Upstream

Upstream Security was founded in 2017 by Yoav Levy and Yonatan Appel. Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, the company is privately held and has raised over $100M from strategic automotive and tech investors, including Volvo Group, Hyundai, Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi, and Cisco Investments. Upstream provides a cloud-based cybersecurity and data analytics platform specifically built for connected vehicles and smart mobility.

The primary product line centers on a cloud-based Vehicle Extended Detection and Response (V-XDR) platform. Upstream solves the problem of remote cyber threats targeting connected fleets by analyzing telematics and API data streams in the cloud. Unlike traditional in-vehicle security that requires specialized hardware or agents, Upstream's moat is its agentless architecture. It ingests large-scale data directly from the OEM's cloud to detect anomalies, API vulnerabilities, and fleet-wide attacks. The core buyers are automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and fleet operators.

The flagship Upstream Platform operates as a V-XDR solution, using machine learning to monitor vehicle-to-cloud telemetry and detect deviations from baseline behaviors. Alongside the core platform, the company offers AutoThreat, a dedicated automotive cybersecurity threat intelligence service that tracks vulnerabilities, deep web chatter, and emerging attack vectors targeting smart mobility.

Upstream operates in the automotive cybersecurity sector alongside Israeli competitors like Argus Cyber Security and Karamba Security. While Argus historically emphasized in-vehicle network protection, Upstream differentiated itself early by focusing strictly on cloud-based telemetry analytics. A major regulatory tailwind for the company is the enforcement of UN Regulation No. 155 (UN R155) and the ISO/SAE 21434 standard, which legally mandate OEMs to implement continuous cybersecurity monitoring for vehicle homologation.

Upstream's primary operations and R&D are located in Herzliya. The Israel office houses the majority of its technical workforce, including data engineers, machine learning specialists, and automotive security researchers. Both founders are Israeli, and the local talent pool relies on alumni from IDF intelligence and technology units, given the specialized intersection of big data analytics and cybersecurity.