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In 2020, amidst the challenges of the pandemic, we founded Relyance AI with a bold vision: reimagining data governance from the ground up. We wanted to tackle the underserved, overcomplicated space of data privacy and AI, where organizations struggled with compliance and customer trust waned.
Today, I am thrilled to announce our Series B funding, led by Thomvest Ventures and supported by M12, Microsoft Ventures Fund, Cheyenne Ventures, and our existing investors, Unusual and Menlo Ventures. More than just funding, this milestone marks a pivotal moment in our journey as we share our vision for the future—one anchored in customer obsession and an unwavering commitment to elevating standards for privacy, data security, and AI governance. Relyance AI is the trust and governance infrastructure for the AI era.
A Renaissance in Governance: From Compliance Burden to Business Advantage
Let’s take a moment to reflect on our origins. When we started Relyance AI, we recognized that existing solutions merely shifted compliance and data governance burdens from spreadsheets to browsers without addressing fundamental issues. The prevailing top-down approach forced regulatory requirements onto organizations, creating a cumbersome and distasteful experience for the entire organization.
We chose to think differently and pick a different path: a bottom-up approach. We started from the code, infrastructure, and data processing–the reality of the actual data processing of an organization. Instead of merely chasing data outputs, we focused on its origins and processing intent. Relyance AI was the first solution to address this at the code and API layer, where trust by design truly begins. By seeking insights from the ultimate source of truth, we provide accurate and holistic answers—free from conversational errors.
At Relyance AI, we believe data privacy and governance should be integral to every organization’s operational fabric. The stakes for businesses handling sensitive data have never been higher: they face a constant balancing act between innovation and protection—a tension that can be overwhelming.
Imagine if managing privacy, security, and AI governance could be as natural as breathing? What if companies could confidently navigate a constantly evolving regulatory landscape with complete confidence that they protect their customers’ data, stay compliant, and operate transparently because the solution was embedded into the operational reality of data processing? That’s precisely what we have built: a platform that not only meets obligations but anticipates them. Our platform helps customers find their operational reality and compare it with their obligations to all stakeholders, including customers, vendors, and regulators. By continually bumping the reality against the obligations in real-time, customers can foster trust at every touchpoint.
Bottom Up v/s Top Down: The Four Pillars to Achieve Trust with Confidence
Relyance AI’s platform approach starts from the most critical layer: the code and runtime environment—the point where data is born and actively processed before it gets stored anywhere. This is where we gain a deep understanding of the why, how, when, and where behind your data. Unlike traditional solutions that merely scan data at rest, SaaS tools, or filesystems, which can tell you only what data exists, our platform goes beyond by providing insight into where it came from, its purpose, intent, and where/how it’s being processed in real-time. This deeper visibility paints a complete contextual picture of data flows and helps you confidently manage privacy, security, and governance.
Here are the four pillars that define our approach:
1. Continuous Source Code Analysis: By integrating at the code level, we capture the very logic and processes governing your data. This gives you the source of truth—how data is created, manipulated, and moved across systems.
2. Runtime and Infrastructure Monitoring: Next, we monitor data as it flows through live systems, ensuring we know precisely how data is being used, processed, and moved. This is where the actual operational reality occurs—far beyond just what’s stored in a database.
3. Third-Party and Structured/Unstructured Data Store Scanning: Once we’ve mapped the data’s origins and processing, we connect it back to where it is stored. Instead of just seeing a snapshot of what’s in your databases, we know how it got there, what it was used for, and how it will be used next.
4. Contracts & Policies Understanding: Finally, we overlay this comprehensive understanding with your regulatory and contractual obligations directly from your contracts and policies, ensuring that your data processes are compliant by design. Moreover, it is contextualized to your business.
This end-to-end visibility enables Relyance AI to deliver real-time compliance and governance with precision and accuracy, empowering organizations not just to stay compliant but to stay ahead of evolving regulations.
To illustrate this difference: traditional solutions resemble viewing a finished product on a shelf (purely data at rest analysis)—it’s there, but you don’t know who made it, why, or how it got there. In contrast, Relyance AI allows you to watch the entire manufacturing process unfold. You know why the product was made, how it was created, and where it’s going next. Just like understanding the origins and logistics of food production helps ensure quality and safety, starting from the code gives you the full context of your data and its lifecycle. This approach transforms governance from a guessing game into a science—precise, proactive, and powerful.
Unreasonable Hospitality: Our Commitment to Customers
Aside from our superior technology platform, if one thing sets Relyance AI apart, it’s our obsessive focus on customer success. From the very beginning, we’ve prided ourselves on something we call “unreasonable hospitality.” What does that mean? It means we don’t just offer our customers a product; we cultivate relationships. We intently listen, respond, and build with them at the center of everything we do.
Our team goes above and beyond to ensure that every interaction with Relyance AI is exceptional. Whether it’s onboarding, support, or providing real-time insights, we aim to exceed expectations. That’s why we don’t settle for just being a vendor—we become trusted partners in our customers’ journeys, acting as a 24/7 extension to our customers' teams. We’re unsatisfied until our customers are empowered, confident, and thriving.
Looking Forward: The Future of the Trust Platform in the AI Era!
With our Series B funding, we’re embarking on an exciting new chapter expanding Relyance AI to encompass DSPM (data security posture management) and AI governance. This isn’t just an evolution; it’s a transformation. Our platform will offer comprehensive end-to-end solutions for data protection, monitoring, and management—empowering businesses to safeguard their data, avoid fines, and protect their reputation with unmatched visibility and control over every aspect of their data processing activities.
Effective AI governance requires an end-to-end data observability system —a need Relyance AI is uniquely positioned to fulfill through our foundational pillars: data at rest analysis, data in motion monitoring, continuous code scanning, and NLP-driven contract and policy alignment. Together, these elements provide complete visibility into data’s lineage—from creation to use—ensuring that all AI decisions are based on trustworthy, transparent, and compliant data. Without this comprehensive understanding of how data flows, interacts, and aligns with obligations, organizations cannot govern AI ethically, avoid bias, or meet regulatory standards.
Relyance AI’s integration of these pillars makes us the only solution that captures the full context needed for trustworthy AI governance. This ensures that data-driven systems are not just compliant but reliable and ethical at every stage. This makes Relyance AI the optimal choice for organizations that are serious about responsible AI governance. Organizations can drive positive business outcomes through better governance.
We’ve listened closely to your needs and evolved alongside you. Now we invite you to join us as we redefine privacy, security, and AI governance in the AI era. Together, let’s transform how businesses manage their data—leveraging it as a strategic advantage in an increasingly complex world of AI. The future of unified, seamless data protection starts now—we’re thrilled to set the new standard together! We are also hiring across all departments; join us!
Series B Announcement, TechCrunch Read Now
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