Kazimi raises €2.2M pre-seed to tackle bot activity in mobile marketing

Berlin-based mobile cybersecurity startup Kazimi has secured €2.2 million in a pre-seed funding round to bolster its technology aimed at combating bot activity in mobile marketing. The funding was led by Market One Capital, with additional support from IBB Ventures and notable figures from the mobile and technology industry, such as former Rovio CTO Petri Hyökyranta, former Supercell data scientist Janne Peltola, and former CFO of Birkenstock Group and Sportradar Erik Massmann.

Kazimi's technology focuses on secure, privacy-preserving methods for identifying genuine user activity within mobile apps, distinguishing them from automated bots. The solution enhances app developers' ability to collect and verify first-party data, maintain user privacy, and identify non-human activity. As the internet faces increasing automation, bot activity has surpassed human activity in recent years, posing a significant challenge for mobile businesses.

The startup's cryptographic proofs verify interactions without disclosing users' personal data, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations while improving data accuracy for analytics, marketing, and AI applications. Until now, app developers lacked clear visibility on which signals originated from real users versus bots. Kazimi's advanced security solution aims to bridge this gap, enabling developers to better protect their primary resource: first-party data.

The founders of Kazimi previously worked on security and fraud detection systems at mobile measurement company Adjust, which was acquired by AppLovin in 2021. Their expertise also extends to security systems for other mobile analytics companies and networks. Kazimi's technology is particularly relevant for apps heavily reliant on marketing spending to acquire and retain customers, with current clients including mobile gaming studios, rewards platforms, and fintech apps.

With the newly raised capital, Kazimi plans to expand its technology and strengthen its position in the global mobile advertising market.