London-based
Refute, an AI-powered counter-disinformation company, has raised £5 million in
seed funding in a round led by Amadeus Capital Partners, with participation
from Playfair, Episode 1, Osney Capital, and the National Security Strategic
Investment Fund (NSSIF).
The
funding comes amid an evolving threat environment in which malicious actors are
increasingly combining automated networks, influencer activity, and AI-driven
tools to conduct coordinated disinformation campaigns. These efforts are no
longer limited to governments and public institutions, but are increasingly
directed at commercial organisations.
Since
emerging from stealth and closing a pre-seed round in 2024, Refute has
developed AI-based capabilities that are now used by both commercial and
public-sector clients. Its platform is designed to identify early indicators of
online manipulation and to provide near real-time intelligence and response
recommendations.
The
company reports a rise in disinformation activity affecting clients in
higher-risk sectors. During recent European elections, including in Romania,
Refute identified more than 32,500 inauthentic TikTok videos linked to
coordinated influence operations targeting expatriate communities. In the
mining sector, its monitoring has indicated that approximately 40 per cent of
tracked sites have been subject to activity associated with misleading or
inauthentic actors.
Such
campaigns are intended to influence online discourse and undermine
institutional credibility, creating potential risks for organisations,
reputations, and market stability.
According
to Tom Garnett, CEO and co-founder of Refute, Europe is facing an unprecedented
level of hybrid warfare:
Disinformation
is no longer just a peripheral nuisance, but now a reputational threat and
strategic weapon targeting nations, institutions and corporations alike.
Refute
was created to meet this moment. We help governments and commercial
organisations strengthen their resilience, protect their operations, and
outpace their adversaries to function in an increasingly hostile information
environment.
Refute
plans to use the new funding to further develop its technology and support its
efforts to help organisations and democratic institutions address the growing
challenges posed by hybrid warfare and disinformation threats.