Penemue secures €1.7M to enhance AI hate speech detection capabilities.

      The German startup specializes in identifying online hate, digital violence, and disinformation in real time across 89 languages, collaborating with public prosecutors, police, and commercial clients. The identities of the investors remain undisclosed.

      Penemue, a TrustTech startup based in Freiburg, focuses on developing AI to detect and combat online hate speech, digital violence, and disinformation. It has successfully raised over €1.7 million in its latest funding round, although investor details are not available.

      The company was founded by Jonas Navid Mehrabanian Al-Nemri, Sara Egetemeyr, and Marlon Lückert. Egetemeyr, who acts as co-founder and managing director, described the issue as affecting more than just individual victims: “It's not only the individuals who are impacted who are victims, but also everyone who witnesses the situation, including fans, communities, and the next generation.”

      Penemue’s technology tracks comments and direct messages on social media in real time across 89 languages, pinpointing content that qualifies as hate speech, threats, or potentially illegal communication, which includes coded language, slang, dialects, and emojis. The AI is continually updated to recognize new terms and cultural distinctions. Users receive instant notifications and can hide or remove problematic content with just one click, or report it directly through the platform for legal action.

      An impact assessment by the University of Mannheim has shown beneficial results in addressing digital violence.

      Penemue's clients include Bundesliga clubs from the first and second divisions in Germany, federal politicians, companies, media organizations, as well as artists and influencers across Germany and Europe. Penemue also collaborates directly with public prosecutors, police, and official reporting agencies to ensure more uniform prosecution of digital crimes. The dual approach involves commercial SaaS for organizations and licensing to governments, who can offer the tool to politicians and NGOs, representing a strategic decision to function as a for-profit entity rather than relying on grants.

      Egetemeyr pointed out that securing the necessary funding to rapidly develop costly AI technology is more feasible as a private firm, especially when investors align with the core mission.

      The legal framework driving the market is robust. According to the EU Digital Services Act, organizations managing digital communication platforms are legally mandated to adopt protective measures against harmful content, generating compliance-driven demand for solutions like Penemue’s, independent of any social motivations.

      The newly acquired funding will support further advancements in AI, new partnerships at the European and international levels, and enhanced cooperation with public institutions.

      Penemue is part of Deutsche Telekom’s TechBoost programme, is associated with the #NoHateSpeech initiative, and has previously been acknowledged as the AI Champion of Baden-Württemberg.