Skyld, French Deeptech Startup, Raises €1.5 Million to Secure AI Models
We are pleased to announce our first round of fundraising. The round was backed by French and Swiss investors: Auriga Cyber Ventures, BNP Développement, Bloomhaus, Sodero, and seasoned industry business angels.
Skyld Aims to Solve a Major Challenge: Securing Artificial Intelligence Models
As AI adoption accelerates, so do threats and regulatory scrutiny. More than 70% of companies have experienced AI-related breaches in the last two years, highlighting an urgent demand for Skyld’s protection technology.
“AI adoption is moving faster than its security. We urgently need to reverse this trend to ensure trust in algorithms. Right now, it’s still too easy to trick an AI into believing that a 130 km/h speed sign is actually a STOP sign. This funding round with Europe’s leading cybersecurity and deeptech investors supports our European ambition.”
— Marie Paindavoine, founder and CEO of Skyld
AI cybersecurity has become imperative, as AI models are used in sensitive sectors such as healthcare, defense, autonomous mobility, and Industry 4.0. Skyld protection solution is already deployed in several innovative companies in these industries.
This funding will enable Skyld to take its development to the next level. The company plans to accelerate the commercialization of its solution, both in France and internationally, in order to meet growing demand.
Investors back a pioneering technology
Skyld’s first product protects models against theft and reverse engineering. In short, it is a complete “anti-theft solution” specifically designed for AI models.
William Lecat, Partner at Auriga Cyber Ventures, emphasizes: “Protecting AI models has become as essential as encrypting data or securing access. Skyld provides a concrete response to increasingly sophisticated attacks, such as model theft or reverse engineering. Their technology, born out of research and already industrialized, is an essential building block for creating trustworthy AI that can be used in critical environments.”
According to Patricia Leyrat, Investment Director at BNP Paribas Développement: “It was Skyld’s ability to develop a product that can be embedded in connected objects that convinced us. It secures AI algorithms against theft and reverse engineering by leveraging different technologies to create a robust and disruptive model. This technological building block offers significant growth prospects with new products to explore. We are very proud to support the company in its development and the challenges ahead.”
Investors highlight Skyld’s potential in a booming sector: “Skyld has the potential to become a category-defining leader in AI model cybersecurity,” said Tim Schwichtenberg, Senior Investment Manager of Bloomhaus Ventures. “Its first-mover advantage, world-class team, and scalable technology make it a standout in a rapidly growing market as the need for on-device AI model protection increases sharply.”
Laura Bartkowiak, Investment Manager at Sodero, adds: “Positioned in the fast-growing market of AI model security, Skyld, led by Marie Paindavoine, was supported by our subsidiary Novapuls, and we are delighted to support the team in this key stage of its developement”
A collective success
For Skyld, this fundraising is more than just a financial milestone, it is a shared achievement.
We are incredibly proud and grateful to every single member of the Skyld team, who brought our vision to life with ambition. Together, we are building a pioneering technology and a company capable of safeguarding the future of artificial intelligence.
