Golden Gate Capital, a private equity investment firm, has agreed to acquire Securly, the Silicon Valley-based student safety provider, from its shareholders, which include Defy Partners, Owl Ventures and Securly co-founder Vinay Mahadik. Securly will continue to be led by co-founder and chief executive officer Bharath Madhusudan. The company’s cloud-based web filter leverages the industry’s most sophisticated AI engine in student safety to identify signs of bullying, self-harm and violence across all devices.

“Now more than ever, Securly is squarely focused on keeping our youth safe and engaged at school,” said Madhusudan. “Our revenue growth has quadrupled over the last three years, and we continue to see significant unmet need in the edtech space. We are excited to partner with Golden Gate Capital, which brings deep experience in education technology and cybersecurity software, as we enter our next chapter of growth. Looking ahead, we remain tirelessly committed to our mission while expanding our global footprint as we enhance our existing platform and develop category-defining solutions to keep students healthy and engaged.”

“The pandemic accelerated students’ use of technology and personal devices for school, demonstrating the importance and value of Securly’s pioneering platform for parents, educators, school leaders and IT administrators,” said Rishi Chandna, a managing director at Golden Gate Capital. “We expect these digital needs and connectivity trends to continue in schools, and given that Securly has market penetration in over 10% of U.S. public school districts, we believe the Company has a significant opportunity, both in the U.S. and internationally, to drive further adoption of its award-winning, cost-efficient solutions.”

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Nob Hill Law Group PC served as legal advisors and Macquarie Capital Inc. served as financial advisor to Golden Gate Capital. DLA Piper LLP served as legal advisor and Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. served as financial advisor to Securly.