DetectifAI builds on-device defense against synthetic voice fraud

Padmanabhuni founded the San Francisco-based DetectifAI to tackle a crisis that cost Americans nearly $900 million last year, with older populations hit disproportionately hard. While the market already includes heavyweights like Microsoft and Pindrop, current solutions generally rely on cloud processing. This latency creates a vulnerability for users who need immediate verification during live calls. DetectifAI approaches the problem by designing compact models specifically for local smartphone execution, ensuring audio never leaves the device to reach a remote server.

The startup is currently licensing its software development kit to phone manufacturers, aiming to make deepfake detection a standard, native feature of mobile operating systems. Beyond consumer hardware, the company is already generating revenue by processing over 100,000 calls monthly for financial institutions in India, primarily focusing on automated debt collection and verification services. With early backing from investors like Josh Constine and Manohar Kamath, the startup is now preparing to showcase its technology at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt competition in San Francisco.