Deepfake Defense & the Ripples of Google’s Antitrust Ruling, Fundings: RunSafe Security, Muon Space, Phosio
7 August 2024 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
Reality Defender: We are excited to report that Reality Defender has announced a strategic partnership with Respeecher, a company known for its advanced speech synthesis software, to combat the rising threat of audio deepfakes.
This collaboration aims to combine Respeecher's sophisticated voice cloning and text-to-speech services with Reality Defender's award-winning deepfake detection platform. Together, they will create a comprehensive solution for identifying and neutralizing audio threats in real-time. Read more about it here.
How the Google Antitrust Ruling May Influence Tech Competition
In the 1990s, Microsoft faced a landmark antitrust case where it was found to have abused its monopoly power in the software market by imposing restrictive contracts to dominate the browser market. This led to significant legal changes that prevented Microsoft from controlling the internet and required it to open some of its technology to competitors.
Over two decades later, a similar antitrust ruling against Google has found the company guilty of stifling competition in internet search to protect its monopoly. Judge Amit P. Mehta determined that Google used exclusive deals with Apple, device makers, and browser companies to make its search engine the default choice, thereby maintaining a significant advantage over competitors. This ruling is expected to have widespread implications for the tech industry, especially as other giants like Apple, Amazon, and Meta face similar antitrust accusations.
Judge Mehta's decision emphasizes "the power of defaults" and the role of data in reinforcing Google's dominance, as consumer behavior is heavily influenced by default settings. While Google claimed its dominance was due to superior technology, the court found that its substantial payments for preferred distribution created an unfair monopoly. As tech companies navigate these antitrust challenges, Mehta's ruling will likely influence other ongoing cases, including a separate lawsuit against Google over ad technology.
Potential outcomes of the Google case may involve prohibiting exclusive search distribution deals, sharing search data with competitors, or even breaking up parts of Google's operations. This antitrust case is significant as it marks the first major monopolization case against a dominant digital company, setting a potential precedent for future regulatory actions in the technology sector.
Founded: 2015
Key People: CEO Joseph Saunders
Elevator Pitch: A cyber-hardening transformation company intended to disrupt attackers and protect vulnerable embedded systems and devices.
Funding: The company raised $12.39 million through a combination of Series AA and Series B venture funding from IronGate Capital Advisors, Hyperlink Ventures and Virginia Venture Partners on August 5, 2024.
Founded: 2021
Key People: CEO Jonathan Dyer
Elevator Pitch: A space-based constellation platform designed to transform the ability to see through the fog of climate uncertainty, anticipate the impacts and act with conviction.
Funding: The company raised $56.70 million of Series B venture funding in a deal led by Activate Capital Partners on August 5, 2024.
Founded: 2018
Key People: CEO Omid Sadeghi Ph.D
Elevator Pitch: Photoresist materials designed to manufacture high aspect ratio nanostructures.
Funding: The company raised an undisclosed amount of venture funding in the form of convertible debt from Silicon Catalyst Ventures on August 2, 2024.
Look for a new episode of Securing the Future Podcasts wherever you listen. In our most recent episode, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Hans Olson for a conversation that bridges the gap between technology, governance, and society.
