Ten Eleven Ventures has been named to Inc.’s 2026 Founder-Friendly Investors list, which recognizes private equity firms, venture capital firms, and lenders with demonstrated track records of supporting founder-led companies. This year’s list recognizes Ten Eleven Ventures among 294 firms across the investment landscape.

The prestigious Founder-Friendly Investors list celebrates the investors and firms that work closely with entrepreneurs and remain engaged with the businesses they back. Honorees are recognized for their approach to partnering with founders and supporting their companies through growth and beyond.

“With the current funding environment and rapid changes facing growing companies, founders are looking for more than just capital from their investors. They want true partners who believe in their business, but who are also able to provide the critical advisement and strategic support they need to reach their potential,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The 2026 Founder-Friendly Investor awards celebrate those firms –– the ones committed to partnership, excellence, and helping founder-led companies grow.”

Alex Doll, Founder and Managing Partner at Ten Eleven Ventures, said: “At Ten Eleven, our exclusive focus on cybersecurity gives us a unique advantage in supporting founders. Having worked alongside entrepreneurs through many of the same challenges and critical stages of growth, we bring deep industry experience and perspective that allows us to provide meaningful strategic guidance well beyond capital. Just as importantly, we’ve built a strong community of founders who are genuinely invested in one another’s success, sharing insights, opening doors, and supporting each other along the way. Being recognized by Inc. as a Founder-Friendly Investor is particularly meaningful because it reflects the relationships and trust at the heart of our approach. We’re incredibly proud of the community we’ve built and look forward to partnering with the next generation of cybersecurity entrepreneurs.”

Ten Eleven Ventures is a leading global venture capital firm focused exclusively on cybersecurity, with approximately $1 billion in assets under management and more than 70 investments across 13 countries. The firm has earned widespread industry recognition for its leadership and investment track record, including being named Investor of the Year at the 2025 SC Awards, recognition on TIME’s list of America’s Top Venture Capital Firms, and ranking among PitchBook’s most active cybersecurity investors.

Ten Eleven has backed some of the industry’s most influential companies, including Darktrace, KnowBe4, and Ping Identity. Its portfolio also includes cybersecurity innovators such as Semperis, HiddenLayer, Harmonic Security, Geordie, Bloom Security, and Jazz Security. Through its deep industry expertise, extensive global network, and strategic support, Ten Eleven continues to help entrepreneurs build and scale the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.

“We chose 1011vc because they bring so much more than funding, something I know well now as they invested not only in Harmonic, but in my previous company, Digital Shadows. The firm offers an invaluable blend of time, expertise, and an extensive network to help foster our growth. Their commitment to our success is clear— every team member actively engages when we have questions, offering practical guidance, resources, and connections that truly make a difference. They’ve been true partners since day one,” said Alastair Paterson, CEO and Co-founder at Harmonic Security.

To compile the Founder-Friendly Investors list, Inc. went straight to the source: entrepreneurs who have sold to private equity and venture capital firms. Founders completed questionnaires about their experiences partnering with private equity, venture capital, and debt firms and shared data on how their companies have performed during these partnerships. The resulting list highlights investors that founders identified as strong partners throughout the investment process.

For more information or to view the complete list of honorees, visit https://www.inc.com/founder-friendly-investors.

About Ten Eleven Ventures

Ten Eleven Ventures is the original cybersecurity-focused, global and stage-agnostic investment firm. The firm finds, invests in and helps grow top cybersecurity companies addressing critical digital security needs, tapping its team, network and experience to help build successful businesses. Since its founding, Ten Eleven Ventures has raised over $US1 billion and made over 70 cybersecurity investments across stages worldwide, including KnowBe4, Darktrace, Axis Security, Twistlock, Verodin, Cylance and Ping Identity. For more information, please visit: 1011vc.com.

About Inc.

Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire