The Biggest Deal Yet in 2025

When the news broke about Google acquiring Wiz for $32 billion, I wasn’t just reading another tech headline—I was watching a chapter close in a journey I’ve been following from the trenches.

Having worked in cybersecurity for a few years now, and directly with the Wiz team as part of their technology partner program for a few years, this acquisition feels personal to me in ways that most industry news doesn’t.

This isn’t just Alphabet’s largest acquisition ever—it’s a transformative moment for cloud security that will impact how businesses (including many I’ve worked with) protect their digital assets for years to come.

Let me share why this deal is so special, from someone who’s had a front-row seat to Wiz’s remarkable evolution.

Four Friends, Two Startups, and Billions of Dollars

Every great tech story starts with brilliant minds coming together, and Wiz’s tale begins with four friends who met in the Israeli army back in 2001: Ami Luttwak, Assaf Rappaport, Yinon Costiva, and Roy Reznik.

I was 17 when we met. It was 22 years ago. That’s part of our story. This is not the first startup we’re building together," - Ami Luttwak once shared.

These four didn’t just build one successful company—they built two. Their first venture, Adallom, sold to Microsoft in 2015 for approximately $320 million. But they were just getting started.

The Microsoft Learning Curve

During their four years at Microsoft, the team transformed the tech giant’s security business from nearly non-existent to generating roughly $1 billion in annual revenue.

The secret to their success? Simplification.

“We came to Microsoft with the Adallom product. Part of the transition was to remove maybe 75% of the features, but to make it scalable,” explained Luttwak.

This philosophy of simplifying complex security challenges would become the foundation of their next venture.

Watching Wiz Scale: From Zero to $350 Million in Record Time

When the four founders launched Wiz in January 2020, they weren’t just creating another security tool—they were addressing a fundamental problem in cloud security.

“The market existed for 15 years. Although you had multiple products, none of them actually solved the problem… And that’s where opportunity arises,” noted Luttwak.

What happened next broke records. Wiz scaled from $1 million to $100 million in annual recurring revenue in just 18 months—the fastest growth ever seen in the SaaS industry. By early 2024, they were generating approximately $350 million in ARR with a private valuation of $12 billion.

What Makes Wiz So Special? My Technical Perspective

The CNAPP Revolution

Having worked on integrations with dozens of security tools, I can tell you that Wiz’s Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) represented a genuine paradigm shift.

Traditional security tools install “agents” (small software programs) on every server or device to monitor activity. Wiz took a fundamentally different approach:

• Agentless technology: No software installation needed
• API-centered: Works by connecting directly to cloud services
• Comprehensive visibility: Sees across your entire cloud environment
• Risk connection: Links vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and identity issues to show your actual risk

This approach earned Wiz the 2023 Global Cloud Security Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award and helped them attract customers across healthcare, government, and financial services.

Why Google Paid $32 Billion: An Insider’s Perspective

Having collaborated with Wiz on integration efforts, I understand why Google was willing to pay this staggering premium—nearly three times Wiz’s last private valuation and more than Google paid for Motorola ($12 billion in 2012).

So why such a premium? Here’s what Google gains:

1. Cutting-edge security technology that works across all major cloud platforms
2. Instant market share in critical sectors like healthcare and finance
3. Competitive advantage against Microsoft and AWS in the cloud security race
4. Talent acquisition of some of the brightest minds in cybersecurity

I heard through industry channels that Google had initially offered “only” $23 billion in mid-2024, but Wiz declined, preferring to stay independent. Google’s persistence and willingness to raise the offer by $9 billion shows they recognized what those of us working closely with Wiz already knew—this technology is transformative.

What This Means for You (Even If You’re Not a Security Pro)

For Business Leaders

I can tell you that cloud security is no longer optional—it’s essential. Google’s massive investment signals that protecting cloud environments is now a top priority for every organization.

If you’re making technology decisions, ask your team:

• How are we protecting our cloud infrastructure?
• Are we using modern, agentless approaches like CNAPP?
• How would consolidation in the security market affect our strategy?

For Tech Professionals

As someone who works and interacts with professionals in this space, I can confidently say that skills related to cloud security and CNAPP platforms are about to become even more valuable. If you’re looking to advance your career, focusing on these areas could be extremely beneficial in the coming years—I’ve seen the demand for this expertise skyrocket.

For Investors and Startups

This acquisition will likely trigger a wave of investment and innovation in cybersecurity. Expect valuations to rise and more startups to emerge, particularly in areas like AI-powered security and quantum-resistant encryption.

The Future of Cloud Security: My Predictions

Google’s acquisition of Wiz marks the beginning of a new era in cloud security. Here’s what to watch for:

1. Market consolidation: Smaller security vendors may become acquisition targets
2. Innovation acceleration: Competitors will race to develop new features
3. Multi-cloud questions: Will Google maintain Wiz’s vendor-neutral approach?
4. Regulatory scrutiny: As market concentration increases, expect more oversight
5. New startups: The success of Wiz will inspire the next generation of security entrepreneurs

The Bottom Line

The Google-Wiz deal isn’t just about two companies coming together—it’s about the future of how we protect our digital world. As cloud adoption continues to accelerate, security becomes not just a technical issue but a fundamental business concern.

Whether you’re a cybersecurity professional or just someone interested in how technology is evolving, this acquisition represents a pivotal moment that will influence how we approach digital security for years to come.

And it all started with four friends who met in the army over two decades ago—a reminder that the biggest technological revolutions often begin with human connections and shared vision.