Okta buys AI security startup Permiso — source says for about $200M

Okta on Thursday agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security, betting that demand for protecting AI agents and other machine identities will grow as enterprises deploy autonomous software across their operations. The identity management company did not disclose the terms of the…

Okta on Thursday agreed to acquire AI identity security startup Permiso Security, betting that demand for protecting AI agents and other machine identities will grow as enterprises deploy autonomous software across their operations. The identity management company did not disclose the terms of the transaction. But TechCrunch has learned that the acquisition is valued at just under $200 million and is structured as an almost all-cash deal, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. A spokesperson for Okta did not dispute the $200 million figure when TechCrunch asked CEO Todd McKinnon for comment about the deal, but the company would not comment on specifics of the deal terms. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of its fiscal 2027, Okta said, subject to customary closing conditions. Okta’s move to buy Permiso comes as identity management companies seek to expand beyond verifying users at login to continuously monitoring what users, applications, and AI agents do once gaining authorized access to a network environment. That shift has intensified competition to secure machine identities as enterprises embed AI deeper into everyday operations. Permiso, which emerged from stealth in 2022, develops software that helps security teams spot suspicious activity in cloud environments after users or applications have been granted access. More recently, the startup has expanded its platform to monitor AI agents and other machine identities. Co-founded by former FireEye executives Paul Nguyen and Jason Martin, Permiso specializes in detecting attacks that use stolen or compromised identities to move through cloud infrastructure. In April, the startup also introduced SandyClaw, a platform designed to analyze AI agent skills in a sandboxed environment to identify malicious behavior before they are deployed. The deal strengthens Okta’s push into securing AI agents and other non-human identities alongside its core identity management business. “Permiso will extend Okta’s identity security fabric with proven identity threat detection and response capabilities, and an incredible threat research and security team that will advance Okta’s threat detection and prevention capabilities,” Okta’s chief product officer Ely Kahn said in a prepared statement. Permiso has raised about $29 million to date, including an $18.5 million Series A round in April 2024 led by Altimeter Capital. People familiar with the financing said the Series A valued the Palo Alto-based startup at about $80 million on a post-money basis. Topics AI, AI agents, Exclusive, Okta, Permiso, Security, Startups, United States When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence. Jagmeet Singh Reporter Jagmeet covers startups, tech policy-related updates, and all other major tech-centric developments from India for TechCrunch. He previously worked as a principal correspondent at NDTV. You can contact or verify outreach from Jagmeet by emailing mail@journalistjagmeet.com. View Bio October 13 – 15 San Francisco Scale faster. Grow your portfolio. Gain practical expertise. No matter your goal, Disrupt can empower you.Save up to $330 today! REGISTER NOW Most Popular Claude Opus 5 became downright ruthless when tasked with running a vending machine Julie Bort Sam Altman is ready to decelerate Tim Fernholz Librarians are hosting viral ‘Avoiding AI’ workshops for people who are fed up with Big Tech Amanda Silberling SpaceX launches new V3 Starlink satellites but suffers another booster failure Sean O'Kane Prentis, new AI lab co-founded by Reid Hoffman, Mark Pincus in talks to raise $100M Marina Temkin US accuses American of allegedly wiping his phone using a ‘duress’ password during border search Zack Whittaker Anduril reportedly in talks to raise funding at $100B valuation, more than 3x last year’s mark Ram Iyer

Source: TechCrunch — Published July 30, 2026 at 16:09 UTC — Category: Business