Signal AI, a leading global platform that helps organizations understand and manage their risks and reputation, has announced a $165 million growth-equity investment led by Battery Ventures, a global investment firm focused on technology. This investment marks a pivotal moment for Signal AI as it prepares for its next phase of expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Founded in 2013 by CEO David Benigson, Signal AI has been at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence to uncover hidden corporate risks within vast amounts of unstructured data. Today, the company is trusted by C-suite executives at over 650 enterprises across all major global sectors, including well-known brands such as Diageo, NetApp, Volvo, Bloomberg, and Uber.
Signal AI’s innovative platform is designed to proactively detect emerging risks, which can range from regulatory changes and cyber threats to supply chain disruptions. It gathers information from both unstructured data sources and proprietary information, providing critical insights that empower various departments within Fortune 500 and FTSE 100 companies. Through its proprietary AI-powered platform, Signal AI provides risk and communications leaders with predictive intelligence, enabling them to monitor, measure, and manage their organization’s reputation and exposure to risk before issues escalate.
By analyzing billions of data points from various sources, including news, regulatory documents, social media, and litigation records, Signal AI helps its clients identify new threats, compare their risk and reputation with competitors, and take decisive action to prevent events that could harm stakeholder trust and overall enterprise value.
Executives across many industries rely on Signal AI’s insights to navigate complex challenges. For example, a major Hollywood streaming company utilizes Signal AI to spot early warnings about changes in content regulations in new markets, ensuring all productions and investments remain compliant. A global retailer utilizes the platform to detect potential cyber breaches across social media, news, and the dark web, allowing them to address vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them. A life sciences leader monitors political sentiment and developments from the Food and Drug Administration to maximize the success of new drug launches, while also managing any negative publicity from failed clinical trials. Furthermore, a global bank tracks geopolitical risks in real time to safeguard billions in assets by adjusting its exposure, and the United Kingdom’s government continually assesses reputational risk across its agencies and programs to ensure accountability and maintain public trust.
Signal AI recently launched Ask AIQ, an advanced AI tool specifically built for senior executives. This tool allows them to quickly query global risks, simulate different scenarios, and receive actionable intelligence immediately.
With this new investment, Battery Ventures will become the majority stakeholder in Signal AI. They will support the founder-led management team as they guide the company through its next phase of growth. Existing investors, including Highland Europe, Mercuri, and MMC Ventures, will maintain their minority stakes in the business.
This substantial investment will enable Signal AI, which has already completed two acquisitions, to pursue additional strategic mergers and acquisitions. These future acquisitions will help to deepen its data collection capabilities, enhance its sector-specific expertise, and advance its AI research. The company also plans to accelerate the development of its risk intelligence products and expand its presence across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Advisors: Evercore served as exclusive financial advisor and Wilson Sonsini acted as legal advisor to Signal AI.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our AI platform started in a garage, and evolved to power the world’s most complex enterprises. Partnering with Battery Ventures – a firm with a 40-year track record of innovation – will accelerate our global growth.”
“With technological, operational and financial challenges emerging faster, every executive I meet is asking the same question: ‘What’s next, and how can I get ahead of it?’ Together with Battery, we aim to equip leaders with the deepest, most intuitive way to answer that question. In doing so, we can transform how the most sophisticated companies mitigate risk – and harness opportunity.”
Signal AI’s David Benigson
“Signal AI has carved out a differentiated and, we feel, highly defensible market position at the intersection of AI, risk and enterprise software. We’re backing an exceptional team with a bold vision to become the central nervous system for risk-aware organizations.”
Collier Searle, a principal at Battery who is joining Signal AI’s board
“Signal AI’s customer traction is extremely impressive and indicates, to us, that the company has hit upon a real pain point in terms of risk management for enterprises today – and that the company is delivering a much-needed, AI-powered solution.”
Dave Tabors, a Battery private equity partner who is also joining the company’s board
