Adaptive Security Raises $81 Million Series B Funding to Combat AI-Driven Cyber Threats

Adaptive Security Secures Major Funding to Tackle AI-Driven Cyber Threats

In a significant move within the cybersecurity landscape, Adaptive Security has announced the successful completion of an $81 million Series B funding round. The investment is primarily led by Bain Capital Ventures, with notable participation from NVentures (the venture capital arm of NVIDIA), the OpenAI Startup Fund, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Abstract Ventures, Capital One Ventures, and Citi Ventures. This round marks the third such financing announcement for Adaptive Security this year, bringing the total capital raised by the firm to an impressive $146.5 million.

In April, Adaptive Security had previously announced a $43 million Series A funding, also led by the OpenAI Startup Fund and Andreessen Horowitz, which has notably positioned Adaptive as OpenAI's first and only cybersecurity investment. The momentum continued in September when the company celebrated an additional follow-on investment of $12 million from the OpenAI Startup Fund.

This rapid pace of fundraising reflects a growing concern among investors and businesses regarding the rise of AI-powered cyber threats. Since its public launch in January 2025, Adaptive Security has rapidly garnered over 500 enterprise customers while maintaining a remarkable Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 94. The company's clients include industry heavyweights such as PayPal, Xerox, and the National Hockey League, among others.

The Evolving Landscape of Cyber Threats

Brian Long and Andrew Jones, founders of Adaptive Security, recognized the urgent need for enhanced security measures in response to the increasing danger posed by AI-enabled impersonation. Having previously established Attentive, where they achieved $500 million in annual revenue, Long and Jones pivoted to address the inadequacies of traditional security training in the face of generative AI threats.

Brian Long, the CEO of Adaptive, emphasizes the evolutionary nature of AI impersonations: “Over the past year, we have observed how AI impersonations have shifted from a niche risk to a widespread issue that organizations must confront.” He elaborates that, in today's digital landscape, a mere few seconds of audio or a short video clip can now enable anyone to create a convincing clone of a voice or persona, necessitating organizations to prepare for situations where even known voices or images cannot be inherently trusted.

The alarming statistics reveal that social engineering tactics account for over 95% of successful cyber breaches, with email being the traditional channel for such attacks. However, recent trends indicate that malicious activities are increasingly occurring through phone calls, text messages, and video chats. Notably, the occurrence of deepfake incidents surged by 17 times from 2023 to 2024, surpassing 100,000 incidents in the U.S. alone. In 2025, Adaptive Security reported that more than half of its discussions with clients contained mentions of deepfake-related incidents, impacting employees at all levels of organizations and posing risks to consumers through cloned communications and sophisticated scams.

Proactive Measures Against Deepfake Threats

To counter these evolving threats, Adaptive Security employs its advanced AI technology to simulate deepfake and impersonation scenarios across various communication channels, including voice calls, text messages, videos, and emails. These simulations effectively identify vulnerabilities in existing security protocols and deliver tailored training based on employees' reactions to these scenarios.

In addition to the simulations, Adaptive's platform incorporates automated threat triage and AI-driven risk assessments that enable organizations to gauge their exposure and vulnerability levels. Long articulates the mission of Adaptive Security, stating, “Our task is to provide clarity to organizations in an incredibly dynamic landscape. The threats are changing in real-time, and it is our responsibility to keep pace with that evolution.”

Support from Industry Titans

The backing of prestigious entities like NVIDIA and Bain Capital Ventures signifies a broader acknowledgment within the industry of the pressing need for cutting-edge security solutions. The continued investment from the OpenAI Startup Fund highlights the importance of addressing the security implications associated with generative AI. As awareness grows regarding AI impersonation threats, leading investors collectively advocate for proactive measures to shield businesses and consumers from these risks.

Enrique Salem, a partner at Bain Capital Ventures, asserts, “The surge in AI-enabled threat vectors has elevated human-layer security to a board-level priority. Adaptive Security is emerging as the go-to platform that organizations depend on to stay ahead of these evolving threats. We are proud to support this team in addressing one of the most critical challenges facing businesses and consumers today.”

About Adaptive Security

Adaptive Security stands out as a premier provider of social engineering prevention solutions powered by AI. It specializes in safeguarding against deepfake personas, AI-driven phishing attacks, and multi-channel social engineering threats. By amalgamating sophisticated AI simulations with real-time risk assessments and comprehensive security awareness training, Adaptive equips organizations to proactively combat emerging cyber threats. For further information, please visit Adaptive Security's website.