Rook Security grows 2000+ percent, defines security landscape
Since Rook Security relocated from Silicon Valley to Indianapolis in 2010, the global IT security company has grown an astonishing 2,100 percent and now employs 55 people at its downtown and Carmel offices. Rook has doubled or nearly doubled its revenue every year in Indy, finally slowing to double-digit growth last year as the company approaches the $10 million mark.
J.J. ThompsonRook Security relocated from Silicon Valley to Indianapolis in 2010.
“We bring the right people and advanced technology to the table to help people solve problems they can’t solve themselves, so it didn’t make a difference to our clients. They were, and to this day are, very happy.”
“But the landscape has changed and traditional managed security services (MSS) alone leave you vulnerable and exposed because you’re missing transparency between configurations, policy decisions and integrated response to effectively eliminate the threat. That’s why we’re launching our own hybrid version of managed security services based on the way we already do business — It’s going to be the benchmark that defines IT security following this major shift we’ve all just gone through. It’s the people, process and technology to get the job done in today’s high-stakes environment.”
That environment includes dramatic increases in global IT security investment. Just a few years ago (about the time Rook arrived in Indy) spending on IT security hit $50 billion and it was expected to double. It did, reaching $106 billion in 2015.
Following high-profile data breaches that cost organizations like Target, Anthem, the U.S. Government and many more billions of dollars, spending increases have been a rising tide for many IT security firms.
Data breaches that damaged brands and affected value have been a wake-up call for CEOs who might have viewed IT security as a matter of compliance before the headlines and consumer backlash changed that kind of thinking forever.
“Some of the recent high-profile breaches happened because companies didn’t have key components that are foundational to the Rook way of doing business,” Thompson said. “People, process, and tech. We make security technology that is in place actually work, plug technical gaps, force adherence to robust processes, and give customers the capabilities to not just identify but eliminate threats. Customers can even ‘pop a flare’ and we act like a one-click force multiplier, picking up workload or deploying anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice to address an issue. It’s like the batphone. Rook is accessible & ready to protect you when you need it most.”
The company’s new mission statement reflects where they are heading with a combination approach of their own software products, elite technicians and a well-defined, proven process — “A managed threat response force that anticipates, manages, and eliminates threats.”
This new positioning lines up well with what Rook has identified as the primary pain points in the industry and the “it’s not if, but when” rule of thumb.
Remarkably, all of the aforementioned growth of Rook Security had been 100 percent bootstrapped until Silicon Valley-based Decathlon Capital was added to their cap sheet in a seven-figure debt round. Rook is directing the new financing toward its pending products and services launch.
Thompson said he couldn’t go into more detail about the upcoming launch, but Rook has been hiring software developers and adding hardcore security operators steadily to support it.
Whether companies are large or small, Rook wants to be able to “meet them where they are,” says Thompson. Some companies have a great security team in place but they are missing the workflow, powertools, or integrations necessary to manage incoming threats. What Rook is going to be able to do is offer SKUs companies can choose from that meet their needs without disrupting their entire operation.
If recent history is any indication of future success, Rook Security is well-positioned for continued growth. They made Inc.’s Fastest Growing list in the top 10 nationally for security firms and the eighth fastest growing company in the state of Indiana. Even though Thompson was somewhat secretive about his pending launch, it certainly seems like the company is poised for even bigger and better things this year.
In an effort to raise the visibility and accelerate the growth of Indiana tech companies, each week we will spotlight a growing company with a compelling story. In particular, we will spotlight scale-up companies that are rapidly emerging and could become our community’s future success stories. Visit this page to learn more the Tailwind program and see if your company qualifies.
The Tailwind program is supported by grants from the Indiana Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship (OSBE) and the JPMorgan Chase Foundation.
