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Protectt.ai has acquired a majority stake in AIShield, an AI security platform incubated within Bosch Global Software Technologies, through a primary share issuance and a secondary purchase. AIShield will operate as an independent entity under Protectt.ai, combining its AI security capabilities with Protectt.ai’s mobile security platform and customer relationships. The company plans to grow AIShield’s team from 12-15 employees to 50-60 by March. Protectt.ai is exploring further acquisitions and partnerships in areas such as API and cloud security as it looks to expand its cybersecurity capabilities and build a full-stack AI security platform. AI-native cybersecurity startup Protectt.ai plans to acquire a controlling stake in AIShield, an AI security platform incubated within Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW). Bosch will retain a minority stake in AIShield following the transaction. Backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, Protectt.ai will acquire the stake through a deal comprising primary and secondary components. The companies have not disclosed the transaction value or timeline. “There will be cash, a secondary component and future investments as required. The current structure is a combination of cash and ESOPs. Future investments will depend on the requirements of the business,” Protectt.ai cofounder Manish Mimani told Inc42. Founded in 2022 by Shiv Kumar and Amit Phadke, AIShield was incubated within BGSW. It develops security solutions for machine learning models, generative AI applications and AI supply chains, helping enterprises defend against attacks designed to manipulate AI systems and address compliance risks. The partnership will combine AIShield’s AI security capabilities with Protectt.ai’s mobile security platform, allowing the latter to expand into enterprise AI security. AIShield will continue to operate as an independent entity under Protectt.ai once the deal is completed, with its own professional management team and a focus on AI security research and product development. It will also be able to raise external funding in the future. Protectt.ai plans to work with private companies and government organisations through AIShield to build an India-developed AI security platform, Mimani said. From Mobile Security To Enterprise AI Founded in 2020 by Manish Mimani and Mohanraj Selvaraj, Protectt.ai provides mobile threat defence solutions that help businesses protect applications against cyber threats and fraud. Its platform also serves as a compliance hub for app owners, helping them adhere to regulations issued by entities such as the RBI, SEBI and NPCI. The startup also offers a full-stack AI security platform with tools to test AI agents for vulnerabilities, secure connections between AI applications and external tools, and monitor AI agents while they operate. Protectt.ai’s security technology runs on more than 1 Bn mobile devices and processes 15 Bn mobile application sessions every month, Mimani said. He expects mobile applications to increasingly rely on AI agents to perform tasks, potentially reducing the need for users to navigate conventional app interfaces over the next one to two years. Protectt.ai had already been researching AI model scanning and AI agent security as part of its product roadmap. Through the AIShield acquisition, the startup aims to extend these capabilities beyond mobile applications to enterprise use cases across sectors. Some members of Protectt.ai’s AI security team will move to AIShield, although the number has yet to be finalised. AIShield currently has around 12–15 employees and plans to expand its team to 50–60 people by March 2027. It plans to hire PhD researchers, master’s graduates and other technical talent from leading institutions to strengthen its research and engineering capabilities. The team will focus on developing products, conducting research and filing patents, Mimani said. Protectt.ai Eyes Further Acquisitions The AIShield deal is Protectt.ai’s first such acquisition. The startup set up an M&A team earlier in 2026 to evaluate potential acquisitions and partnerships, with a focus on building capabilities and addressing gaps in its existing offerings. Protectt.ai is exploring opportunities in areas such as API security and cloud security that could complement its current capabilities, Mimani said. The startup secured around $16 Mn in a Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Bajaj Finance in 2025. Mimani added that Protectt.ai is evaluating opportunities and expects to consider raising fresh funds in 2027. AI-native cybersecurity firm Protectt.ai has shared plans to acquire a controlling stake in AIShield, an AI security platform incubated within Bosch Global Software Technologies (BGSW). Bosch will continue to retain a minority stake in the AI security platform. The Bessemer-backed AI startup will acquire a majority stake in AIShield in a deal that features both primary and secondary components. The financial particulars and the timeline of the deal were not disclosed. “There will be cash, a secondary component and future investments as required. The current structure is a combination of cash and ESOPs. Future investments will depend on the requirements of the business,” Protectt.ai cofounder Manish Mimani told Inc42. Founded in 2022 by Shiv Kumar and Amit Phadke and incorporated at Bosch Global Software Technologies, AIShield is an enterprise AI cybersecurity company specialising in protecting machine learning models, GenAI applications, and AI supply chains against adversarial attacks and compliance risks. The partnership will combine AIShield’s AI security capabilities with Protectt.ai’s mobile security platform. AIShield will continue to operate as an independent entity under Protectt.ai post the culmination of the deal with a professional management team and specialised talent focused on research into AI security and securing AI systems. It will be able to raise external funding in the future and plans to work with private companies and government organisations to build a Make in India security platform for AI, added Mimani. From Mobile To Full Stack AI Security Founded in 2020 by Manish Mimani and Mohanraj Selvaraj, Protectt.ai provides mobile threat defence solutions, helping businesses safeguard apps against cyber threats and fraud. Its platform also acts as a compliance hub for app owners, ensuring adherence to regulations from entities such as RBI, SEBI and NPCI. It also has a full stack AI security platform which includes services such as adversarial testing for agentic AI, model context protocol security, and runtime security and governance for agentic AI. Protectt.ai’s security technology runs on more than 1 Bn mobile devices, processing 15 Bn mobile application sessions every month, Mimani said. He expects mobile applications to increasingly incorporate AI agents, with applications potentially becoming UI-less over the next one to two years. Protectt.ai was already researching AI-enabled model scanning and AI agent security, which were part of its go-to-market strategy and product roadmap. Through its partnership with AIShield, the startup aims to position a full-stack AI security platform to extend beyond mobile applications to enterprise use cases across sectors. Some of Protectt.ai’s AI security team members will move to AIShield, though the exact number is yet to be finalised. “We are still restructuring and discussing with employees, so it may not be possible to quantify the number at this stage,” the executive said. AIShield currently has around 12-15 employees, and the startup plans to expand its team to 50-60 people by March. It will also hire PhD researchers, master’s graduates, and technical talent from leading institutions to build the platform. The executive said AIShield would have a research- and engineering-focused team tasked with developing products, conducting research, and filing patents. This is the first of its kind partnership for Protectt.ai. The startup, at the start of the year, set up an M&A team to evaluate potential deals going forward. Its M&A strategy will focus on both building capabilities and filling gaps in its existing offerings. The startup is looking for acquisitions or partnerships in areas such as API security and cloud security that complement its existing capabilities, said Mimani. Protectt.ai secured around $16 Mn in a Series A funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Bajaj Finance, last year. Mimani added that the startup is evaluating opportunities and would look at raising fresh funds next year. [Edited by Akshit Pushkarna]
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