DDoS Defense Pioneer Launches New Startup, Secures $38 Million in a16z-Led Funding to Build AI Agent-Powered Version of Tailscale

Beating AI Insight News Brief: DDoS defense pioneer and Prolexic founder Barrett Lyon has launched doxx.net, securing $38 million in Series A funding led by a16z. The platform can be initially understood as Tailscale built specifically for AI agents—it connects computers, servers, and AI agents into a single private network, then controls which entities can connect and access what resources. For example, Tailscale lets you securely link a MacBook and Mac mini, then restrict cross-device and cross-port access; doxx.net goes further by enabling isolated management of agents running on a Mac mini, such as allowing only that agent to connect to a specific server and service, while blocking all other machines entirely. Its core difference from Tailscale is that agents are not merely integrated into the network—they can autonomously modify network configurations: onboarding devices, adjusting firewalls, setting up internal domains, and even completing full network setup. The platform’s developers even let users delegate configuration access directly to agents, letting them handle these tasks independently. This design is tailored for long-running AI agents, which will increasingly reside on computers and servers to deploy services, call APIs, and gain broader permissions over time. doxx.net’s goal is to manage these permissions in isolation, ensuring each agent only interacts with the machines and services it is authorized to use, with permissions that can be revoked immediately when no longer needed. Additionally, doxx.net operates its own IP addresses, DNS, certificate systems, and network infrastructure, while providing encrypted communication between devices. The product is now available for open testing.