Rilian, a McLean, VA-based startup founded in 2024, has successfully raised $17.5 million in funding, led by 8VC, First In, and Tamarack Global. The new capital will help advance Rilian’s marketing and engineering teams, as well as its research and development efforts, facilitating market expansion in the US, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and other allied nations amidst increasing demand for AI-driven defense solutions. Rilian’s platform, Caspian, leverages agentic AI to automate security procurement and response, providing comprehensive cyber and defense capabilities tailored for government and critical infrastructure organizations.

8VC: 8VC is a venture capital firm focused on technology and biosciences, operating both as a traditional investor and a venture studio that co-founds startups. It led Rilian’s recent seed funding round alongside other defense-tech investors. Partner Alex Moore described Rilian as redefining access to advanced cyber and defense capabilities at the intersection of AI, national security, and critical infrastructure.
Censys: Censys is a cybersecurity firm providing internet-wide asset discovery, exposure management, and threat intelligence. It partners with Rilian to strengthen security orchestration for sovereign and critical infrastructure. Recent announcements highlight joint efforts in Middle East cyber defense.
Rilian: Rilian is a McLean, Virginia-based agentic systems integrator that provides AI-native cybersecurity and defense capabilities to government, critical infrastructure, and law enforcement organizations. Its platform enables autonomous orchestration of security tools across cloud, on-premises, air-gapped, and operational technology environments. Rilian recently announced seed funding to expand engineering and marketing teams, advance research and development, and grow into the US, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and allied nations.
Caspian: Caspian is Rilian’s agentic security orchestration platform that integrates and automates cybersecurity tools across diverse environments. It uses pre-trained AI agents to enhance analysis, anticipate attacks, and enable unified visibility. Highlighted in Rilian’s recent funding announcement, Caspian targets defense for government and critical infrastructure.
First In: First In is an early-stage venture capital firm specializing in defense and security technologies. It co-led the seed funding for Rilian’s AI-native security orchestration platform. The investment supports Rilian’s expansion in sovereign cyber defense solutions.
SimSpace: SimSpace is a cybersecurity company specializing in cyber training, simulation, and emulation environments for defense. It has formed a strategic partnership with Rilian to enhance autonomous defense capabilities. The alliance feeds SimSpace’s technologies into Rilian’s agentic platform.
Alex Moore: Alex Moore is a partner at 8VC, a venture capital firm investing in defense and technology startups. He commented on Rilian’s seed funding, emphasizing its role in redefining cyber capabilities where legacy approaches are inadequate. His insights highlight the strategic importance of AI in national security.
Perot Jain: Perot Jain is an investment entity focused on technology and defense sectors. It contributed to Rilian’s recent seed funding. The participation underscores interest in AI-orchestrated security for sovereign organizations.
SentinelOne: SentinelOne is an AI-powered cybersecurity company offering endpoint protection and extended detection and response solutions. It has partnered with Rilian to advance cyber defenses for critical infrastructure. The collaboration integrates SentinelOne’s technologies into Rilian’s Caspian platform.
8090 Industries: 8090 Industries is a venture investment firm participating in early-stage tech deals. It provided support in Rilian’s seed funding for its agentic AI security platform. The investment aids Rilian’s growth in cyber defense operations.
Tamarack Global: Tamarack Global is a venture capital firm investing in strategic technology sectors including defense. It co-led Rilian’s recent seed funding round. This backing aligns with efforts to scale AI-driven security for critical infrastructure.
Protego Ventures: Protego Ventures is an Israeli defense-tech venture fund investing in cybersecurity innovations. It invested in Rilian’s seed round as part of a syndicate led by prominent VCs. The fund supports Rilian’s mission to bridge gaps in cyber defense for critical infrastructure.
Liquid 2 Ventures: Liquid 2 Ventures is a venture capital firm backing innovative technology startups. It joined the seed round for Rilian’s AI-native cybersecurity solutions. This funding helps Rilian enhance its platform for national-scale defense.

Market Expansion: Funding enables Rilian to broaden its footprint in the US, GCC countries, and allied nations amid rising demand for AI-driven sovereign defense.
Platform Innovation: Caspian automates security procurement, deployment, and response using agentic AI to unify tools in compliance-constrained and air-gapped settings.
Strategic Partnerships: Rilian collaborates with SentinelOne, Censys, and SimSpace to integrate advanced cyber technologies for critical infrastructure protection.