SydeLabs, a San Francisco-based start-up, has successfully completed a $2.5 million seed funding round to address the cybersecurity vulnerabilities in AI applications. Co-founders Ankita Kumari and Ruchir Patwa recognize the increasing threats targeting AI applications and have developed two products to help organizations protect themselves. Their Sydebox solution helps identify vulnerabilities in AI applications, while SydeGuard detects live attacks on AI systems. These products aim to provide a proactive approach to cybersecurity for AI applications, which require a different approach than traditional cybersecurity threats.
The rise of AI applications has raised concerns among cybersecurity experts, who warn that AI tools and applications have blind spots that criminals could exploit. Groups such as Stack Overflow have highlighted the increased surface area for attacks on AI models, including interference with decision-making and access to sensitive data. SydeLabs aims to address these vulnerabilities by offering proactive cybersecurity solutions tailored to AI applications. Their approach has already attracted around 15 early-adopting customers who have identified over 15,000 potential weak points in their AI applications.
Kumari emphasizes that traditional pattern-based approaches to cybersecurity are not effective for generative AI applications, where the intent of the user matters more than the exact input. This requires a new approach to detecting vulnerabilities and attacks in AI applications, which larger cybersecurity providers have struggled to keep pace with due to the rapidly evolving threat landscape. Smaller providers like SydeLabs offer greater agility and innovation in developing cybersecurity solutions for AI applications.
SydeLabs faces competition from firms like Lakera and Prompt Security, who have also developed cybersecurity solutions for AI applications. To maintain their competitive edge, SydeLabs plans to continue innovating with additional product launches in the future. The company is exploring various distribution channels, including partnerships with established cybersecurity players and AI application designers. The recent funding round led by RTP Global will support their research and development efforts to enhance their cybersecurity solutions for AI applications.
Galina Chifina, a partner on RTP Global’s Asia Investment team, praises SydeLabs for setting new standards in AI security and showcasing forward-thinking technology applications. As the demand for secure AI applications continues to grow, SydeLabs aims to become the product provider of choice for enterprise customers. They plan to launch a third product in the coming months to help organizations identify compliance gaps as regulations on AI applications increase. With the support of investors like RTP Global and Picus Capital, SydeLabs is well-positioned to lead the way in cybersecurity for AI applications.
