The problem with most cloud backup tools, according to Ziv Kedem, is that they stop at the data. Recovering a database snapshot is a technical checkbox, but it doesn't mean the business is back. His new startup, Dreeze, is launching with a $33 million seed round to address the rest of the equation: the infrastructure, configuration, secrets, and network connections that turn data back into a running application [SiliconANGLE, November 2026].
The Application Revival Wedge
Dreeze's platform, called Application Revival, is designed for enterprise infrastructure and security teams. Its core premise is that modern cloud applications are complex, interdependent systems. A traditional backup might capture the state of an Amazon RDS instance or a blob storage container, but it misses the IAM roles, security groups, load balancer configurations, and environment variables that stitch those services together into a working whole [Ynet News, November 2026].
To solve this, the platform continuously maps a customer's cloud environment, identifying dependencies between services. It then generates and, critically, maintains an automated recovery plan that evolves as the live application changes [Israel Defense, November 2026]. All application components, including data, configuration, and encryption keys, are backed up into an isolated, immutable vault. When recovery is needed, the system rebuilds the application in the correct dependency order, aiming to restore a complete operational state [Blocks & Files, November 2026].
A Team Built on Data Mobility
The founding team is Dreeze's most significant asset and the likely reason top-tier venture firms wrote initial checks. The trio has a deep, shared history in data replication and recovery.
- Ziv Kedem, CEO. Previously co-founded and was CEO of Zerto, a disaster-recovery specialist acquired by Hewlett Packard Enterprise in 2021. He also co-founded Kashya, which was acquired by EMC [Blocks & Files, November 2026].
- Oded Kedem, CTO. Ziv's brother and fellow co-founder of both Kashya and Zerto, where he served as CTO [Blocks & Files, November 2026].
- Avi Raichel, CPO/COO. Formerly the Chief Information Officer and Chief Operating Officer at Zerto, and previously held leadership roles at Amdocs [Finsmes, November 2026].
Their collective experience gives Dreeze immediate credibility in the enterprise continuity market. They are not pitching a theoretical concept but iterating on a category they helped define, now applied to the more fragmented cloud-native world.
The Scale of the Bet
A $33 million seed round is a substantial declaration of intent, especially for a company just emerging from stealth. The round was co-led by Norwest Venture Partners and Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Claltech [Dreeze, November 2026]. The capital is earmarked for product development, sales, marketing, and broader enterprise deployment [SecurityWeek, November 2026].
At launch, the company reported having approximately 70 employees split between Israel and the United States, indicating a rapid build-out since its 2025 founding [Israel Defense, November 2026]. The platform is already generally available [Citybiz, November 2026].
Seed Round (Nov 2026) | 33 | M USD
Where the Wheels Could Come Off
For all its pedigree and funding, Dreeze faces a crowded and evolving market. Established backup giants like Veeam and Commvault have expanded into cloud-native protection, while cloud providers themselves offer native snapshot and recovery services. Dreeze's differentiation hinges on the depth of its dependency mapping and the automation of its recovery orchestration, a claim that will need validation in complex, multi-cloud production environments.
The technical breakdown is straightforward but non-trivial. The platform must maintain a real-time, accurate model of a dynamic application. Any drift between the recovery plan and the live environment introduces risk. Furthermore, the "immutable vault" must itself be secured and scalable, adding another layer of infrastructure for customers to manage and trust.
The sober assessment is that success depends on execution at scale. Can the system handle the heterogeneity of a Fortune 500 cloud estate without manual tuning? Does the recovery time objective (RTO) under real attack conditions justify the platform's cost over simpler alternatives? These are the questions enterprise buyers will ask, and they are questions Dreeze's team is uniquely positioned, but not yet proven, to answer.
The Next Twelve Months
The immediate roadmap is clear: land flagship customers. The company needs public case studies demonstrating recovery from real ransomware attacks or major outages. The team's existing network in enterprise IT and security provides a running start, but converting pilots into seven-figure annual contracts is the next hurdle.
Investors are betting that the shift to cloud-native architecture has created a new, acute vulnerability that legacy tools cannot address. Dreeze is positioning itself as the specialist for that moment of crisis. If they can prove their platform works not just in a demo but during a CIO's worst night, the $33 million seed will look like a down payment.
Sources
- [SiliconANGLE, November 2026] Dreeze launches with $33M to recover entire cloud applications, not just their data | https://siliconangle.com/2026/11/10/dreeze-launches-with-33m-to-recover-entire-cloud-applications-not-just-their-data/
- [Ynet News, November 2026] Israeli startup Dreeze raises $33 million to tackle cloud... | https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/rjyho9grfe
- [Israel Defense, November 2026] Startup Dreeze Emerges From Stealth With $33M Seed... | https://www.israeldefense.co.il/en/node/72656
- [Blocks & Files, November 2026] Startup Dreeze revives complete cloud apps, not just their data | https://www.blocksandfiles.com/data-protection/2026/11/10/startup-dreeze-revives-complete-cloud-apps-not-just-their-data/5308847
- [Finsmes, November 2026] Dreeze Raises $33M in Seed Funding | https://www.finsmes.com/2026/11/dreeze-raises-33m-in-seed-funding.html
- [Dreeze, November 2026] Seed Round Announcement | Source material from company launch
- [SecurityWeek, November 2026] Dreeze Emerges From Stealth With $33M to Rebuild Cloud Apps After Cyberattacks | https://www.securityweek.com/dreeze-emerges-from-stealth-with-33m-to-rebuild-cloud-apps-after-cyberattacks/
- [Citybiz, November 2026] Dreeze Emerges From Stealth With $33 Million to Advance Cloud Application Recovery | https://www.citybiz.co/article/931847/dreeze-emerges-from-stealth-with-33-million-to-advance-cloud-application-recovery/