Nord Security’s success story in Lithuania

Nord Security – a cybersecurity passion project rooted in Lithuania

With a mission to protect privacy and prevent surveillance online, Nord Security is a world-leading cybersecurity provider that is trusted by millions. It is also one of Lithuania’s 3 unicorn startups, with a current valuation of over $3 billion.

That global journey began in Vilnius, where the company’s headquarters remain – and where two childhood friends turned a shared passion into a bold idea. In 2012, Tomas Okmanas and Eimantas Sabaliauskas created an online privacy tool that would grow into NordVPN.

This commitment to digital freedom is reflected in Nord Security’s growing ecosystem of B2C and B2B solutions. Its flagship product, NordVPN, is the world’s most popular VPN service. It is also home to password management tool NordPass and encrypted cloud storage product NordLocker. Its recent product additions include NordLayer, a network security platform, NordStellar, a threat exposure management platform, NordProtect, which protects against identity theft, and Saily, a global eSIM service.

Rooted in Lithuania, Nord Security embodies the country’s tech-savvy spirit – growing from a bootstrapped startup to a unicorn in just over a decade.

Nord Security’s products

Nord Security’s global growth fuelled by Lithuania’s talent and digital infrastructure

Being based in one of the most digitally advanced countries in Europe has provided Nord Security with access to robust internet infrastructure, including the 5G rollout. This top-tier connectivity is combined with high data protection standards, providing a reliable foundation for global scaling.

Lithuania’s strong digital infrastructure and supportive innovation environment have laid the groundwork for the success of companies like Nord Security. As the cybersecurity sector has grown, so has the country’s pool of highly skilled, multilingual professionals – ranging from cybersecurity engineers and architects to analysts. Backed by forward-thinking education and government initiatives, this talent base continues to expand. In this ecosystem, Nord Security has built globally oriented teams with the technical expertise and agility needed to thrive in a fast-changing cybersecurity environment.

Nord Security’s dramatic growth from bootstrapped startup to top cybersecurity company

Nord Security has played a leading role in advancing the cybersecurity industry while also contributing to the growth of Lithuania’s economy. In 2022, it became Lithuania’s second tech unicorn when it completed a $100 million funding round to give it a valuation of $1.6 billion. Just a year later, the company secured additional investment that nearly doubled its valuation to $3 billion.

The company has come a long way from its origins as a bootstrapped Vilnius startup launched in 2012. By 2014, it was growing steadily, reinvesting the revenue it generated to develop new features and products, and enter new markets. It created dedicated marketing, engineering and product departments, and launched new cybersecurity products under the Nord name.

By 2020, it was set for consolidation and major expansion thanks to the formation of Nord Security, which brought its various products under one umbrella. Its growth since then has been stellar, securing unicorn status and growing to 1,800 employees.

Lithuania remains Nord Security’s largest and most strategically important hub, and serves as its global headquarters.

Investing in the long-term from a solid foundation

Lithuania’s innovation-driven culture, combined with deep technical expertise and a bold global outlook, has supported Nord Security in building a strong global presence in cybersecurity. It has also opened the door for the company to scale further and focus on forward-looking projects such as post-quantum encryption, threat intelligence, and privacy-first products.

Having roots in a country that embraces digital transformation will allow Nord Security to move quickly and confidently in these areas. Lithuania’s business-friendly environment, including startup-friendly tax frameworks and strong support for innovation, have already helped Nord Security to grow, and will continue to do so in the future.

Most importantly, Nord Security’s access to a deep pool of talent will ensure it has the bright minds and fresh ideas it needs to drive its next stage of development and growth.