Mindgard, a Lancaster University spinoff, raised $8M to expand its presence in the US

Just as generative AI is quickly becoming a driver of change in how users search the internet, forcing brands and websites to find new strategies to get their content surfaced by AI-powered search tools, the technology is also challenging our current understanding of cybersecurity. As it becomes increasingly evident that AI deployments leave organizations vulnerable to new unmitigated risks and threats, several startups have started specializing in AI security.

Mindgard, a startup founded at Lancaster University and headed by Professor Peter Garraghan, has developed its approach to combat threats like jailbreaking and prompt injection. Mindgard's Dynamic Application Security Testing for AI (DAST-AI) is a solution focused on detecting threats afflicting AI systems at runtime through continuous security testing. The solution also integrates into existing workflows to provide enhanced risk visibility.

A key differentiator for Mindgard is that being a Lancaster University spinoff, the startup's products feed on longstanding research on AI security. Dr. Peter Garraghan, CEO of Mindgard and Professor at Lancaster University, noted: "The challenge is that the way these risks manifest within AI is fundamentally different from other software. Drawing on our 10 years of experience in AI security research, Mindgard was created to tackle this challenge. We’re proud to lead the charge toward creating a safer, more secure future for AI."

Recently, Mindgard raised its first funding round from US-based investors. Boston-based .406 Ventures led the $8 million round, which was supported by Atlantic Bridge, Willowtree Investments, and existing investors IQ Capital and Lakestar. As part of its growth strategy, Mindgard also appointed two Boston-based executives: Dave Ganly (formerly at Twilio), and Fergal Glynn (former CMO at Next DLP). Still, the startup plans to keep its product development and research efforts in London.