Operant AI Expands to India to Defend AI Systems in Real-Time
Operant AI provides a comprehensive cloud-native application protection platform that offers real-time security, infrastructure, APIs, with automatic detection and blocking of threats.
As AI adoption accelerates across the globe, so too does the need for next-generation security. Traditional tools like firewalls and code scanning simply can’t keep up with the evolving risks posed by AI-powered systems. Enter Operant AI—the Silicon Valley-based cybersecurity startup on a mission to secure live AI applications from real-time threats.
Now, Operant AI is expanding its reach into India, bringing its 3D Runtime Defense Platform to key tech hubs like Bengaluru, Pune, and Ahmedabad, with plans to recruit talent in Hyderabad and Delhi. The goal? To safeguard the rapidly growing AI ecosystem across fintech, healthcare, enterprise software, and beyond.
Real-Time Defense for Real-Time Threats
Founded in 2021 by Vrajesh Bhavsar, Dr. Priyanka Tembey, and Ashley Roof, Operant AI protects cloud and AI systems through a multilayered defense approach that detects and blocks live attacks—not just after-the-fact alerts.
“We secure all cloud and AI applications from the get go in a holistic and multi-layer way,” says CTO Priyanka Tembey. “We don’t just stop at detections that we discover… we also place defense controls in real time in the application to protect them from live attacks.”
Key threats addressed by Operant AI include:
Prompt Injection
Rogue Agents
Data Poisoning
Data Exfiltration
With the rise of AI-driven applications, these risks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated—making real-time protection essential for both security and business continuity.
India’s AI Boom—and Security Gap
India is seeing unprecedented AI adoption, with sectors like fintech and banking rapidly developing their own models for use cases such as fraud detection and risk analysis. But along with this growth comes concern: a Deloitte report found that 92% of Indian executives are worried about cybersecurity threats specific to AI, and 91% are concerned about privacy risks tied to sensitive data.
“India is innovating really fast, building its own technology for important use cases,” says Ashley Roof, co-founder of Operant AI. “The technical challenges faced by companies using AI in India are similar to those in the US. There’s a shared urgency around innovation and security.”
What began as conversations with security leaders at US-based companies with operations in India quickly turned into recognition of India’s own urgent need for AI-specific security solutions.
A Platform Built for Modern Threats
Operant AI’s Runtime AI Application Defense Platform is designed to protect every layer of live AI and cloud applications. The company reports that it can detect and defend against more than 80% of the OWASP Top 10 critical attacks—including those targeting APIs, cloud infrastructure, and large language models (LLMs).
In February, Operant AI was recognized by Gartner as a representative vendor in its Market Guide for AI Trust, Risk, and Security Management (AI TRiSM)—a nod to the platform’s relevance in a growing category of AI risk management.
Backed by Leading Investors
In September, Operant AI closed a $10 million Series A round led by SineWave Ventures and Felicis, with additional backing from Alumni Ventures, Massive, Calm Ventures, Gaingels, and several angel investors. That round brought the company’s total funding to $13.5 million, fueling both product development and international expansion.
Final Thoughts
As AI systems become more deeply embedded into critical industries—from finance to healthcare—the need for real-time, AI-native security will only grow. Operant AI is positioning itself at the forefront of this shift, bringing its expertise and cutting-edge platform to one of the fastest-growing AI markets in the world.
With India’s tech ecosystem embracing AI at full speed, Operant AI’s entry could not be more timely—or more necessary.
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