User-centric Product Insights
& Design for Enterprise Software
Results

How a user-centric design advantage catalyzed this cybersecurity startup from an idea to a successful acquisition by Microsoft

Vertical:

Vertical: Computer and Network Security

Duration:

Duration: 1-2 Years

Modalities:

Modalities: Web Platform

In 2016, Balaji Parimi, the founder of what would become CloudKnox, sought to solve a cybersecurity issue: to improve the visibility and control of employee access to software on the cloud. According to Parimi, 90% of access privileges were either unneeded or unused in most companies, leaving employers open to accidental or malicious privilege misuse. 

Parimi partnered with UXReactor to take his business idea from a back-of-napkin sketch into a proof-of-concept prototype. Over an initial eight weeks, UXReactor worked intensively to create a prototype that enabled CloudKnox to raise substantial seed funding in an oversubscribed round. Subsequent to this, the UXReactor team took the concept and further collaborated with the in-house engineering leadership team to help to bring the idea to market while consistently prioritizing the User’s Experience. Fast forward to 2021, CloudKnox was acquired by Microsoft.

Thank you, UXReactor team. You played a huge part in getting us off the ground.

Balaji Parimi, Founder & CEO CloudKnox Security

Personas Impacted

Security Ops

Enterprise User

IT Admin

CISO

Key Experiences Impacted

Signup/Registration
Onboarding/Setup
Dashboard
Monitoring
Configuration
Reporting
Audit Trail
User Management
The Challenge

Overcoming Visionary and Financial Hurdles

Need for a Proof of Concept

In order to solidify ideas and a vision for the product.

Need for funding

To turn the proof of concept into a reality and get the startup off the ground.

Too many products are designed based on limited data about what customers, users, and the market demands. When UXReactor leads venture design, we use customer data to test and prove…

– Satyam Kantamneni, Managing Director, UXReactor
The Outcomes

Materialized a Solution That Led to Further Wins

Idea conceptualized

UXReactor’s work led to the creation of CloudKnox’s groundbreaking Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) platform concept.

Oversubscribed round

CloudKnox was able to raise seed funding with the prototype in an oversubscribed round. In 2018, the CloudKnox platform was publicly launched and raised an additional $10.75M round.

Foundational design

Throughout the initial collaboration (post-funding), UXReactor helped set the proper design foundation, which included the global design framework, navigation, workflows, branding, look and feel, most of which remained until acquisition.

Acquisition

In 2021, CloudKnox was acquired by Microsoft. Even as the startup grew, UXReactor’s initial venture design stood the test of time: the system and brand remained essentially unchanged.

Microsoft is taking a significant step with the acquisition of CloudKnox Security, a leader in Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM). This strengthens our comprehensive approach to cloud security.

– Joy Chik, Microsoft Identity Corporate Vice President,
The Transformation

When the founder approached venture capitalists, he was able to showcase a tangible and branded prototype with a proven product-market fit.

What We Did for Cloudknox

Venture Experience Design

  • Requirements Grooming
  • Ideation Workshops
  • Workflow
  • Wireframes
  • Visual Desigining
  • Prototyping
  • Branding
  • Implementation support