Visma’s Security Boost with Aikido: A Conversation with Nikolai Brogaard

https://vimeo.com/1026556811?share=copy#t=0

"Aikido helps us catch the blind spots in our security that we couldn’t fully address with our existing tools. It’s been a game-changer for us beyond just the SCA (Software Composition Analysis) solutions we originally brought them in for."

A little while ago, we shared that Visma chose Aikido Security for its portfolio companies. Recently, we had the pleasure of having Nicolai Brogaard, Service Owner of SAST & SCA over in our Belgian headquarters.

Nikolai’s part of the security testing team at Visma, a large conglomerate with 180 portfolio companies. Visma is serious about security—it's something they focus on across the board. With 15,000 employees (6,000 of whom are developers) and a dedicated security team of 100 people, security is at the core of their operations.

These are his thoughts on the evolving security landscape, and the role Aikido plays in it.

Why Aikido?

At Visma, we’ve thought about building our own security tools, but we realized pretty quickly it wasn’t the best use of our resources. That’s where Aikido came in. They filled in the gaps that our existing tools, especially SAST (Static Application Security Testing), didn’t cover. With Aikido, we didn’t have to stretch ourselves thin developing tools from scratch.

Regional Expertise Matters

Being based in the EU, it’s really important for us to work with vendors who understand the specific regulations we face—especially things like GDPR and data residency requirements. Aikido gets this. They know the ins and outs of EU regulations, which makes it much easier for us to comply with things like keeping data on national soil.

How We Evaluate Security Software

When we look at new vendors, we go by the 80/20 rule: If a solution fits the needs of 80% of our portfolio companies, it’s worth considering. Aikido nailed that for us. Beyond just SCA, they provide additional features, like addressing security blind spots and helping with CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management). These added benefits really sealed the deal for us.

The Benefits of Aikido

Aikido hasn’t just enhanced our security posture—it’s also helped us uncover things we were missing with our previous tools. Initially, we brought them on for SCA, but we quickly realized they could do much more, especially in reducing the time and effort spent on dealing with false positives. Their auto-remediation feature is a huge time-saver for our teams. It cuts through the noise, so our developers can focus on what really matters.

Smooth Transition

Switching to Aikido was easy. At Visma, we have an internal security developer portal called Hubble, which makes onboarding new tools super straightforward. With Aikido, it was just a matter of integrating them into Hubble and giving our portfolio companies a gentle nudge to make the switch. Most companies transitioned quickly, and the rest follow over time as we track risk internally.

What Visma Loves About Aikido

The best thing about Aikido? They’re super proactive. We have a shared Slack channel with them, and they’re always quick to respond and solve any issues our teams run into. It’s great to feel like we’re more than just a customer—they really care about making sure we’re getting the most out of their product.

"Aikido isn’t just a vendor for us—they’re a true partner. Their responsiveness and dedication to helping us succeed make all the difference."

Key Highlights:

Filling Security Gaps: Aikido shines a light on the blind spots our other tools miss.
Time-Saving Automation: The auto-remediation feature cuts down on noise, letting our developers focus on real issues.
Simple Onboarding: With Visma’s internal portal, getting companies on board with Aikido is a breeze.
Proactive Support: Aikido’s fast, responsive support via instant messaging platforms (like Slack) makes us feel like we’re in good hands.