Ciphero raises $2.5m to secure enterprise AI

By Vriti Gothi

Ciphero, founded by Saoud Khalifah and Rob Gross, has launched an AI-native Verification Layer designed to secure and govern enterprise AI usage. The company announced an oversubscribed $2.5 million pre-seed round, co-led by Sovereign’s Capital and Chingona Ventures.

The platform dynamically monitors and verifies all AI interactions within organisations, including agentic AI and Shadow AI deployments, helping prevent data leaks, enforce compliance, and promote ethical AI adoption.

“AI is one of the major breakthroughs in technology since the Internet and personal computing,” said Khalifah, co-founder and CEO, Ciphero. “But along with productivity gains, it also expands the attack surface for malicious actors. Ciphero enables companies to defend, secure, and verify AI across the workplace.”

Enterprise AI adoption is accelerating, with 62% of organisations using agentic AI internally, yet governance remains limited: 97% of employees report inadequate AI access controls, and over 80% of organisations show Shadow AI activity, which IBM links to one in six data breaches this year.

Rob Gross, co-founder and COO, Ciphero, said, “Ciphero allows enterprises to see what AI platforms employees are using, directs them to approved channels, and uses AI to judge AI—stopping data loss and encouraging secure usage.”

Investors emphasised the strategic need for such a solution. Samara Hernandez of Chingona Ventures said, “Ciphero provides real-time observability, policy enforcement, and a marketplace of AI verifiers that keep sensitive data safe without slowing innovation.” Phil Jung of Sovereign’s Capital added, “This platform helps organisations manage AI interactions securely and comply with policies, building a trustworthy AI-powered future.”

Ciphero is piloting its solution with select design partners to accelerate safe and compliant AI adoption across enterprises.