Torq Hits $1.2B Valuation with $140M Funding for AI Security Platform

Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity startup Torq announced a $140 million funding round led by Merlin Ventures, valuing the company at $1.2 billion. The company's core product is an autonomous security operations platform that uses AI to automate threat detection, investigation, and response workflows.

According to Torq's technical documentation, their platform connects security tools through API integrations and uses a no-code workflow builder to create automated playbooks. The system claims to execute security operations tasks like alert triage, vulnerability remediation, and phishing investigation without human intervention. Company materials state response times can be reduced from hours to seconds for certain workflows.

The funding arrives amid heightened enterprise focus on security automation. Large organizations now manage an average of 76 security tools according to recent industry surveys, creating operational complexity that Torq aims to address. The platform's approach aligns with the broader industry shift toward SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation and Response) solutions, but extends further into fully autonomous operations.

Technical analysis reveals Torq's differentiation lies in its event-driven architecture that processes security signals across multiple layers: cloud infrastructure, endpoints, and identity systems. Their patented Hyperautomation Engine uses machine learning to map relationships between security events and automatically adjust response protocols based on threat severity. The system incorporates feedback loops where human analyst decisions train its autonomous response models.

However, security professionals express reservations about fully autonomous systems. False positives in automated remediation could disrupt business operations, while over-reliance on AI might create new attack vectors. Torq's documentation acknowledges these concerns by emphasizing human oversight capabilities, including approval workflows and rollback features for automated actions. Independent tests by security researchers have shown the platform requires significant tuning time to reduce false positives in complex environments.

The funding will accelerate Torq's expansion beyond its current focus on cloud and SaaS security into IoT and operational technology environments. This move faces technical hurdles given the fragmented nature of industrial control systems and specialized protocols. Success depends on developing new connectors and adapting their AI models to legacy systems with limited API access.

Torq's valuation places it among a growing cohort of cybersecurity unicorns betting on AI-driven automation. Yet the company faces intensifying competition from established players like Palo Alto Networks' Cortex XSOAR and emerging rivals such as Tines. The platform's long-term viability hinges on demonstrating measurable risk reduction beyond workflow acceleration, particularly as regulatory scrutiny of AI decision-making in security operations increases globally.