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Amstelveen-based technology firm Social Links has secured €2.6 million ($3 million) in follow-on funding to accelerate the development of advanced defense tools aimed at protecting companies’ brands, assets, and personnel in an increasingly AI-dominated landscape.
The investment round was led by Yellow Rocks!, which has increased its total investment sixfold since its initial capital injection into the company. Previous investors in Social Links include AltaIR Capital and Smart Partnership Capital.
“The misuse of AI by the criminal sector created complex risks that outpace the capabilities of existing protection methods,” explained Ivan Shkvarun, CEO of Social Links. “Our responsibility is to provide clarity and actionable insight, turning fragmented and overwhelming data into effective defence. This is essential for securing trust in an AI-driven world.”
The funding comes amid a wave of European investment in AI-driven defense, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), and digital risk management technologies. Similar recent funding rounds include Luxembourg’s Tadaweb securing €17.3 million for its Small-Data OSINT platform, London-based Egregious raising €936,000 to counter AI-enabled misuse, and Switzerland’s Reshape Systems collecting €856,000 for AI-driven risk analysis.
Additionally, Madrid-based Acoru obtained €10 million for AI-driven fraud prevention, while Sofia-based WiseBee added €2.1 million to advance autonomous cyber-defense capabilities. These investments highlight growing industry concern about AI-related security threats.
Recent research indicates that losses linked to AI-enabled fraud, particularly deepfakes, have surpassed €1.3 billion across Europe, with €860 million stolen in 2025 alone. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for advanced defense technologies and explains the surging investor interest in companies addressing these threats.
The combined funding for these startups, totaling approximately €31 million including Social Links’ latest round, demonstrates substantial capital commitment to European companies developing tools to combat AI-enabled digital risks.
“AI has given criminals superpowers, while most protection tools are still stuck in the pre-AI era,” said Sergei Bogdanov, Yellow Rocks! managing partner. “Social Links is one of the very few companies that can realistically close this gap. They combine more than a decade of OSINT and digital investigations experience with a new generation of AI agents that actually understand how modern fraud, disinformation and abuse work in the real world.”
Founded in 2015 by Andrey Kulikov and Ivan Shkvarun, Social Links has built its reputation on providing comprehensive data intelligence that helps organizations detect and mitigate AI-enabled fraud and crime across social media, messaging services, and various digital platforms. The company’s approach differs from traditional cybersecurity by anticipating emerging attack surfaces shaped by rapidly evolving AI capabilities.
Social Links has transformed a decade of experience in OSINT and digital investigations into AI agents designed to combat AI-driven crime. These agents work together as an autopilot system, offering proactive protection against sophisticated digital threats.
According to company data, Social Links has maintained an impressive average growth rate of 80% year-over-year for the past six years. With this new funding, the company plans to accelerate growth further by introducing innovative products to its portfolio.
The company currently serves more than 450 customers across over 90 countries, including 170 government entities and 280 business customers. Approximately 70% of its key markets are located in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the United States, with the remaining 30% in Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions.
“Our follow-on investment is a deliberate move to increase our stake in a category leader we know well,” Bogdanov added. “We believe Social Links is uniquely positioned to define the global standard for AI-driven digital risk protection in the coming years.”
The newly secured funds will primarily support Social Links’ flagship AI initiative, developed under the AI Defender Autopilot concept. This solution aims to address emerging AI digital risk protection challenges, including detecting fraud and scam messages in employees’ communications and identifying misinformation and fake news about brands.
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12 Comments
It’s good to see companies like Social Links working to counter the risks posed by AI-enabled misinformation and fraud. Their focus on providing clarity and actionable insights is crucial.
Definitely. With the growing complexity of digital threats, innovative solutions that can translate data into effective defenses are becoming increasingly vital.
Curious to learn more about Social Links’ specific AI fraud detection capabilities. The need for advanced defense tools in an AI-dominated landscape is clear.
Same here. The ability to turn fragmented data into actionable insights for effective defense sounds promising. Looking forward to seeing how they apply this funding.
The wave of European investment in AI-driven defense and OSINT tech is an encouraging sign. Social Links’ funding is part of a broader trend addressing critical digital security needs.
Absolutely. As AI becomes more pervasive, the race is on to develop the right tools and solutions to protect businesses and individuals from malicious use.
€2.6 million is a solid round of funding for Social Links. Their AI-driven defense tools sound like a valuable asset for companies looking to safeguard against emerging digital risks.
Indeed, the rapid development of AI brings both opportunities and challenges. Glad to see companies like Social Links stepping up to address the security implications.
Securing trust in an AI-driven world is no easy feat, but Social Links seems well-positioned to tackle that challenge with their enhanced fraud detection capabilities.
I agree. The increasing sophistication of AI-enabled attacks requires equally advanced defensive measures. This investment should help Social Links stay ahead of the curve.
Interesting to see Social Links securing funding to enhance their AI-powered fraud detection tools. Protecting companies from AI-enabled risks is critical in today’s digital landscape.
I agree, the misuse of AI by bad actors is a growing threat that needs robust solutions. This investment should help Social Links stay ahead of the curve.