Maro, a New York-based cognitive security platform, has secured $4.3 million in seed funding from Downing Capital Group, announced on July 24, 2025. The platform leverages AI to address human risk in cybersecurity, focusing on social engineering, insider threats, human error, and ungoverned AI usage. By providing real-time, context-aware interventions, Maro aims to transform how enterprises manage security risks, enhancing governance and compliance without disrupting productivity.
Maro secures $4.3M seed funding from Downing Capital Group.
AI-powered platform targets human risk in cybersecurity.
Addresses social engineering, insider threats, and AI misuse.
Real-time interventions improve CIS coverage by 52% in a week.
Founded by cybersecurity veterans Jadon Montero, Gwen Betts, Jen Andre.
Funding to support team growth and go-to-market strategy.
The Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigation Report indicates that 60% of breaches involve human elements, highlighting the critical need for proactive risk management. Maro’s platform addresses this by monitoring real-world user behavior and delivering just-in-time interventions. “When stress levels are high and attackers use that opportunity to manipulate your workforce into taking risky actions, Maro protects how people think, decide, and act,” said Jesse Downing, CEO at Downing Capital Group. This approach shifts from traditional training and static policies to dynamic, AI-driven behavioral controls.
Maro’s cognitive security platform intercepts risks such as social engineering, clickjacking, and typosquatting at the browser level, where most knowledge work occurs. “Maro was born from our years spent inside broken security workflows where SOC analysts didn’t have time to speak directly to every employee who urgently needed their help after legacy tools failed to stop the employee from taking a risky action,” said Jadon Montero, Maro’s CEO. The platform’s ability to classify intent and enforce policies in real-time helps prevent data exposure to AI chatbots and other AI-powered threats, improving CIS coverage by up to 52% within a week.
Founded in late 2024 by cybersecurity veterans Jadon Montero, Gwen Betts, and Jen Andre, Maro draws on over 40 years of combined experience from companies like Rapid7, Bitdefender, and ThreatStack. Developed with insights from 50 CISO and CIO leaders in fintech, healthcare, and retail, the platform prioritizes AI usage governance, identified as the top human risk factor, followed by social engineering and insider threats. This expertise ensures Maro addresses real-world security challenges with precision and scalability.
The $4.3 million seed funding will fuel Maro’s team expansion, product development, and go-to-market efforts. By integrating governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) oversight into everyday workflows, Maro enables enterprises to enforce behavioral policies without stifling innovation. The platform’s browser-level protections and AI-driven interventions offer a novel approach to preventing incidents before they reach security operations centers, positioning Maro as a leader in cognitive security.
Maro’s $4.3 million seed funding marks a significant milestone in redefining cybersecurity through cognitive risk management. With its AI-powered platform and seasoned leadership, Maro is poised to empower enterprises to combat human-related security risks effectively, ensuring compliance and resilience in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Maro empowers security leaders to proactively manage human risk across social engineering, insider threats, human error, and ungoverned AI usage. Maro engages directly with risky user behavior as it happens. While conventional solutions depend on repetitive training or static policy enforcement, Maro uses AI to monitor real-world usage, classify intent, and deliver context-aware, just-in-time interventions.
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