Four Million Users Strong, Lookout Raises $19.5M For Smartphone Security Software

Leena Rao

Leena Rao is currently a Senior Editor for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007, she helped lead Congresswoman Carloyn Maloney’s community outreach and relations efforts in New York City. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003, where she was... → Learn More

Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010

Lookout, a company that offers security services for a number of smartphones, has just raised $19.5 million in Series C funding led by Index Ventures with existing investor Accel Partners and Khosla Ventures participating in the round. This brings Lookout’s total funding to $36 million.

Lookout’s web-based, cloud-connected applications for Android, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry phones help users from losing their phones and identifies and block threats on a consumer’s phone. Users simply download the software to a device, and it will act as a tracking application and a virus protector much like security software downloaded to a computer. The company also announced today that it now has four million users, after crossing the two million mark in September.

The company says the growth in smartphone adoption, mobile app downloads and increased consumer awareness of mobile security threats have made consumers aware of the security threats on mobile phones. Similar to a PC, users are now recognizing the need to protect their phones from malware, viruses, data loss and more.

Lookout, which was just featured in a Verizon Wireless commercial, has also started bringing in revenue, recently rolling out its first premium services which include the ability to view a comprehensive list of apps that can access users private data, such as identity information, location, and messages. The premium plan also includes the ability to remotely wipe and lock a phone in case it is lost or misplaces. You will also be able backup and restore photos and call history, contacts and other data from different phones.

Smartphone security is sure to be a growing market, and Lookout says the new funding will be used for further expansion as well as new product development. And Lookout CEO and founder John Hering says that we can expect a security software app for iOS devices, including the iPhone, to be released in 2011.

Company: Lookout Inc.
Website: lookout.com
Launch Date: 2007
Funding: $76M

Lookout is a security technology company dedicated to making the Post-PC world safer for everyone. We develop software that secures personal devices, protects the BYOD workforce and defends mobile infrastructure and networks. To address the unique security challenges of the Post-PC era, we take a different approach, tackling security as a data problem. We’ve created the world’s largest mobile data set and combined it with the power of our 40 million users to build a powerful cloud-based protection platform. Lookout...

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