Cyber attacks increased by a staggering 50.1% in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As small and large businesses alike were forced into remote working environments, many in the former category realized they didn’t have adequate cybersecurity measures in place. It was this issue that led to the birth of KLEAP Technologies.
Shivani Sharma, Founder and CEO of the Raleigh-based startup, recognized that these smaller businesses needed help. While larger companies often had preexisting cybersecurity, many SMBs lacked the budget or the necessary expertise to maintain security.
“Overnight, everyone was forced to work from home,” Sharma said. “Businesses had to adapt to this new reality, and we thought, why not get into this? You know, start helping small businesses to understand what cybersecurity is.”
After incorporating in India in 2020, the startup began rolling out its cybersecurity solutions. KLEAP Technologies works closely with clients to evaluate the strength of those clients’ existing cybersecurity and identify any weaknesses which may leave them susceptible to attacks.
An essential part of this relationship, Sharma said, is being transparent and building trust with her customers. She said while many cybersecurity companies will try to push large package deals on customers, KLEAP is only concerned with getting the customer the specific help they need.
“I don’t want to be just another seller in the market,” Sharma said. “I want to connect. I want to help, and I want to really achieve that security posture for [customers].”
Security posture—which can be thought of as a company’s level of cybersecurity strength—is both tested and improved upon by Sharma’s team. To this end, KLEAP Tech. even has its own “ethical hackers” on payroll (certified by regulatory boards, of course).
After obtaining permission from the customer, these experts will attempt to hack into their applications to find weak spots and loopholes. The customer is then presented with a report which details the attack itself, the associated risks of a similar attack and recommendations for prevention.
The startup also helps companies to meet compliance standards set by regulatory authorities, such as HIPPA and GDPR. The frequency of security and compliance checks largely depends on the company’s individual needs.
A pivot to product development
In 2023, Sharma decided she didn’t just want to provide cybersecurity services; she wanted to create a product that would enable businesses to monitor their security themselves. With this new focus came a new home: The startup, which had been based in India since 2020, moved to Raleigh even as it began development on “Tulsi.”
Tulsi (currently in the MVP stage), is designed to “empower businesses with affordable, customized, and high-quality cybersecurity assessments.” Sharma said the transition from running a service-based business to developing and scaling a product has been one of the biggest challenges she has faced so far.
“The focus from client-driven to platform-based, that was a complete game changer for me, because it was like learning to walk all over again,” she said.
QUICK BITS
Startup: KLEAP Technologies
Founder: Shivani Sharma (CEO)
Founded: 2020
Team size: 10
Location: Raleigh, NC & Hyderabad, India
Website: www.kleap.in
Funding: Bootstrapped
The product is currently available in its beta version and offers vulnerability assessments and penetration testing that provide tailored, actionable insights. Companies can onboard for free by registering themselves. Following an approval process (which lasts 1-3 hours), a customer can input their website or mobile app and get results back within 1-4 hours.
Sharma’s vision for the future is to continue scaling Tulsi and adding features to the product, which involves listening to feedback from customers who have used the beta version and learning how it can be improved upon.
“I think with us, being resilient and gritty has worked well so far, and it has taken us places,” Sharma said.
