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Antler Investor Memo Series: Aona AI gives corporates the power to implement
secure, ethical AI
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News » Partner Content » Antler Australia » Antler Investor Memo Series: Aona AI
gives corporates the power to implement secure, ethical AI
Antler Australia
ANTLER INVESTOR MEMO SERIES: AONA AI GIVES CORPORATES THE POWER TO IMPLEMENT
SECURE, ETHICAL AI
Maeve Couch - November 20, 2024 5 MIN READ
Aona AI cofounders, CEO Bastien Cabirou and chief revenue officer Salim Sebkhi
Early stage investment company Antler Australia recently backed a new cohort of
startups as part of its ongoing program to build great local tech companies.
Startup Daily is sharing the details of each venture in the “Antler Investor
Memos” series, which is designed to give you a quick, sharp understanding of the
startups and people involved, with many seeking follow up capital following
Antler’s initial pre-seed investment.
COMPANY: AONA AI
Founded: November 2023
Stage: Pre-seed
Founders: Bastien Cabirou and Salim Sebkhi
Current investors: Antler
Currently raising: Yes
THE BUSINESS
As generative AI (GenAI) tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft’s Copilot, and
Google’s Gemini become more mainstream in corporate workflows, companies face
increasing risks around data security and compliance.
Without the proper approval, training, or oversight, employees may unknowingly
use unapproved AI tools for work tasks, inadvertently entering sensitive
information into external systems.
A recent global survey conducted by Salesforce reveals that over 55% of
employees are using unauthorised AI tools at work, while an average of 70% of
respondents have never undergone training or received guidance on using GenAI
safely and ethically in the workplace.
Although the most popular GenAI tools used by corporations are closed-source
LLMs, there is still growing concern that these platforms lack adequate security
or compliance safeguards to protect sensitive data from being collected and
disseminated.
Open-source models, like Meta’s Llama – recently made available to defence
agencies – pose additional security challenges due to their code being freely
accessible, allowing both good and bad actors to modify or exploit them without
oversight. The risk of confidential information, such as Personally Identifiable
Information (PII) or Intellectual Property (IP), being exposed in a hack or leak
presents a serious challenge for organisations using either type of model trying
to ensure regulatory compliance and cyber resilience.
In response, Aona AI has developed a comprehensive platform to tackle the
security and compliance challenges associated with AI in the workplace. To
achieve this, the platform follows a robust, three-step integration process to
make AI adoption safe and productive.
The first step, “discovery,” provides businesses with an in-depth analysis of AI
usage across the company. This involves monitoring employee interactions with AI
platforms and tracking data inputs to detect potential vulnerabilities and
identify high-risk AI interactions.
The second step, “security,” is at the core of Aona AI’s offering, focussing on
protecting sensitive information from leaking into external AI models.
In the final step, “Optimisation,” Aona AI enables companies to turn AI insights
into productivity gains by analysing usage patterns, identifying bottlenecks,
and recommending training resources to bridge knowledge gaps in AI usage.
Aona AI was founded by Bastien Cabirou, CEO, and Salim Sebkhi, chief revenue
officer, who bring a strong problem-founder fit that uniquely equips them to
tackle the pressing challenges in the AI space. Bastien brings deep expertise in
AI solutions development, data security, and compliance, making him well-versed
in tackling the complex technical requirements of secure AI adoption. Salim
complements this technical expertise with extensive experience driving
go-to-market strategies across Asia-Pacific, particularly in cybersecurity,
SaaS, and hardware markets.
ANTLER INVESTMENT THESIS
“Aona AI stands out in the rapidly evolving AI security landscape, bringing an
end-to-end solution for responsible AI usage, data security, and process
optimisation,” says James McClure, Partner at Antler in Australia.
“Their proprietary pre-trained guardrails provide a competitive edge, allowing
for accurate and accessible detection through web browsers or via third-party
APIs.
“Bastien and Salim each bring distinct strengths in AI, cybersecurity, and
go-to-market strategy, positioning Aona AI for effective penetration into key
regulated markets and seamless scalability. Their deep technical insight,
combined with an actionable understanding of the complex regulatory landscape,
gives Aona AI a solid foundation for growth.”
TRACTION/MILESTONES
Aona AI has initiated pilot programs with clients in highly regulated
industries, such as financial services, mining, healthcare, and law. These
sectors were strategically chosen due to their size for regional expansion,
stringent data compliance requirements, and high headcount. Their current
customer base includes organisations with over 750 employees.
Following positive results from its initial pilots, Aona AI is converting these
early adopters into paid clients, striving to reach A$500,000 in recurring
revenue by the end of FY25.
In addition to customer growth, Aona AI has secured a series of strategic
partnerships and industry recognitions. Joining Tenity’s Accelerator Program in
Singapore whilst partnering with AustCyber has allowed Aona AI to tap into a
multitude of robust networks and resources. The startup is working closely with
the Federal Government’s National AI Centre to provide feedback on responsible
AI standard regulations for Australia.
Looking to international expansion, through their partnership with Tenity in
Singapore and the SAFE note they secured from the VC, Aona AI is actively
pursuing the ASEAN market, extending its reach into Southeast Asia.
On the product front, Aona AI has launched new features, including browser
extensions for Chrome and Microsoft Store. This extension expands accessibility
and usability, enabling users to access key security functions directly from
their browsers. Recent platform updates include capabilities for handling
unauthorised AI tool requests, comprehensive data insights, and model selection
for data sovereignty.
LATEST FUNDING
Pre-Seed from Antler
USE OF FUNDS
Antler’s pre-seed investment and post-residency resources have helped to quickly
transform Aona AI from concept to minimum viable product (MVP). This funding
allowed Aona AI to establish a robust technology stack and build out the core
functionalities of its platform to serve the complex compliance needs of their
customers .
Funding has been allocated to obtain certifications, specifically IS27001 and
SOC2, to establish trust and credibility with current and prospective clients in
highly regulated industries.
To accelerate its market presence, Aona AI is also investing in
demand-generation activities, aimed at strengthening its brand recognition and
expanding its sales funnel.
THE FOUNDERS SAY
“Antler has been invaluable in shaping Aona AI’s product and go-to-market
strategy, facilitating introductions to key decision-makers and providing
essential support throughout our journey,” says CEO and cofounder Bastien
Cabirou.
“With their guidance, we’ve honed our platform to meet the stringent demands of
AI security and compliance. We envision Aona AI becoming a global leader in
responsible AI adoption, setting the standard for AI observability, security,
and optimisation.
“Our future plans include continuous innovation in our product suite,
incorporating advanced features to keep pace with regulatory changes and
customer needs. Outside of our commitment to meeting the global benchmarks for
AI security, data protection, and compliance, we’re also focused on addressing
the productivity gap in AI adoption by providing organisations with the tools
and training necessary to use AI effectively and securely.
“The next growth phase will involve developing a comprehensive go-to-market
strategy focused on Managed Service Providers (MSPs), cybersecurity integrators,
and IT channel partners within Australia. We also have our sights set on
geographic expansion, with plans to establish an office in Europe to meet rising
demand spurred by the European Union’s new AI regulations.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Antler, a global early-stage VC, is revealing its latest investments in
ambitious Australian founders and startups. With over 120 investments in
early-stage companies, Aona AI is one of its most recent portfolio companies.
Founders can apply here to Antler’s next residency in Australia commencing
February 2025 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
* StartupDaily is the official media partner of Antler in Australia.
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better than most industries, but don’t expect equal pay as an older woman
Next article A French startup is using your phone’s Wi-Fi connection to figure
out how many people are using Sydney’s light rail
Via Antler Australia
Tags AIAI ethicsCompliancedataethicssecurity
MAEVE COUCH
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