John Morello

Co-founder and CTO of Minimus, an application security startup focused on reducing cloud software vulnerabilities.

Cybersecurity
Active
Seed Baton Rouge, United States
Last updated 2026-08-24
Total raised
$51.0M
Last: Seed 2025-04
Stage
Seed
Founded
—
Headcount
35
HQ
Baton Rouge, United States
Sector
Cybersecurity

About

John Morello is a co-founder of Minimus, an Israeli cybersecurity startup that aimed to eliminate over 95% of application security vulnerabilities stemming from software supply chain risks. Minimus developed a platform that replaced traditional vulnerability detection with automated prevention by rebuilding container-like environments directly from source code. The company was founded in late 2022 by John Morello, Ben Bernstein, and Dima Stopel, who previously co-founded Twistlock. Minimus ceased operations in August 2026.

Funding history · 1 round · $51.0M total

1 event/round · $51.0M Total Funding: $51.0M in Private Equity
Oct 2023

Headcount over time

35 employees (2026-09) · 1 point
35 35 2026-09

Offices

Baton Rouge, United States · HQ / main office

Q&A

What is John Morello's role at Minimus?
John Morello is a co-founder and CTO of Minimus, an application security startup.
When was Minimus founded?
Minimus was founded in late 2022 by John Morello, Ben Bernstein, and Dima Stopel.
What was Minimus's primary focus?
Minimus focused on reducing cloud software vulnerabilities by eliminating over 95% of application security vulnerabilities stemming from software supply chain risks.
What technology did Minimus develop?
Minimus developed a platform that replaced traditional vulnerability detection with automated prevention by rebuilding container-like environments directly from source code.
What was the total amount of funding raised by Minimus?
Minimus raised a total of $51,000,000 USD.
When did Minimus complete its last funding round and who were the lead investors?
Minimus completed a Seed funding round in October 2023, with Mayfield and YL Ventures as lead investors.
What is the current status of Minimus?
Minimus ceased operations in August 2026.
Who are the other co-founders of Minimus?
The other co-founders of Minimus are Ben Bernstein (CEO) and Dima Stopel (VP R&D).

Team · 3

John Morello
Founder · Co-founder & CTO
Ben Bernstein
Founder · Co-founder & CEO
Dima Stopel
Founder · Co-founder & VP R&D

Sectors & technology

Primary sector
Cybersecurity
Technologies
Target customers

Highlights

Patents

Tags

cybersecuritycloud-securityapplication-securitycontainer-security
Full data — links, identifiers, deals & radar signals (jobs, patents, research, more)

Identifiers & details

Employees (exact)35

Radar intelligence

Patents

EPO8