Facing 5,000 new attacks weekly, Exein reaches Unicorn status as it raises €234 million for Physical AI cybersecurity

Exein, a cybersecurity company based in Rome, has secured €234 million in new funding at a valuation of €1.4 billion, marking it as the most valuable cybersecurity startup in Europe. The round is led by Headline, with involvement from Sofina, Goldman Sachs, the European Investment Bank Group, KfW Capital, KfW, T.Capital, and several other investors. This funding will fuel Exein's expansion into the US and APAC regions, as well as further development of its Physical AI cybersecurity solutions.

Exein specializes in protecting intelligent machines that utilize AI to perceive, make decisions, and act in the physical world, including robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, and other connected devices. The company's valuation has increased thirty-fold in just two years, with its first half of 2026 annual recurring revenue (ARR) up 4x compared to the previous year.

Its H1 2026 revenue is generated from more than two billion connected devices across various sectors like industrial automation, automotive, energy, healthcare, semiconductors, aerospace, and robotics.

The increase in attacks against Physical AI systems is attributed to the rapid advancement of frontier AI models, which require faster response times from security measures. Exein aims to address this challenge with its new agentic security architecture, which will be introduced by the end of 2026, featuring foundation models trained on real-world machine activity to protect systems at machine speed.

With the growing number of attacks and the need for more efficient security solutions, Exein is expanding its presence in key markets, including the US and APAC. The company plans to increase its hiring, customer base, and partnerships over the next two years, while also opening a new office in the San Francisco Bay Area.