London-based Diligent AI,
a Y Combinator-backed startup developing autonomous AI analysts for financial
crime compliance, has raised $2.5 million in seed funding. The round was led by
Speedinvest alongside fintech investor Shapers, with participation from
strategic angel investors including the CEOs and founders of N26, Allica Bank,
IDnow, Billie and Cybersource (acquired by Visa).
KYC and AML teams play a
critical role in safeguarding the global financial system by verifying customer
legitimacy, monitoring transactions and identifying potential fraud or money
laundering. However, the expansion of sanctions regimes, rising fraud levels
and the growing velocity of digital payments have significantly increased their
operational burden.
As a result, much of the work has become repetitive and
time-intensive, with skilled professionals often focused on routine data
gathering rather than deeper investigative analysis.
Diligent AI addresses
this challenge by replacing static compliance workflows with autonomous AI
analysts designed to read, reason and investigate. Its agents automate routine
KYC and AML tasks, including reviewing SMB risk profiles, analysing adverse
media and resolving sanctions and payment screening alerts, reducing the need
for manual information gathering and contextual analysis.
Founded by Edoardo Maschio and Ahmed Gaber, Diligent AI develops AI agents that automate complex financial crime
compliance processes such as AML screening and merchant due diligence, helping
institutions reduce operational costs while improving risk detection.
Edoardo Maschio, CEO and
co-founder of Diligent AI, said the company is designing its platform
specifically for analysts:
When you strip away
repetitive tasks – like clearing false positive alerts, searching corporate
registries and public records, cross-referencing adverse media – you free up
the human mind to focus on judgment and strategy. It’s decision-making instead
of data processing. We’re not just making teams faster; we’re enabling them to
do the job they were hired to do.
The company’s agents are
already deployed across financial institutions in Europe, the Middle East, the
United States and Japan. Customers use the platform to resolve sanctions, PEP
and adverse media alerts, conduct merchant risk reviews and streamline customer
onboarding. Users report measurable operational efficiencies alongside improved
decision consistency.
Diligent AI plans to use
the new funding to expand its engineering capabilities and accelerate the
rollout of its agents across the UK and Europe as it continues to develop tools
for financial crime compliance teams.