Certora
Certora provides automated formal verification tools and security audit services for smart contracts across EVM, Solana, Stellar, Sui, and Canton blockchains, serving top DeFi protocols including Aave, Uniswap, and Lido as well as the Ethereum, Solana, and Sui foundations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersTel Aviv, Israel
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Certora does
Certora is a formal verification and smart contract security company headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, founded in 2018 by researchers in programming languages and formal methods. The company's core product is the Certora Prover, an automated formal verification tool that compares smart contract bytecode against user-defined rules and exhaustively checks every possible contract state and execution path to identify vulnerabilities, a fundamentally different approach from sampling-based traditional audits. The Prover supports EVM-based chains (Ethereum and L2s), Solana, Stellar (via the Sunbeam Prover), and Sui, and is accompanied by supporting modules including Gambit (mutation testing), Concord (equivalence checking), Concordance (LLM-assisted Solidity simplification), Quorum (DAO governance security for Aave), Safeguard (real-time Ethereum invariant monitoring), and the Certora AI Composer. In February 2025 the company open-sourced the Prover, transitioning its distribution model from purely proprietary to community-augmented.
Certora's customers are concentrated in decentralized finance and blockchain infrastructure, including long-term enterprise relationships with Aave (six-year partnership covering Aave V4), Uniswap, Lido, Compound, Balancer, Gnosis Safe, Morpho, EtherFi, Silo Finance, Euler Earn, Kamino, 1inch, and MakerDAO, plus foundation-level engagements with the Ethereum Foundation, Solana Foundation, and Sui Foundation. Per the company's published metrics, Certora reports it has secured over $100 billion in TVL (with 2025 disclosures citing $196.5 billion), completed approximately 150 audits in 2025, prevented 720+ vulnerabilities from reaching production, and holds security partnerships with 70% of top 20 DeFi protocols by TVL.
The business model combines three revenue streams: subscription-based access to the Certora Prover platform (with a free self-serve tier via prover.certora.com), professional services for security audits performed by formal verification experts, and multi-year enterprise security engagements with major protocols that include continuous verification, adversarial testing, and ongoing advisory. The company is venture-backed with $43.2 million in disclosed funding across a 2021 Series A and a 2022 Series B led by Jump Crypto, employs between 51 and 100 staff including a research team of 40 with 25 PhDs in formal verification, and is led by CEO Seth Hallem alongside founders Mooly Sagiv (Chief Scientist) and Shelly Grossman (CTO).
Certora firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Certora
- Legal name
- Certora Ltd.
- Website
- https://certora.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Certora provides automated formal verification tools and security audit services for smart contracts across EVM, Solana, Stellar, Sui, and Canton blockchains, serving top DeFi protocols including Aave, Uniswap, and Lido as well as the Ethereum, Solana, and Sui foundations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Certora industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Smart Contract Security Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Smart Contract Auditing & Formal Verification (FSAPAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Smart Contract Security Tooling (static/dynamic analysis, formal verification) (FSAPABAI), Security Testing Tooling (SAST/DAST for smart contracts, fuzzing) (FSAPAJAK)
Keywords
Where Certora is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tel Aviv
- HQ country
- Israel
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
Certora business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Certora Prover SaaS Platform: Subscription-based access to Prover platform for automated formal verification, run on every commit integrated into development pipelines.
- Security Audit Services: Dedicated auditors and formal verification experts providing detailed security audit reports through interactive process with client teams. Covers comprehensive smart contract security reviews.
- Enterprise Security Engagements: Long-term security partnerships with major DeFi protocols providing continuous security coverage, formalized protocol invariants, and ongoing security support.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free tier for developers to get started with Prover |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Security Audits with dedicated expert team |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Certora product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Certora provides formal verification tools and security audit services for smart contracts running on EVM-based chains, Solana, Stellar, and Sui. Its core product, the Certora Prover, mathematically proves code correctness by comparing contract bytecode against user-defined rules across every possible state and path. The company complements the software platform with dedicated security audit services, enterprise long-term partnerships, and community audit contests run via Code4rena and Cantina.
Product overview
Certora offers a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the Certora Prover, an industrial-grade formal verification tool for smart contracts. The core platform supports EVM-based chains, Solana (via the Solana Prover), and Stellar (via the Sunbeam Prover). Supporting modules include Gambit (mutation testing), Concordance and Concord (AI-powered code simplification and equivalence checking), Quorum (DAO governance security), and Safeguard (Ethereum invariant monitoring). Services include Security Audits, Enterprise engagements, and Community Contest programs. The company open-sourced the Certora Prover in February 2025, expanding access to formal verification technology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Certora Prover Automated formal verification tool that compares smart contract bytecode against user-defined rules, checking every possible contract state and path to identify critical vulnerabilities. Supports EVM-based chains, Solana, Stellar, and Sui, and integrates into CI/CD pipelines for verification on every commit.
- Gambit Solidity mutation testing tool for formal verification that systematically mutates code and checks whether verification rules catch the changes, helping identify gaps in test and rule coverage.
- Security Audits Dedicated security audit engagements performed by formal verification experts, including detailed reports and an interactive process with protocol teams to review smart contract code.
- Enterprise Security Engagements Enterprise-level security services offering custom formal verification rules, continuous protocol coverage, and dedicated expert support for organizations with advanced security needs.
- Audit Contests Community-based security review programs that crowdsource custom formal specifications to find vulnerabilities in smart contract code, run in partnership with Code4rena and Cantina.
Quantifiable outcome
- Secured $196.5 billion in total value locked across DeFi ecosystem in 2025
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Certora
Customer profileNamed customers21 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Certora technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature7 records
Certora partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- Canton FoundationcoreAwarded $300,000 grant (2,010,000 Canton Coin) to build open-source static analysis tool for Daml smart contracts on Canton Network. Tool will analyze compiled smart contract packages to detect cross-package interactions, automating security audits for financial institutions. Released under Apache 2.0 license.
- Sui FoundationcorePartnership to strengthen security across Sui ecosystem. Shared commitment to building secure, resilient, developer-first ecosystem ensuring Sui-based protocols can scale with confidence.
- Ethereum FoundationflagshipResearch grant to verify correctness of autoprecompiles in zkEVM development. Partnership with Powdr Labs focuses on improving performance, security, and correctness of zkEVM optimizations. Certora will open-source specifications, proofs, and verification frameworks for all zkEVM implementations.
- Powdr LabscoreCollaboration with Certora on zkEVM Formal Verification Project. Powdr Labs developed autoprecompiles (automatically generated ZK circuit components) that Certora is verifying for correctness to improve zkEVM performance.
- Solana FoundationflagshipCertora launched Solana verifier and joined Solana Foundation Delegation Program. Operating a high-assurance validator built to rigorous security and reliability standards, contributing to Solana's decentralization and operational security. Also partnered for token extensions security review.
- CorkcoreStrategic partnership to set new standard for Web3 security. Integration combines Certora's formal verification with Cork's security capabilities for enhanced security and risk management infrastructure.
- HypernativecoreStrategic partnership to set new standard for Web3 security. Integration combines Certora's formal verification with Hypernative's real-time threat monitoring for proactive security measures.
- CantinacorePartnership for running community contests for securing Soroban smart contracts. Ran first contests for Stellar blockchain security analyzing Blend v2 and Aquarius protocols.
- Aave LabsflagshipSix-year collaboration to develop security framework for Aave V4, one of DeFi's largest lending protocols. Framework includes continuous formal verification, adversarial testing, and manual auditing resulting in 169 contracts reviewed, 51,000+ lines analyzed, and 28 vulnerabilities prevented. Deep technical partnership with ongoing security relationship.
- 1inchcoreStrategic partnership to conduct comprehensive audit of 1inch's cross-chain swap protocol. Audit examines protocol structure, incentive mechanisms, and execution timing to identify vulnerabilities in multi-chain transactions. Partnership positions 1inch as leader in cross-chain security.
- Code4renacorePartnership for running community audit contests to crowdsource security analysis of smart contracts. Certora runs frequent contests with Code4rena to engage security researchers in finding vulnerabilities.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Certora competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Quantstamp: Quantstamp is a smart contract security company offering automated security scanning and manual audits, with an established presence across DeFi protocols. It is a direct competitor for Certora's enterprise audit mandates and security tooling.
- Halborn: Halborn is a blockchain security firm providing smart contract audits, penetration testing, and security advisory to DeFi protocols and enterprises. It competes with Certora for enterprise-grade audit engagements.
- Runtime Verification: Runtime Verification is a formal methods company that builds verification tools for smart contracts (including their own KEVM and IELE) and audits DeFi protocols. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Certora in formal verification specifically.
- Zellic: Zellic is a smart contract security firm founded by leading CTF competitors with strong formal verification capabilities, auditing protocols across EVM, Solana, Move, and Cairo. It competes with Certora for top-tier protocol audits and researcher talent.
- Sigma Prime: Sigma Prime is a blockchain security firm specializing in smart contract audits, formal verification, and core protocol security (notably Ethereum consensus client Lighthouse). It overlaps with Certora on DeFi and L1 security engagements.
- Trail of Bits: Trail of Bits is a long-established security research firm with a dedicated blockchain practice, performing smart contract audits, formal verification, and developing security tools (Slither, Echidna). It competes head-to-head with Certora for top-tier protocol audits.
- Spearbit: Spearbit is a curator-led network of senior security researchers, many with formal verification backgrounds, providing audits for DeFi protocols. It competes directly with Certora's audit services and shares similar institutional clients.
- OpenZeppelin: OpenZeppelin is the most prominent smart contract security firm, offering security audits, formal verification services (Certora Prover is integrated), and the Defender security operations platform. It is a direct competitor for Certora's audit mandates and developer tooling.
Emerging players
- Code4rena: Code4rena is a crowdsourced audit contest platform that Certora partners with for community audits. While not a direct competitor (Certora runs contests on it), it represents an alternative audit procurement model that competes for the same protocol security budgets.
Broad incumbents
- ConsenSys Diligence: ConsenSys Diligence is the security arm of ConsenSys (Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin's company), offering smart contract audits, MythX static analysis, and security tooling. As part of the broader ConsenSys ecosystem, it is a large incumbent competitor to Certora's audit services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Certora social profiles
Digital presenceCertora financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Certora leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Certora funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Certora M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Certora
What does Certora do?
Certora provides formal verification tools and security audit services for smart contracts running on EVM-based chains, Solana, Stellar, and Sui. Its core product, the Certora Prover, mathematically proves code correctness by comparing contract bytecode against user-defined rules across every possible state and path. The company complements the software platform with dedicated security audit services, enterprise long-term partnerships, and community audit contests run via Code4rena and Cantina.
Is Certora a public or private company?
Certora is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Certora founded?
Certora was founded in 2018. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Certora based?
Certora is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, in the Middle East region.
How does Certora make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certora Prover SaaS Platform is the primary driver. The others are security Audit Services and enterprise Security Engagements.
Who are Certora's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Quantstamp, Halborn, Runtime Verification, Zellic, Sigma Prime, Trail of Bits, Spearbit and OpenZeppelin. Code4rena is listed as an emerging player. ConsenSys Diligence is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Certora have an API?
No public API is recorded for Certora.
What industry is Certora in?
Certora's product category is Smart Contract Security Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAJAA, Smart Contract Auditing & Formal Verification, with a secondary code of FSAPABAI, Smart Contract Security Tooling (static/dynamic analysis, formal verification). Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 8734.