Sublime Security

Company Overview

Sublime Security is a cloud email security company founded in 2023 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The company provides an AI-powered email security platform that aims to prevent email attacks using a transparent detection engine. Sublime’s approach gives defenders more control and visibility compared to traditional “black box” email security solutions.

Products Overview

Sublime’s core product is a cloud-based email security platform with the following key features:

• AI-powered detection of advanced email threats like business email compromise, phishing, malware, and more
• A transparent detection engine that allows customers to understand why messages are flagged
• The ability for customers to write and run custom detection rules using a domain-specific language called Message Query Language (MQL)
• Integration with platforms like Gmail and Microsoft 365 without requiring MX record changes
• Automated triage and investigation of user-reported phishing attempts
• Threat hunting capabilities across email data
• Attack surface reduction through custom policies

The platform can be deployed as a managed cloud service or self-hosted by customers. Sublime also offers some standalone tools like an EML analyzer for phishing investigations and an email reputation service called EmailRep.

Founding Team

• Josh Kamdjou - Founder & CEO: Josh has a background in offensive cybersecurity, having worked for the DoD and in red teaming roles in the private sector. He holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland.

• Ian Thiel - Co-Founder & COO: Ian was previously an early product and growth leader at Optimizely and ran growth, marketing and partnerships at Alto. He has an M.Sc. in Management from Babson College and a B.Sc. in Economics and Mathematics from York College of Pennsylvania.

Problem and Market Fit

Sublime aims to address shortcomings of traditional email security solutions, which are often opaque “black boxes” that don’t give security teams enough control or visibility. The company’s transparent approach allows defenders to understand detection logic, customize rules, and gain more granular control over email security. This appeals to security-conscious organizations that want more flexibility and insight into their email threat detection.

Business Model

Sublime appears to use a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, offering their platform as a managed cloud service with pricing likely based on number of mailboxes protected. They also offer a self-hosted option for customers who prefer to run the platform themselves. The company provides the first 100 mailboxes free for their managed service.

Funding and Runway

In April 2024, Sublime announced a $20 million Series A funding round led by Index Ventures. Previous investors are not explicitly mentioned, but the company notes they are “backed by legendary investors from Silicon Valley and the security community.”

Competitive Landscape

Sublime competes in the crowded email security market against established players like Proofpoint, Mimecast, and Microsoft Defender, as well as other next-gen email security startups. Their key differentiators appear to be the transparency of their detection engine and the ability for customers to write custom rules.

Customers

Sublime lists several notable customers on their website, including:

• Spotify
• Reddit
• Elastic
• Snyk
• Brex
• Ramp
• Centrica
• Red Canary
• Vanta
• Automox
• ActBlue

Relevant News

• April 2024: Sublime announced a $20 million Series A funding round led by Index Ventures.
• February 2023: The company publicly launched its email security platform.

The company appears to be in a growth phase, having recently raised significant funding and expanded its customer base to include several prominent tech companies. Their focus on transparency and customization in email security seems to be resonating with security-conscious organizations looking for more control over their email defenses.