US-based IT services automation software provider Liongard closed a $1.3m seed round yesterday with investors including UH Cougar Venture Fund, the VC vehicle of University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business.

The round also featured Gestalt Cybersecurity, as well as startup hub Station Houston’s venturing arm, Station Houston Angel, entrepreneurship forum Tie Houston, members of Houston Angel Network, and other private investors.

Founded in 2015, Liongard has developed a platform called Roar that enables enterprise IT service providers to automate the process of configuring their client’s systems. The technology automatically updates parameters such as settings, user privileges and expired permissions.

The capital will support Liongard as it looks to grow its market reach and outperform other enterprise IT automation tools.

Joe Alapat, chief executive of Liongard, said: “We are excited to bring Roar’s advanced automation to managed service providers that are on the front lines of managing and securing IT for their customers.

“For years, IT operations, including managed service providers, have been manually documenting their customer IT assets. Many have the best intentions and are successfully brute-forcing the work, but most are falling behind at a rapid pace with the proliferation of modern IT.”