Shaping a Safer Future: AI-Driven Fraud Detection, RF Monitoring Advancements, and Next-Gen Military Logistics, Fundings: Tidal Cyber, ThreatMate, Elpha Secure
30 October 2024 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
Reality Defender: Reality Defender has partnered with Proof, a leader in identity-secured transactions, to integrate award-winning deepfake detection capabilities into Proof's Verify platform, enhancing protection against AI-driven identity fraud. This collaboration enables robust deepfake detection at critical user verification points, safeguarding sectors like finance, healthcare, and government from sophisticated identity forgery and manipulation techniques.
With Reality Defender’s advanced detection models, Verify offers real-time analysis during user interactions, ensuring that businesses can prevent significant losses while delivering secure and seamless experiences. Read more here.
HawkEye 360: HawkEye 360 has reached critical milestones with its newest satellites, Cluster 9 and Cluster 10, significantly enhancing its global RF data collection capabilities. With Cluster 9 achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC) and Cluster 10 reaching Initial Operational Capability (IOC), HawkEye's constellation of 31 satellites now provides even greater coverage, data bandwidth, and multi-band signal capture essential for strategic security insights.
These advancements allow HawkEye to deliver enhanced situational awareness and analytics across defense, government, and commercial sectors, further solidifying its leadership in space-based RF monitoring and analytics. Read more here.
Army Closes in on Autonomous Boats to Ferry Supplies Into Battle
The U.S. Army is focusing on developing an autonomous logistics network to ensure that supplies can be distributed to troops even in contested environments where fixed supply depots are vulnerable to enemy attacks.
Led by Brig. Gen. Shane Upton, the Contested Logistics Cross-Functional Team at Army Futures Command is designing an "ecosystem" of autonomous systems — including small watercraft and unmanned aircraft — to keep the supply chain in motion, especially in the Pacific, where smaller, unmanned watercraft could create uncertainty for adversaries. Lessons from recent conflicts, including those in Ukraine and the Middle East, have underscored the importance of moving away from static logistics nodes to avoid targeting.
The Army's plans include larger cargo drones with increased capacity and range to support widely distributed forces, alongside smaller watercraft and drones for targeted resupply. These autonomous capabilities were demonstrated during Project Convergence and are being further developed with input from industry. The Army also seeks to leverage technologies like hydrogen-powered drones for extended ranges and greater payloads.
New Rule Aims to Stop US Investors from Funding Chinese AI, Quantum
The White House has announced a new “final rule” designed to curb U.S. investment in Chinese technologies deemed potential national security risks, such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced microelectronics.
The rule prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in certain transactions with Chinese firms involved in quantum, AI, and semiconductor technologies and mandates notifications to the Treasury Department for other transactions within these fields.
Artificial intelligence is a major focus, with concerns around Chinese AI use for surveillance, disinformation, and military applications. A study from the Center for Security and Emerging Technologies (CSET) highlighted that between 2015 and 2021, U.S. investors contributed $40.2 billion to Chinese AI firms.
These investments, primarily venture capital, accounted for a significant portion of the funds raised by Chinese AI companies during that period. The White House’s new rule aims to prevent future investments that could inadvertently enhance China’s cybersecurity and military capabilities, ensuring U.S. funds do not contribute to advancements that may ultimately undermine American national security.
More links to explore:
Pentagon OKs first batch of private capital funds for loan program.
Putin is offering the West a choice between war and dishonor.
Founded: 2021
Key People: CEO Richard Gordon
Elevator Pitch: A threat-informed defense platform designed to optimize cybersecurity defenses, operations, and investments.
Funding: The company raised an undisclosed amount of venture funding from United Services Automobile Association and Capital One Ventures on October 28, 2024.
Founded: 2021
Key People: CEO Anup Ghosh
Elevator Pitch: Cybersecurity platform intended to protect mid-sized companies from cyber threats by achieving their cybersecurity compliance requirements.
Funding: The company raised $275,000 of venture funding from undisclosed investors on October 25, 2024.
Key People: CEO Preetam Dutta Ph.D
Founded: 2023
Elevator Pitch: A cyber risk intelligence and analysis platform designed to detect and mitigate threats in real time.
Funding: The company raised $5 million of debt financing on October 23, 2024.
Look for a new episode of the Securing the Future Podcast wherever you listen. In our most recent episode, general partner Jeremy Hitchcock sits down with Hector Xu, founder and CEO of Rotor AI, to discuss the groundbreaking technology behind converting traditional helicopters into autonomous drones for both civilian and defense applications.
