Google’s former security leads raise $13M to fight email threats before they reach you

In response to the rising threat of email attacks fueled by artificial intelligence, a team of former Google security leaders has launched AegisAI, a startup dedicated to thwarting phishing, malware, and business email compromise before they infiltrate user inboxes. The company recently emerged from stealth mode, successfully securing $13 million in seed funding co-led by Accel and Foundation Capital. Statistics from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) indicate that over 90% of successful cyberattacks originate from phishing emails. A recent study by CrowdStrike revealed that phishing attempts crafted by large language models (LLMs) achieved a staggering 54% click-through rate in 2024, significantly surpassing the 12% rate associated with emails written by humans. AegisAI is determined to tackle this escalating issue through its innovative suite of autonomous AI agents. Founded by Cy Khormaee and Ryan Luo, who previously held key roles at Google Safe Browsing and reCAPTCHA, AegisAI offers a dynamic network of real-time AI agents designed to autonomously inspect, analyze, and neutralize email threats without needing rigid rules. This groundbreaking approach sets it apart from conventional email security platforms that often rely on static regulations and require extensive user training. "The sum of all evil is a PDF attachment in an email. That’s always where all the attacks started, and so I really wanted to solve this problem," Khormaee stated in an exclusive TechCrunch interview. Having led Google’s security team for over five years until July 2023, he has firsthand experience in developing effective phishing detection technologies and understanding security challenges from a corporate perspective. AegisAI utilizes reasoning agents, each fine-tuned to address specific threats. Once a potential danger is identified, the orchestrating agent collaborates with these specialized agents—referred to as "buddies"—to conduct comprehensive analyses and provide verdicts. This process involves real-time examination of every aspect of an email, including links, attachments, metadata, QR codes, and behavioral patterns. Khormaee emphasizes the knowledge gained from his time at Google, stating, "What we know from building these tools at Google is what all the things are about an email you need to analyze? What are all the data sources? What are all the techniques for spotting invasion?" Currently, AegisAI has developed over 10 agents, with plans to expand to 50 or even 100 as malicious actors evolve their tactics. Unlike traditional security solutions that rely on pre-established rules, AegisAI’s dynamic agents are capable of identifying a variety of attacks and adjusting themselves in real time to combat each variant. Furthermore, the startup claims that its technology can reduce false positives by up to 90% compared to existing solutions. Installation of AegisAI’s system on Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 accounts is streamlined, reportedly taking no more than five minutes via an API. After setup, the system operates in read-only mode for a week before activation. The company is currently running pilot programs with U.S. and European clients and has onboarded three paying customers, including Lokker and Mesh Connect. With the recent investment, AegisAI plans to enhance its technical capabilities and establish a strong market presence.