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Mobile electronic connection continue to be a major target for cybersecurity breaches , and Chinese hacking groupSalt Typhoon’spersistent attacks on multiple carriers are only the latest know model .
The roving common carrier startupCapeis taking a new approach to accost the problem : It has work up a service it say can provide a more secure , secret alternative because it does n’t collect any data on you at all ; even its website does n’t have a cookie logic gate . On Wednesday , Cape is announcing a few big development in its effort .
The Washington , D.C.-based company — base by a former pass of Palantir ’s national security clientele who previously forge in the U.S. Army ’s special forces — is turn an open genus Beta of its MVNO ( mobile practical meshwork operator ) nomadic service , which come in the form of a $ 99 / month subscription programme . It has ink a partnership with Proton , the supplier of encrypted e - mail , VPN , and swarm Service ; and it ’s rear $ 30 million more in fairness and debt funding .
The $ 30 million is interrupt down as $ 15 million in equity tacked onto its Series B from A * , Costanoa , Point72 Ventures , and XYZ Ventures . Another $ 15 million is come in the form of a debt facility from Silicon Valley Bank . This brings the fairness part of its Series B to $ 55 million , with the original $ 40 million announce inApril 2024led by Andreessen Horowitz .
ness is not disclosing rating , but it ’s notable that the financial support is coming at a metre when startups build up military , defence , and security services are getting increased focus and priority at a time when geopolitics are shift .
While many of those shifts are playing out at a much eminent point involving warfare , espionage against officers and functionary , and major contacts between outsize industrial entity , Cape ’s products and its growth are one of the rare examples of how some of that phylogeny is play out at a consumer story .
That ’s not to say that all of Cape ’s products are for casual mass . The new plan comes on the heels of the caller last class come forth from stealth with$61 million in funding , and launching a $ 1,500 sound called theObscura , which was design expressly for military and regime people and others like them . “ Those facing raise threats , ” in the words of the company . In January 2025 , Cape made its first move to establish a service for consumers . All the open time slot in that closed in beta replete up in four hr .
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chief operating officer John Doyle , who co - founded the fellowship with Nicholas Espinoza ( who is the chief of R&D ) , allege the speedy pace of signups pointed to “ a lot of pursuit from the broad consumer market , family line who have a general desire to take back some of their privacy , take back control of the digital identity as they link up to global meshwork , but peradventure do n’t want to commit at the level required to buy an Obscura phone , ” and that ’s what led to the open beta .
In accession to acommitmentnot to go after or sell data point , the plan includes unlimited voice minutes , texts , and data ( but no phonation over Wi - Fi yet , Doyle said ; that ’s still coming ) , as well as encrypted voice mail .
As part of its program , Cape also leave protection against two other emerging cellular scourge . The first of these is trade protection from SIM swapping , using cryptographic protection to keep someone from hijacking your identification number .
And it offers what it describes as “ advanced signalling protection , ” which is in reference to side communication channel attacks via telephone signaling protocolSignalling System 7 . Tracking via SS7 has been a known take for years , but inDecember 2024it was highlight by the U.S. government as a particular issue for tender call , texts , and data point , which it say could be access by spies from military and other personnel using the protocol .
Doyle added that general handiness for its phone design will follow subsequently this year . There are few than 1,000 users on its unsympathetic beta , and a mates of hundred Obscura phone owner .
Cape ’s service is anchored on UScellular , and the plan is to introduce roaming services to its users to exsert to other res publica , as well as to introduce MNVO - based plans in other countries .
Europe has show to be a heavy market for privacy - first service , as well as those that provide alternatives to hire with Big Tech . That ’s led to apps likeSignal climb to the top of the app storesin at least one European market place . That could face an interesting addressable market for a startup like Cape .
mantle is lean into that European penchant for seclusion in another way in the lag . Just as mainstream aircraft carrier like to link up up in marketing partnership with buzzy consumer service to beat back more signups — one late example beingT - Mobile ink a partnership with Perplexityfor an “ AI Phone ” — Cape is doing the same with like - minded privacy - first companies . First out the door is a spate with Switzerland - based Proton to drive signups to the latter party ’s premium ( paid ) offerings . Those who sign up to a Cape $ 99 / calendar month earpiece architectural plan can pay $ 1 to sum six months ofProton ’s Unlimitedplan , which includes encipher swarm storehouse , VPN , expanded secure e - chain mail , and more .
“ We did a really pretty strict survey of the battleground , and we think Proton is the open loss leader in terms of credibleness and how advanced their tech is and the way they ’re approaching the job [ of privacy ] , ” Doyle state . He describe the offer as “ the first version ” of a partnership between the two companies .
