Chainguard raises $356 million in Series D funding, pushing its valuation to $3.5 billion as demand grows for secure software supply chains. The company reports sevenfold revenue growth and plans global expansion while introducing products like Chainguard VMs and Libraries. Backed by investors including Kleiner Perkins and Salesforce Ventures, Chainguard positions itself as a core provider of secure-by-default open source tools.
Why Everyone Is Watching Chainguard Right Now
Chainguard has positioned itself at the forefront of secure software development, responding to growing demand for hardened software supply chains. Built on a foundation that integrates security at the core of open source tools, the company delivers products that help organizations minimize vulnerabilities by design rather than relying on reactive patching.
The shift toward secure-by-default infrastructure has amplified the need for trusted solutions in open source environments. Enterprises across industries, including finance and cloud computing, increasingly turn to Chainguard for its commitment to transparency, compliance, and continuous security.
Breaking Down the $356 Million Surge
Chainguard raised $356 million in Series D funding, bringing total capital raised to $612 million. This latest round values the company at $3.5 billion and was co-led by new investor Kleiner Perkins alongside existing investor IVP. Additional participation came from Salesforce Ventures, Datadog Ventures, and all existing investors.
The infusion of capital marks one of the largest recent investments in cybersecurity infrastructure, reflecting confidence in Chainguard’s growth trajectory. According to IVP General Partner Tom Loverro, customer adoption and satisfaction have been driving forces, with the company exceeding revenue plans by a factor of two.
Inside Chainguard’s Rapid Growth Strategy
Chainguard increased its annual recurring revenue sevenfold, reaching $40 million in fiscal year 2025. It projects surpassing $100 million before the end of fiscal year 2026. This acceleration is tied to growing enterprise reliance on secure development environments and an expanding product portfolio.
The company plans to scale its go-to-market operations and invest in development across its entire product suite. A focus area includes strengthening its footprint in Europe, the Middle East, Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions to meet international demand for open source security infrastructure.
What Makes Chainguard Containers and VMs Different
Chainguard’s offerings focus on eliminating common vulnerabilities in open source deployments. Its core product, Chainguard Containers, delivers secure container images continuously updated from source, which reduces maintenance overhead for engineering teams.
The company recently launched Chainguard VMs—minimal virtual machine images built entirely from source and designed to carry zero known CVEs. Additionally, Chainguard Libraries offer secure Java language dependencies, helping organizations meet stringent compliance requirements.
These products form a comprehensive suite for secure-by-design development, built for organizations seeking to minimize risk without sacrificing agility.
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Why Investors Are Doubling Down on Secure Software Infrastructure
Investor confidence in Chainguard stems from the company’s strong customer traction and a fast-growing category it helps define. Mamoon Hamid, Partner at Kleiner Perkins, noted that Chainguard is establishing itself as the preferred provider of trusted open source software.
Salesforce Ventures’ Nowi Kallen described the company as “at the forefront” of secure infrastructure, while Datadog’s Bharat Sajnani emphasized how Chainguard helps organizations better utilize engineering resources while reducing risk. These statements reflect a shared belief in the necessity of pre-secured, scalable software development foundations.
How Chainguard Helps Tech Giants Stay Compliant and Secure
Chainguard works with a broad portfolio of enterprise clients, including Snap Inc., GitLab, ANZ Bank, and Booz Allen. Its secure container images help reduce vulnerabilities and ease compliance with cybersecurity standards.
Dylan Shepard, Senior Lead Platform Engineer at Booz Allen, highlighted that Chainguard’s images lower operational burdens by reducing patching needs, enabling faster delivery of secure, mission-critical solutions. At Snap Inc., Security Engineering Manager Shrikant Pandhare emphasized the importance of Chainguard’s offerings in supporting rapid innovation without compromising security.
This client feedback underlines the platform’s value in high-security and fast-moving environments.
Why This Matters for the Future of Open Source Software
Chainguard’s approach focuses on building and maintaining secure software directly from source. This model aims to eliminate vulnerabilities at the base layer, shifting away from legacy patch-and-pray systems toward continuous verification and compliance.
As more organizations adopt this standard, expectations for open source tools are changing. The push for pre-secured components is influencing procurement decisions, development pipelines, and software delivery lifecycles in ways that could reset how security is implemented across ecosystems.
What This Means for Developers, CISOs, and the Open Source Community
Chainguard’s solutions impact multiple roles in the software lifecycle:
- Developers benefit from a reduced need for security patches and simplified compliance integration.
- CISOs gain assurance that software infrastructure aligns with internal and external audit requirements.
- Open source contributors see increased scrutiny and demand for reproducibility and source-level integrity.
The company’s growth signals a shift in how organizations approach open source, placing trust and verifiability at the core of development strategies.
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