AI verification startup Ciphero has emerged from stealth mode with $2.5 million in a pre-seed funding round co-led by Sovereign’s Capital and Chingona Ventures.
New York-based Ciphero aims to tackle the security challenges posed by the rapid adoption of AI in enterprise environments.
It provides an AI verification layer designed to capture, check, and govern all AI interactions, both human and agentic, to prevent data loss and attacks.
According to Ciphero, its solution also covers shadow AI, enabling ethical and safe AI usage within an organization.
Ciphero was founded in 2025 by Saoud Khalifah and Rob Gross, who previously founded Fakespot, a firm specializing in spotting fake reviews and counterfeits, which was acquired by Mozilla in 2023.
Khalifah and Gross serve as the company’s CEO and COO, respectively, while co-founder Sen Tian serves as its chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO).
“Along with the gains in productivity from AI, it also allows malicious actors to become better attackers, increasing the attack surface area for enterprises,” Khalifah said.
“We’re incredibly excited to be building an AI-native Verification Layer that allows companies to defend, secure and verify AI across the workplace, bringing confidence in adopting AI for the positives it brings,” he added.
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