Nord Security

In 2012 the company launched NordVPN as a Windows configuration, released the NordVPN app in 2013, and by 2014 had 10,000 users and began offering 24/7 support. It grew without outside funding for about ten years.⁠[1][2]

Nord Security launched NordPass, NordLocker and NordLayer in 2019 and introduced the NordLynx protocol in 2020.⁠[1]

Nord Security and Surfshark announced that they had finalized a merger agreement under which each keeps its own infrastructure and product roadmap and operates independently; the terms were not disclosed. At the time Nord Security had more than 1,000 employees and 15 million users worldwide, and its products included NordVPN, NordPass, NordLocker, NordLayer and the freemium Atlas VPN. Co-founder Tom Okman said: “The increasing complexity of cybersecurity and digital privacy is a growing challenge worldwide.”⁠[4]

Nord Security raised its first outside funding, $100 million at a $1.6 billion valuation, in a round led by Novator with Burda Principal Investments and General CatalystGeneral CatalystGeneral Catalyst (GC) is an investment firm founded in 2000 and headquartered in San Francisco, United States, created by Joel Cutler, David Fialkow and Bill Fitzgerald, that backs companies from the seed stage through growth.Open the full entry; individual investors included Ilkka Paananen of Supercell, Miki Kuusi of Wolt and Matt Mullenweg of Automattic, and Novator’s Birgir Már Ragnarsson joined the board. At the time its products had about 15 million users; both Nord Security and Surfshark trace their origins to Tesonet, a business and incubator. Tom Okman said: “Our mission is to build a radically different internet by securing consumer and enterprise accounts.”⁠[2]

Nord Security raised $100 million at a $3 billion valuation in a round led by Warburg Pincus, with existing investors Novator Ventures and Burda Principal Investments taking part, to expand its products and accelerate growth through strategic mergers and acquisitions. At the time it operated in more than 20 markets and had about 2,000 employees. Tom Okman said: “Our users' trust allowed us to remain on a sustainable and profitable journey for more than decade.”⁠[5]

Nord Security launched NordStellar, Saily and Coveron in 2024. In a September 2024 interview with Fortune, Tomas Okmanas said the company had been profitable on a cash flow basis since its founding, had turned EBITDA-positive the previous year and had more than 15 million users; it was preparing to be ready for an IPO but had no timeline, and he said “we won’t do it in the next six months or a year.”⁠[1][6]

Nord Security launched NordLayer Browser and HangUp in 2026. As of November 2026, the products listed on its website included NordVPN, NordLayer, NordLayer Browser, NordPass, NordLocker, NordLayer Intelligence, Coveron and Saily, and the company had a team of thousands; its leadership included the three co-founders, chief financial officer Laurynas Zabulis, Saily chief executive Vykintas Maknickas and B2B chief executive Donatas Tamelis.⁠[1]

Nord Security: Website: https://nordsecurity.com/ (opens in a new window); Surfshark: Website: https://surfshark.com/ (opens in a new window)⁠[1][3]