ThinkGard

What ThinkGard does

ThinkGard is a managed security services provider (MSSP) headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama (Pelham mailing address), founded in 2013 as a spin-off from a parent managed service provider that had reached a manpower ceiling on its data protection work. The company focuses exclusively on cybersecurity and backup & disaster recovery (BDR) for small to mid-sized municipalities, cities, and counties in the U.S. public sector, alongside select private-sector SMB clients. Its mission — per company materials — is to lighten the load for IT leaders by addressing both "What Ifs" (cyber threats) and "What Nows" (incidents and disasters) through a co-managed model that extends in-house IT capability rather than replacing it.

The product portfolio is anchored by two core offerings. CyberGard (Cybersecurity as a Service) delivers threat foresight, layered defense, continuous monitoring, and rapid incident response. DataGard (Backup & Disaster Recovery) provides enterprise-level data protection with sub-1-hour RTO, 1-hour RPO, hybrid cloud architecture, image-based backups, and immutable backups. Supporting modules include Compliance as a Service (CJIS, NIST CSF, CIS Controls frameworks), SIEM/SOAR for consolidated monitoring and automated threat response, and Vulnerability & Patch Management. The architecture integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Datto — the latter is a core technology partner — and security engineering is anchored by Cisco-certified expertise (CCNP Security, CCNP Enterprise).

ThinkGard operates a subscription-based, flat-rate pricing model with annual billing and unlimited support, designed to align with rigid government procurement cycles. The go-to-market is direct and consultative: enterprise field sales, inside sales, and event-driven demand generation through roadshows, webinars, and DattoCon participation, supported by a content marketing engine (blog, guides, case studies, email) and an active LinkedIn presence. The company sells 12–15 customer references during the sales process. Documented operational outcomes include a 93.5 NPS, 97% customer retention, 100% post-incident retention, more than 5,000 protected devices, 250+ backup appliances, and coverage across 25 states. Leadership comprises CEO Paul Franks, President & CTO Kevin Fuller, VP of Security Services Cole Two Bears, and VP of Sales & Marketing Lesilie Leonard.

Name

ThinkGard

Legal name

ThinkGard, LLC

Website

https://thinkgard.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ThinkGard is an Alabama-based managed security services provider delivering subscription cybersecurity, backup & disaster recovery, and compliance solutions — primarily to small and mid-sized U.S. municipalities, cities, and counties, with select private-sector SMB clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Managed Cybersecurity & Backup Disaster Recovery

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

Managed Security Services (MSSP) & 24/7 SOC Operations (BPAKAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security Operations Center (SOC) as a Service (BPAEADAB), Endpoint Security Managed Services (EDR/XDR) (BPAEADAH)

Keywords

• Managed cybersecurity services
• Backup disaster recovery
• Compliance as a service
• Vulnerability management
• SIEM SOAR solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Pelham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Managed Security Services: Ongoing managed cybersecurity services including monitoring, threat detection, incident response, and security infrastructure management delivered as a subscription service.
2. Backup & Disaster Recovery as a Service: Fully managed, turnkey backup and disaster recovery solution combining data backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery into a single platform.
3. Compliance as a Service: Subscription-based compliance management services including policy development, audit preparation, and continuous compliance monitoring.
4. Professional Services: Implementation, onboarding, and ongoing support services included with their managed solutions, with flat rate pricing and unlimited support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ThinkGard is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) that delivers fully managed, subscription-based cybersecurity and backup & disaster recovery (BDR) solutions to IT leaders at small-to-mid-sized public sector municipalities and private sector businesses. Its two flagship offerings are CyberGard (Cybersecurity as a Service) for threat prevention, monitoring, and rapid incident response, and DataGard (Backup & Disaster Recovery) for enterprise-level data protection with <1 hour RTO and 1 hour RPO. The portfolio is rounded out by Compliance as a Service, SIEM/SOAR, and Vulnerability & Patch Management modules, sold under a co-managed flat-rate partnership model with unlimited support.

Product overview

ThinkGard is a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) offering a unified portfolio of cybersecurity and backup & disaster recovery solutions. The core offerings consist of CyberGard (Cybersecurity as a Service) for proactive threat prevention and rapid response, and DataGard (Backup & Disaster Recovery) for enterprise-level data protection with <1 hour RTO and 1 hour RPO capabilities. Additional modules include Compliance as a Service (providing compliance visibility and roadmap), Vulnerability & Patch Management, and SIEM/SOAR for consolidated security monitoring. The company also offers sector-specific solutions for Private Sector (SMBs) and Public Sector (municipalities, cities, counties). ThinkGard positions itself as an MSSP with BDR services, combining superior technology with superior service to help IT leaders navigate 'What ifs' (cybersecurity) and 'What nows' (disaster recovery) with confidence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CyberGard: Cybersecurity as a Service - Provides foresight of threats, fortified defenses, continuous protection, and rapid response capabilities
• DataGard

Products and services

• CyberGard – Cybersecurity as a Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 93.5 NPS score
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DattocoreTechnology or Integration · 6 July 2018Datto is ThinkGard's primary technology partner for backup and disaster recovery solutions. ThinkGard was named Datto's U.S. Partner of the Year in 2018 and Pioneer of the Year in 2019. ThinkGard provides Datto's business continuity and disaster recovery solutions to SMBs nationwide as a managed service.
• Microsoft 365coreTechnology or IntegrationThinkGard offers specialized Microsoft 365 backup capabilities as part of their comprehensive BDR solution, protecting data within Microsoft's productivity suite.
• Google WorkspacecoreTechnology or IntegrationThinkGard provides backup services for Google Workspace environments, offering protection for organizations using Google's productivity tools.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ConnectWise: ConnectWise is a large platform provider of PSA, RMM, and cybersecurity solutions for MSPs and MSSPs. While not a direct service competitor, its broader portfolio overlaps with ThinkGard's MSP tooling and partner ecosystem, and it is a likely channel partner or competitor depending on go-to-market evolution.
• Sophos: Sophos provides endpoint, network, email, and managed detection and response security for SMBs and mid-market organizations, including a managed service provider (Sophos MDR) channel. It competes with ThinkGard's CyberGard stack for the same buyer and use cases.
• Secureworks: Secureworks is a global MSSP offering managed detection and response, vulnerability management, and compliance services. As a Taegis/XDR platform owner, it competes in the broader MSSP space that ThinkGard occupies, but with substantially greater scale and enterprise focus.

Direct peers

• eSentire: eSentire is an MSSP offering 24/7 SOC, managed detection and response, and threat hunting to mid-market organizations. It competes directly for the same IT-leader buyer ThinkGard targets, though with greater scale and a broader geographic footprint.
• Huntress: Huntress provides managed cybersecurity for SMBs and the MSP channel, including EDR, SIEM, and security awareness training. It targets the same underserved SMB segment as ThinkGard via a co-managed/MSP-partner model.
• Arctic Wolf: Arctic Wolf is a leading pure-play MSSP delivering managed detection and response, SIEM/SOAR, and vulnerability management as subscription services to SMB and mid-market customers. It directly competes with ThinkGard's CyberGard offering on the same cybersecurity-as-a-service proposition.
• VC3: VC3 is a managed IT and cybersecurity services provider focused on municipalities and SMBs. ThinkGard's careers page is hosted at careers.vc3.com, suggesting a structural relationship, and VC3 operates a directly comparable co-managed MSSP model for the same public-sector and SMB customer base.
• Blackpoint Cyber: Blackpoint Cyber provides MSP-focused managed security services including endpoint detection, network security, and 24/7 SOC. It sells primarily through the MSP channel and competes for the same SMB and public-sector accounts that ThinkGard serves.
• Dataprise: Dataprise is a managed IT and cybersecurity provider delivering co-managed IT, BDR, and security services to SMB and mid-market clients. It is closely comparable to ThinkGard in service mix, customer segment, and co-managed delivery model.

Others

• Datto (Kaseya): Datto is ThinkGard's core technology partner for backup and disaster recovery and was acquired by Kaseya in 2022. While not a direct competitor to ThinkGard's services, Datto also offers BDR-as-a-service directly to MSPs, placing it as both an enabling partner and a partial indirect competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/about
• Xx.com/thinkgard
• Facebookfacebook.com/thinkgard

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ThinkGard