1Password acquires Apono to manage access for AI agents.

      1Password is expanding its presence in the agentic enterprise sector. The Toronto-based identity-security firm announced on Monday that it has acquired Apono, an Israeli startup that determines, in real time, what access every human, machine, and AI agent has within a company’s systems. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed, but the Israeli publication Calcalist suggests the deal ranges between $250 million and $300 million, marking 1Password's first acquisition in Israel.

      The acquisition focuses on the runtime layer. 1Password has established its reputation by securely storing passwords and secrets, which are critical for verifying identities. Apono addresses the subsequent question: once an identity is authenticated, what actions are permitted and for what duration? Their platform provides access only when necessary, tailored to specific tasks, and automatically revokes it once the task is completed, thereby eliminating lingering accounts and permissions that could be exploited by malicious actors.

      “Current identity systems manage entry but not duration,” stated 1Password CEO David Faugno.

      What the Apono acquisition offers 1Password

      The timing aligns with the rise of AI agents. As software begins to operate independently within essential systems, the number of non-human identities is surging, and many organizations lack effective governance for them. Apono's solution is intent-based access control: an agent's permissions are linked to the human who assigned the task, limited to a specified intent, and can be restricted or revoked immediately if the agent's actions deviate from their authorization.

      The platform provides access management across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, Snowflake, and Databricks, integrating with over 200 enterprise tools, including Slack, Jira, and GitHub.

      Founded in 2022 by Rom Carmel and Ofir Stein, who both have extensive experience in DevOps and cybersecurity—Carmel having worked in the cyber unit of Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office—Apono secured approximately $54 million in funding, most notably a $34 million Series B round in December 2025. Its client base includes HPE, Jasper, and Bloomreach. All 80 employees, with around 50 based in Israel, will be joining 1Password, which intends to continue hiring in the region.

      The password manager is transitioning into an access-governance firm.

      For 1Password, now valued at approximately $6.8 billion with more than $400 million in annual recurring revenue, this acquisition represents a further move away from being solely a password manager toward becoming what it describes as a unified “control plane” for all identities. The deal coincides with the introduction of a new product, Credential Broker, which is currently in private beta, and the company is promoting this integration as a single entry point for humans, machines, and agents.

      The assumption is that “standing access,” or permissions that are granted once and remain indefinitely, will emerge as a significant security vulnerability in the agentic age. Additionally, this space is becoming increasingly competitive: 1Password is now contending with other identity management firms such as CyberArk and Wiz, along with a surge of startups, including NewCore, all striving to secure a workforce that includes non-human agents.