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The security industry is crowded with vendors offering a bewildering array of technologies to help enterprises address their constantly evolving security challenges.

One estimate, from 2018, pegged the number of active security vendors at around 1,200. And Web-based research platform CyberDB says it has a list of over 3,500 cybersecurity vendors — in the US alone.

Regardless of what the true number might be, it's clear that organizations have no dearth of choices when it comes to finding a vendor — or technology — to address their specific security requirements. Unlike many other sectors where a handful of companies dominate the market, the cybersecurity landscape has continued to spawn new companies and attract new investments at an unrelenting pace.

Even in 2020, when despite all the disruptions caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, investors poured a record $7.8 billion into the cybersecurity industry globally, according to Crunchbase. That number represents a ninefold increase over 2011. In 2020 six companies achieved cybersecurity unicorn status — meaning they had a market valuation of over $1 billion. So far in 2021, nine companies already have achieved that status.

Here is a sampling of 11 vendors to watch this year — noteworthy because of the news they made, the dollars they raised, the technologies they offer, or the executives behind them. (Note: This list is not meant to be exhaustive or a top list of vendors in any category.)

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