HiddenLayer builds a Machine Learning Security (MLSec) platform that protects machine learning models and assets from adversarial attacks, vulnerabilities, and malicious code injections. Its MLSec Platform comprises a suite of products, including Machine Learning Detection and Response (MLDR), which noninvasively monitors AI inputs and outputs and offers real-time defenses and flexible response options such as alerting, isolation, profiling, and misleading. The company says it defends Fortune 100 companies across finance, government and defense, and cybersecurity verticals. Led by CEO Chris Sestito, HiddenLayer is recognized by Gartner as an AI Application Security company. The company raised $50 million in a Series A round and plans to use the funds to expand its talent base, increase go-to-market efforts, and further invest in its MLSec platform. HiddenLayer is based in Austin, Texas. HiddenLayer builds a platform that detects and responds to attacks on machine learning models by analyzing model interactions (inputs and outputs) non-invasively, without accessing raw data or vendor algorithms. The company focuses on adversarial machine-learning threats such as reverse-engineering and data poisoning and emphasizes an AI-driven detection-and-response approach. HiddenLayer describes itself as research-first, plans to publish findings, and aims to educate the market about model-targeted attacks. Co-founders Chris Sestito, Tanner Burns and Jim Ballard bring experience from Cylance, Qualys and BlackBerry; Sestito formerly led threat research at Cylance and was VP of engineering at Qualys. The startup is currently pre-revenue with no customers but has engaged several "high-profile" design partners. It acknowledges existing startups in the space (Robust Intelligence, CalypsoAI and Troj.ai) while claiming uniqueness in its AI-driven detection and response methodology.

Total raised

$56M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Sep 2023