solution simplifies enterprise operations by removing the need for expensive, ineffective tools that many businesses rely on for detection and monitoring. Its paravirtualization mode eliminates the requirement for hardware virtualization support, allowing companies to run secure containers anywhere and reducing infrastructure costs. This means organizations can finally run multi-tenancy environments confidently, knowing that critical infrastructure is isolated and protected from container escapes—resulting in significant cloud cost savings.

Joe Beda, co-creator of Kubernetes and angel investor in Edera, noted the platform’s ability to fill critical security gaps in Kubernetes environments. “Edera fills this gap by using virtualization to both reduce risks and, ultimately, reduce costs. It allows Kubernetes to go places it has never gone before,” Beda said, underscoring the importance of Edera’s work in taking Kubernetes security to new heights.

Edera is not only innovating through its technology but also with its leadership and team structure. Founded by an all-female team, Edera is setting itself apart from traditional VC-backed startups, where technical founders dominate. The company’s CEO, Emily Long, brings a unique people-centric approach to leadership, having previously served as COO at tech companies such as Chainguard and Anchore. Long’s emphasis on recruitment, culture building, and conflict resolution has attracted top-tier investors like Eniac Ventures, who recognize the value of strong leadership skills in driving the early success of startups.

In contrast to many startups where the CEO is often a technologist lacking in people management experience, Long’s leadership philosophy is rooted in fostering an inclusive workplace. “We want to build something different at Edera, not just in the technology we deliver but in the way we build and deliver it. That means creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and contribute to our mission in a very direct way,” said Long. Edera’s diverse team is composed of women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ members, reflecting its intentional focus on building a workforce that values diversity of thought and lived experience.

Edera’s $5 million seed round will be used to expand its team, attract new talent, and forge partnerships with industry leaders, as the company scales its groundbreaking technology to meet growing demand. With a mission to transform the Kubernetes security landscape, Edera is poised to make a significant impact on how businesses manage both containerized and AI workloads. As Mendy Yang, senior associate at 645 Ventures, explained, “What’s most exciting about Edera is the power of the technology itself. It can not only solve immediate, long-standing pain points like container escapes but can also be a game-changer in the increasingly complex world of securing and managing AI workloads.”

As Kubernetes continues to expand its reach across industries, Edera is well-positioned to become the go-to solution for enterprises seeking stronger, more reliable security solutions without compromising on cost or scalability. With its cutting-edge technology, diverse leadership, and strong investor backing, Edera is ready to lead a new era in enterprise security.