Exein Raises $270 Million to Secure Physical AI

Founded in 2018 and based in Rome, Exein embeds runtime cybersecurity in device firmware and at the kernel level, aiming to let connected machines detect and block attacks without relying solely on a secure network. The approach is gaining urgency as artificial intelligence moves into robots, drones, vehicles and critical infrastructure, expanding the potential consequences of a breach from stolen data to physical disruption. Exein says its software is already deployed across more than 2 billion devices.

On Sept. 15, 2026, Exein said it raised $270 million in a round led by San Francisco venture-capital firm Headline, valuing the company at $1.7 billion, more than double its $770 million valuation nine months earlier. Sofina, Goldman Sachs, the European Investment Bank Group, KfW Capital and T.Capital also participated. Exein plans to use the proceeds to expand in the United States and Asia-Pacific and develop a proprietary “physical AI” foundation model, expected in 2027, designed to respond to threats on devices in real time.