Neural Defend, an AI-driven cybersecurity startup focused on combating the growing threat of deepfakes, has successfully raised over $600,000 in a Pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Inflection Point Ventures (IPV), with additional participation from MIT SBXI, Techstars San Francisco, and Soonicorn Ventures. The funding will enable the company to further enhance its agentic AI technology for real-time, multimodal deepfake detection, propelling its research and product development efforts.
Founded in 2024, Neural Defend is on a mission to address the escalating risks posed by AI-generated digital deception. The company specializes in deepfake detection, which is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing challenges in cybersecurity. With deepfakes being used for identity theft, fraud, and disinformation, Neural Defend’s innovative technology is positioned to play a pivotal role in protecting digital identities and preventing cybercrime globally.
The company’s leadership includes CEO Piyush Verma, who has a history of launching successful ventures, and CTO Sivashankar Selvarajan, an AI and cybersecurity expert with numerous accolades, including two patents in Face Anti-Spoof Detection. Chief Data Officer Sumit Singh brings extensive experience managing data pipelines for major clients, including INVESCO. Together, they are steering the company toward its ambitious goal of revolutionizing cybersecurity through AI-driven fraud detection.
Neural Defend’s deepfake detection technology stands out in the crowded cybersecurity field due to its agentic AI capabilities. Unlike traditional methods that focus on single data formats, Neural Defend’s proprietary models can detect deepfakes across a variety of modalities, including video, audio, images, and real-time streams. This multimodal approach offers businesses and governments robust fraud prevention mechanisms, ensuring they can quickly identify and mitigate risks related to AI-generated deception.
“We’re working to protect real identities against the growing threat of digital deception,” said Piyush Verma, CEO of Neural Defend. “Our AI-driven technology is not only innovative but essential in a world where the line between reality and artificial manipulation is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish.”
Neural Defend is already making strides with pilot projects in New York and Singapore. These early-stage deployments are providing valuable insights into the performance of their technology, which is being tested across industries, including financial services, fintech, and government agencies. The company is also collaborating with major enterprises to validate their product in real-world scenarios, ensuring its scalability and effectiveness.
The deepfake threat is growing rapidly, with global financial institutions and corporations at risk of significant exposure. By offering real-time, AI-driven fraud detection, Neural Defend is responding to the urgent need for more advanced cybersecurity solutions. The company is focused on markets with high exposure to deepfake threats, such as video verification and Know Your Customer (KYC) processes, which are particularly vulnerable to AI-driven fraud.
Vikram Ramasubramanian, Partner & CIO at Inflection Point Ventures, commented on the investment, saying, “Cyber threats are evolving at an unprecedented rate, and Neural Defend’s innovative, AI-powered approach is exactly what businesses and governments need to protect their digital identities and data. We believe in their ability to scale and address this critical challenge.”
As the demand for AI-driven cybersecurity solutions continues to rise, Neural Defend is well-positioned to become a leader in the fight against digital deception. With significant funding and a growing customer base, the company is poised to redefine how businesses and individuals protect themselves from the dangers of deepfakes in an increasingly digital world.
Neural Defend is currently in the pre-revenue stage but is already receiving strong interest from potential customers. The funding round and early validation of their technology position the company for strong growth as they continue to scale their operations and expand their presence in the global cybersecurity market.
