🚀 How Coro Built a $100M ARR Cybersecurity Empire by Abandoning Direct Sales

“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.” Muhammad Ali

🚀 How Coro Built a $100M ARR Cybersecurity Empire by Abandoning Direct Sales

The TL;DR: From $1M to $100M ARR in 4 years! Started as CoroNet on TechCrunch Disrupt stage, pivoted to channel-first strategy, and became the fastest-growing cybersecurity company targeting SMBs with 300% YoY growth for 5 straight years.

Most cybersecurity startups chase enterprise customers with direct sales teams. Dror Liwer and Guy Moskowitz did the opposite—and built a $100M ARR company in just four years. After launching Coro (originally CoroNet) on the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield stage, they initially tried the traditional playbook: cold-calling mid-market companies to sell comprehensive cybersecurity solutions. The results were mediocre. Then they made a pivotal decision that changed everything: abandon direct sales and build an aggressive channel partner program. The transformation was immediate. Instead of hiring more salespeople, they empowered managed service providers, ISPs, and resellers to sell Coro's modular cybersecurity platform. One strategic partnership with ComplyAuto brought 4,500 car dealerships onto their platform overnight when new FTC regulations mandated cybersecurity compliance. Their secret wasn't just the channel strategy—it was understanding that mid-market companies were drowning in complexity. While enterprises could afford 15-25 separate security tools costing $25-45 per user monthly, SMBs needed something simpler. Coro built the world's first modular cybersecurity platform where customers could activate exactly what they needed and expand as they grew. The results speak for themselves: 300% year-over-year growth for five consecutive years, 96% customer retention (the highest in cybersecurity), and recognition as the fastest-growing cybersecurity company in North America.

💡 Problem Solved:

• SMBs faced 56,000-86,000 cyber attacks annually but couldn't afford enterprise solutions

• Mid-market companies juggled 15-25 security products costing $25-45/user/month

• Traditional cybersecurity required specialized IT teams that SMBs didn't have

• Point solutions created blind spots and integration nightmares

🛠️ How It Works:

Revolutionary modular cybersecurity platform → 14 integrated security modules in one dashboard → covers endpoints, email, cloud apps, and users → single agent, single pane of glass management

🔄 The Origin Story:

Started in 2015 as Coronet (consumer device security) → Pivoted to enterprise in 2019 → Launched on TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield stage → Rebranded to Coro and focused on underserved SMB market

📈 Growth Strategy:

• Channel-First Pivot: Abandoned direct sales for aggressive channel partner program

• Strategic Partnerships: ComplyAuto deal brought 4,500+ car dealerships instantly

• Modular Platform: World's first modular cybersecurity - buy what you need, expand as you grow

• MSP Focus: Empowered 3,000+ managed service providers to sell cybersecurity

• Regulatory Leverage: New FTC rules created massive demand for compliance solutions

💰 Revenue Journey:

$1M ARR (2020) → $6M ARR (2022) → $12M ARR (2023) → $100M ARR (2024) - that's 2,670% growth in 3 years!

💼 Funding Powerhouse:

$255M raised in 24 months → Latest: $100M Series D led by One Peak at $750M+ valuation → Previous investors: Energy Impact Partners, Balderton Capital → Total funding enables global expansion

💪 Competitive Edge:

• 96% Customer Retention: Highest in cybersecurity industry

• Modular Innovation: Only platform where customers activate modules on-demand

• Channel Mastery: 5-star CRN Partner Program rating

• Pricing Advantage: $8.99/user/month vs $25-45 for traditional stacks

• Speed to Market: Single platform vs. 15-25 separate security tools

🤖 Platform Evolution:

• Coro 3.0: World's first modular cybersecurity platform

• AI-driven threat detection and response

• Single endpoint agent managing all security functions

• 14 integrated modules: EDR, SASE, email security, endpoint protection

• One dashboard to rule them all

🔮 What's Next:

International expansion starting with Europe → London R&D center opened → Canadian and German data centers → Building billion-dollar ARR cybersecurity empire → IPO trajectory with sustained 300% growth

🔑 The Winning Formula:

"Focus on underserved mid-market, build channel partners who understand your customers, create modular solutions that grow with businesses, and make cybersecurity accessible to companies that can't afford enterprise prices."

👇 Your Turn:

Is your business juggling multiple security tools? Could a unified cybersecurity platform save you time, money, and reduce your attack surface?

Try Coro: https://www.coro.net

Here is how this strategy seems to do - when backtested for the past 20 years -

2719% overall returns

Average annual return of 18.68%

Max drawdown of 45.9% (2008-2009 timeframe)

Apple’s US App Store topped $400B in developer billings and sales in 2024

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