Refute raises £5M seed round to address disinformation threats

In a world where truth is increasingly under siege, a London-based AI-powered counter-disinformation company, Refute, has just secured a staggering £5 million in seed funding to combat the rising tide of coordinated disinformation campaigns. The funding round, led by Amadeus Capital Partners, saw participation from Playfair, Episode 1, Osney Capital, and the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF). This investment comes at a critical juncture, as malicious actors are leveraging automated networks, influencer activity, and AI-driven tools to orchestrate sophisticated disinformation campaigns that now target not just governments and public institutions, but also commercial organizations.

Since emerging from stealth and closing a pre-seed round in 2024, Refute has been at the forefront of developing AI-based capabilities that are now trusted by both commercial and public-sector clients. Its platform is designed to detect early signs of online manipulation and provide near real-time intelligence and response recommendations, making it a vital tool in the fight against disinformation.

The company has reported a significant uptick in disinformation activity affecting clients in higher-risk sectors. During recent European elections, including in Romania, Refute identified over 32,500 inauthentic TikTok videos linked to coordinated influence operations targeting expatriate communities. In the mining sector, its monitoring has revealed that approximately 40% of tracked sites have been subject to activity associated with misleading or inauthentic actors. These campaigns are not just about influencing online discourse; they are designed to undermine institutional credibility, posing potential risks to organizations, reputations, and market stability.

Tom Garnett, CEO and co-founder of Refute, has emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Disinformation is no longer just a peripheral nuisance but now a reputational threat and strategic weapon targeting nations, institutions, and corporations alike.” He further added, “Refute was created to meet this moment. We help governments and commercial organizations strengthen their resilience, protect their operations, and outpace their adversaries to function in an increasingly hostile information environment.”

With this new funding, Refute plans to further enhance its technology and expand its efforts to help organizations and democratic institutions address the growing challenges posed by hybrid warfare and disinformation threats. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of companies like Refute becomes ever more critical in safeguarding the integrity of information and protecting the foundations of democracy.

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#Refute #AI #Disinformation #Cybersecurity #HybridWarfare #LondonTech #AmadeusCapitalPartners #Playfair #Episode1 #OsneyCapital #NSSIF #NationalSecurity #Elections #Romania #TikTok #MiningSector #OnlineManipulation #RealTimeSeriesIntelligence #ResponseRecommendations #ReputationalThreat #StrategicWeapon #InstitutionalCredibility #MarketStability #TomGarnett #CEO #CoFounder #TechnologyDevelopment #DemocraticInstitutions #InformationEnvironment #DigitalLandscape #TruthUnderSiege #SafeguardingIntegrity #FoundationsOfDemocracy

#ViralSentences
– “Disinformation is no longer just a peripheral nuisance but now a reputational threat and strategic weapon targeting nations, institutions, and corporations alike.”
– “Refute was created to meet this moment. We help governments and commercial organizations strengthen their resilience, protect their operations, and outpace their adversaries to function in an increasingly hostile information environment.”
– “In a world where truth is increasingly under siege, Refute is on the front lines, armed with AI to combat the rising tide of coordinated disinformation campaigns.”
– “With over 32,500 inauthentic TikTok videos identified during recent European elections, the scale of disinformation operations is staggering.”
– “The mining sector is not immune, with approximately 40% of tracked sites subject to activity associated with misleading or inauthentic actors.”
– “As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of companies like Refute becomes ever more critical in safeguarding the integrity of information and protecting the foundations of democracy.”,