TL;DR: Spain's Zepo Intelligence Secures €12.8M to Protect Against AI-Driven Cyber Threats
Zepo Intelligence, a Spanish cybersecurity startup, raised €12.8 million in seed funding to tackle human-targeted AI-driven cyberattacks like deepfake impersonations and AI-backed phishing schemes. Their platform uses generative AI to identify vulnerabilities in employees and provide tailored metrics and training for resilience.
• This investment reflects the urgency of addressing AI-powered social engineering attacks, which surged by 1,200% according to a 2024 WEF report.
• Funding will be used for technology development, team expansion, and scaling in Europe and the U.S.
• Zepo’s proactive threat detection prevents risky decisions before they're executed, setting them apart from traditional cybersecurity solutions.
For startups aiming to build impactful solutions, Zepo's focus on solving a critical security gap offers valuable lessons in specialization and scaling. New to cybersecurity or addressing human vulnerabilities? Read Must-Have Data Security Practices to optimize protection and compliance strategies for your business.
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Spain’s Zepo Intelligence Raises €12.8 Million to Combat AI-Driven Cyber Threats: A Perspective
In early 2026, Zepo Intelligence, a cybersecurity startup based in Spain, made headlines by securing €12.8 million in seed funding. The round, led by Kibo Ventures, eCAPITAL, and TIN Capital, reflects the growing demand for innovative solutions to counter AI-driven social engineering attacks. For workplaces, this funding is a signal of the pressing importance of addressing vulnerabilities created by human-targeted cyber threats. But what does this investment mean for the cybersecurity landscape, and how can other startups learn from Zepo’s example? Let’s examine the technology, the challenges Zepo tackles, and its implications for the future.
What Does Zepo Intelligence Do?
Zepo Intelligence offers a platform that transforms workplace cybersecurity by focusing on human-targeted attacks. In simple terms, these attacks exploit people’s behaviors and weaknesses, bypassing traditional technical defenses. With the rise of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, these attacks have grown exponentially both in scale and sophistication. Zepo enables organizations to simulate AI-driven threats like deepfake impersonations or targeted phishing attempts. By identifying an employee’s specific vulnerabilities, Zepo delivers tailored metrics and training, aiming to enhance team resilience.
“AI is the core of our platform. Every person we protect strengthens global cybersecurity,” says Enrique Holgado, co-founder and Chief Product Technology Officer of Zepo. The company’s approach combines advanced technology with actionable insights to arm businesses against ever-evolving cyber risks.
Why Is This Technology Critical Now?
The need for platforms like Zepo is driven by alarming statistics. According to a 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) report, social engineering attacks triggered by generative AI surged by 1,200% in just two years. Computing these vulnerabilities had resulted in over $1 trillion (€860 billion) worth of corporate losses globally within 2024 alone. Such risks are no longer hypothetical; they are daily realities.
- Deepfakes are being weaponized to impersonate executives.
- Phishing schemes, bolstered by AI-driven personalization, circumvent traditional email filters.
- Real-time manipulation of human behavior has opened pathways for multi-vector campaigns.
This urgency has also been magnified by widespread adoption of hybrid work models, which broaden attack surfaces. Employees working across multiple devices and channels are now increasingly vulnerable. Zepo’s integrated prevention framework directly addresses this new cybersecurity gap.
How Will the €12.8 Million in Funding Be Used?
Zepo Intelligence has clear goals for scaling its program globally. Here’s how the €12.8 million will be allocated:
- Expansion of proprietary technology: Developing more accurate simulations of emerging AI-driven social engineering techniques.
- Team growth: Zepo plans to recruit talent, especially in data engineering and artificial intelligence capabilities.
- Geographical growth: Plans to extend operations in Europe and the United States to tap into large client bases.
- Client adoption: Accelerating partnerships within high-risk industries such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure.
How Does Zepo Help Organizations Stay Ahead?
Zepo Intelligence goes beyond offering simple educational tools or simulations. Their platform integrates real-time threat detection with immediate interventions. This approach provides solutions matched to the unique contexts of individual users. By preventing risky decisions, before they’re executed, this method shifts cybersecurity from being reactive to proactive.
Take this example: A deepfake impersonation of a C-level executive is trying to lure an employee into wiring money to a fraudulent account. Many traditional cybersecurity platforms may flag such activity only after it has occurred. Zepo, however, intercepts the flow of human communication as it happens, empowering employees to make informed decisions in the moment.
Why Should Startups Take Note?
Zepo’s approach is a lesson in timing and focus. As a European entrepreneur, I’ve watched countless startups attempt to scale too broadly without addressing their core offering first. Zepo’s commitment to solving one of the cybersecurity industry’s most urgent problems, human-targeted, AI-powered threats, exemplifies how specialized focus can lead to exponential impact.
For founders, it’s essential to evaluate the scope of a problem, its market size, and the urgency of an available solution. Antonio Muñoz, Zepo’s co-founder, articulated it best: “We started with one mission, protecting people-driven risks, then expanded globally while staying close to that objective.”
Another takeaway is Zepo’s impressive ability to attract aligned strategic investors. With backers like Kibo Ventures and eCAPITAL, they’ve created an ecosystem that combines technical expertise with financial backing, setting the stage for sustainable growth.
Final Thoughts
As threats from AI-powered cybercrime continue to grow, solutions like Zepo Intelligence could become the backbone of workplace digital security. Their story is both inspirational and instructive for other startups. It’s about taking calculated risks, building solution-first technology, and addressing what the market truly needs.
If you’re a founder or entrepreneur navigating a competitive landscape, remember that success often lies in tackling impossible-sounding problems with clarity and focus. Platforms like Zepo Intelligence prove that the world is ready for solutions that blend cutting-edge AI with human-centric design.
The future of cybersecurity has never been more human, and Zepo Intelligence is at its forefront. It’s now your move, what challenge do you plan to solve next?
FAQ on Spain’s Zepo Intelligence and AI-Driven Cybersecurity
What is Zepo Intelligence’s core solution?
Zepo Intelligence operates an AI-powered cybersecurity platform specifically designed to counter human-targeted attacks, such as phishing attempts or deepfake impersonations. Unlike traditional solutions, Zepo introduces agentic social intelligence to simulate AI-driven social engineering attacks. By tailoring real-time metrics, training, and interventions to each employee’s vulnerabilities, Zepo transforms workplace cybersecurity strategies from reactive to proactive. Explore more cybersecurity trends.
Why is Zepo Intelligence focusing on AI-driven threats now?
The rise in generative AI tools like ChatGPT has revolutionized social engineering attacks, leading to a 1,200% surge in incidents over just two years, according to the 2024 WEF report. These threats cost organizations over €860 billion globally in 2024. Zepo Intelligence fills a critical gap by offering real-time prevention solutions against hyper-personalized and multi-vector threats. Learn why startups must evolve cybersecurity.
Where will Zepo Intelligence utilize their €12.8 million funding?
The funding will expand Zepo’s proprietary technology by advancing simulations for AI-driven cyberattacks, scaling operations across Europe and the U.S., and recruiting talent for data engineering and AI. High-risk industries like finance and healthcare will benefit significantly. Gain insights from other successful tech funding stories.
How effective are Zepo’s training tools for employees?
Zepo’s training modules differ from traditional methods by providing personalized and behavior-adaptive content. Employees undergo simulations of realistic AI-driven attacks, such as deepfake video impersonations, and receive specific feedback to empower decision-making and resilience against evolving cyber threats. See proven tools for creating human-like solutions.
How does Zepo Intelligence’s approach compare to Saporo’s?
While Saporo focuses on identity-based cyber threats like user access vulnerabilities, Zepo targets human-centric risks heightened by generative AI. Both companies underline the importance of proactive, rather than reactive, models in cybersecurity. Learn from Saporo’s €7M investment strategy.
Is Zepo’s platform suited for hybrid workplaces?
Yes, Zepo’s platform addresses the increased vulnerabilities caused by hybrid work models. Employees working across devices and communication platforms are safeguarded by continuously adaptive measures that identify weak points and offer real-time solutions. Explore Europe’s evolving startup ecosystems.
What industries are most suitable for adopting Zepo’s solutions?
Zepo prioritizes industries with high cyber risks, such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure. These sectors face increasingly sophisticated AI-driven threats requiring tailored, proactive protection strategies. Understand key trends for female founders tackling AI challenges.
How can startups learn from Zepo Intelligence’s success?
Zepo exemplifies how addressing a specific, emerging problem like AI-driven social engineering can lead to significant market traction. The company focuses on scaling purposefully within industries where their solution has the maximum impact. Get a crash course on scaling startups quickly.
Can startups with unrelated missions adapt Zepo’s focus model?
Absolutely. Zepo’s methodology, starting with a core mission of protecting against people-driven risks and incrementally expanding based on technology and market needs, presents a scalable model for any tech startup aiming to solve niche problems. See how Flox leverages AI for human-wildlife coexistence.
What can we expect next for Zepo Intelligence?
With strategic backing and a clear focus on AI-powered cybersecurity, Zepo is poised to expand operations into new markets and enhance its comprehensive security platform. This growth sets a precedent for others looking to leverage emerging technology in critical industries. Find tools and strategies for sustaining startup success.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.