March 12, 2025
California-based Cybersecurity startup Hawcx Secures $3M in Pre-Seed Funding to Transform Passwordless Authentication
Los Altos, California, United States –
Hawcx, advanced security features include AI Outlier Detection, AI Based Threat Intelligence, Device Fingerprinting and Dynamic User Migration has raised $3 million in a pre-seed funding round. Announced on March 11, 2025, The investment was led by Engineering Capital, with participation from BoldCap. The funding will support the company’s mission to enhance online security by eliminating traditional password-based authentication.
About Hawcx
Founded in 2023 by Riya Shanmugam, Selvanathan Kumaraswamya and Ravindraraj Ramaraju, Hawcx aims to revolutionize authentication by combining the ease of password-based logins with zero-trust passkey-based authentication. Passwords remain a major vulnerability in cybersecurity, contributing to over 86% of data breaches worldwide. Unlike traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) solutions, Hawcx’s platform does not store any sensitive user information, including passwords and private keys, ensuring higher security and privacy.
Purpose of financing
With the newly secured funding, Hawcx plans to accelerate product development, expand its engineering team, and scale sales and marketing initiatives. The company also aims to increase industry adoption of its passwordless authentication platform by simplifying integration for businesses of all sizes.
CEO's Insights
Riya Shanmugam, Co-founder and CEO of Hawcx, stated:
“Having experienced the challenges of authentication firsthand, we understand the need for a seamless, secure alternative to passwords. While passkeys improve security, they often fall short in usability. Hawcx is committed to delivering a solution that enhances both security and user experience, reducing operational overhead for organizations.”
What the investors have to comment
Ashmeet Sidana, founder and managing director at Engineering Capital, expressed confidence in the startup’s approach:
“Hawcx has combined deep technical expertise with a clear market need. Their passwordless authentication solution addresses one of the most pressing challenges in cybersecurity in a scalable and effective way.”
Sathya Nellore Sampat, General Partner at BoldCap, emphasized the growing demand for passwordless solutions:
“By 2030, we anticipate that most workforce and customer authentication will be passwordless. Organizations cannot afford the risks and costs associated with traditional passwords. Hawcx is leading the way in delivering a best-in-class protocol that can scale globally.”
Conclusion
Since emerging from stealth in April 2024, the company has launched a self-serve platform that simplifies the adoption of passwordless authentication. The platform has seen rapid uptake across various industries due to its ease of integration, requiring just five lines of code. With this funding, Hawcx is well-positioned to advance its vision of a password-free future, providing organizations with a secure, user-friendly authentication solution.
For updates, visit Hawcx on Linkedin.