Industry's first confidential AI platform recognized for achievements in data privacy and security
NEW YORK, April 24, 2025 -- CB Insights today named OPAQUE Systems to its ninth annual AI 100, showcasing the 100 most promising private artificial intelligence companies in the world.
"The AI 100 winners are future movers and shakers, taking big swings that will shape the future of AI," said Manlio Carrelli, CEO at CB Insights. "This year's cohort is pushing AI applications from emerging to emerged, working on everything from AI agents for complex processes to security and robotics. They've also zeroed in on new and promising technologies that might not be on the radar of many enterprises — multi-agent systems, novel computing and data curation approaches, and physical AI."
"A company's proprietary data is its most valuable asset, and yet it's easier than ever to attack data," said Aaron Fulkerson, CEO of OPAQUE Systems. "Enterprises need the ability to innovate with AI without compromising their data sovereignty. OPAQUE is at the forefront of providing confidential AI that integrates privacy and security for enterprises scaling agentic workflows."
The list recognizes early—and mid-stage startups that are leading the way in applying AI across industries and architectures. Our research team picked winning companies based on CB Insights datasets, including deal activity, industry partnerships, team strength, investor strength, employee headcount, and proprietary Commercial Maturity and Mosaic scores. We also dug into Analyst Briefings submitted directly to us by startups.
As the industry's first Confidential AI platform, OPAQUE is the only platform that meets enterprises' data privacy and security needs across all three critical phases of data usage — before, during, and after execution. Leveraging confidential computing, OPAQUE enables enterprises to process sensitive data, especially with the use of AI workflows.
Quick facts on the 2025 AI 100:
- The 100 winners include 21 startups in AI agent platforms and infrastructure, 12 in AI observability and governance, and 12 in physical AI technology and building blocks.
- The 2025 cohort is deploying AI across horizontal applications (customer service, process automation), infrastructure (AI observability, AI agent building), and verticals (healthcare and life sciences, industrials, financial services).
- Collectively, these companies have raised $11.4B in equity funding over time, including more than $2.3B in 2025 (as of 4/16/2025).
- Nearly 75% are early-stage companies (Series A or earlier).
- 27 companies are based outside the United States, spanning 13 countries. This includes companies in developing and competitive AI markets like France and South Korea.
- The cohort has formed 315+ business relationships since 2023, including with industry leaders like NVIDIA, Google, and Uber.
About CB Insights
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