Funds Amassed to Counter Threats to Human Security in Cyberspace: $4.3 Million Collected
In a move to bolster the fight against human-related risks in cybersecurity, Maro, a cognitive security platform, has secured $4.3 million in seed funding from Downing Capital Group.
Maro is a groundbreaking platform designed to help security leaders manage and reduce human risk in cybersecurity, particularly risks amplified by AI, such as social engineering and insider threats. The platform was founded in late 2024 by Jadon Montero (CEO), Gwen Betts (CXO), and Jen Andre (CTO).
The founders of Maro bring over 40 years of combined experience in building security companies, drawing expertise from firms such as Rapid7 and Symantec. They have extensive experience in solving human-focused cybersecurity problems, having worked together across three companies, some of which had successful exits.
Maro addresses these risks by integrating governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) directly into everyday user workflows in real-time, before problems escalate to security operation centers (SOCs). Key capabilities of Maro include:
- Enforcing behavioral policies that transform static security rules into dynamic, context-aware controls integrated with user behavior.
- Preventing data loss to AI chatbots and protecting sensitive information without disrupting user productivity or innovation.
- Intercepting real-time deception techniques like clickjacking and typosquatting at the browser level.
- Detecting and blocking sophisticated social engineering and AI-driven attacks, including adversary-in-the-browser techniques, as they occur.
The acceleration of generative AI, remote work, and the use of shadow SaaS services increase the risk of users violating company policies without realizing it. Maro's technology provides real-time visibility into workforce behaviors and reinforces secure actions in daily workflows, significantly reducing the likelihood of data breaches.
Jesse Downing, CEO at Downing Capital Group, is quoted as saying that Maro protects how people think, decide, and act. "Maro's AI-enhanced platform offers a unique approach to cybersecurity, focusing on the human element," he said.
The funding will be used for team expansion, product development, and the company's launch strategy. With this investment, Maro is poised to make a significant impact on the cybersecurity landscape, empowering security leaders to mitigate the unique human risks present in modern work environments driven by generative AI, remote work, and shadow SaaS adoption.
In summary, Maro's AI-native platform provides real-time, behaviorally informed, and AI-enhanced controls that mitigate the human risks present in today's digital workplaces. By integrating GRC measures directly into user workflows, Maro allows security leaders to manage and reduce human-related risks before they escalate to the SOC, thereby enhancing overall cybersecurity posture.
Technology plays a crucial role in Maro's AI-native platform, as it offers real-time, behaviorally informed, and AI-enhanced controls. This technology is designed to mitigate the human risks present in today's digital workplaces, integrating governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) measures directly into user workflows.
In addition to enhancing cybersecurity, Maro's technology provides a unique approach to addressing human-focused cybersecurity problems, protecting data loss to AI chatbots, intercepting real-time deception techniques, and detecting and blocking sophisticated social engineering and AI-driven attacks.
