BNY today announced the successful graduation of five cutting-edge AI and cybersecurity startups from its 2025 Ascent Program, a structured proof-of-concept (POC) platform designed to help early-stage companies validate their solutions in real-world financial services environments.

The Ascent Program, led by BNY’s Strategic Partnerships, Investments & Innovation (SPIN) team, is providing emerging technology companies with direct access to business and technology leaders, rigorous POC frameworks, and feedback to accelerate product development and go-to-market readiness.

This year’s cohort spent six months working alongside BNY teams to explore solutions to complex challenges across AI governance, cyber defense, market intelligence, and operational risk.

2025 Cohort Highlights:

• Protect AI – Having recently announced a pending acquisition by Palo Alto Networks, Protect AI delivers real-time AI security, including vulnerability scanning and threat prevention tools for enterprise AI systems.
• Calypso AI – An AI Inference security platform that secures the full AI application and agent development life-cycle through its AI red teaming and defensive security solutions.
• Reality Defender – A leader in deepfake detection, offering an API-driven platform that proactively identifies AI-generated impersonation fraud and mitigates risks from synthetic media.
• AgentSmyth – An autonomous agent platform delivering real-time investment intelligence to institutional traders through AI-powered decision support.
• Deep Tempo – Specializes in predictive cybersecurity, using purpose built deep learning to detect and help to prevent cyber threats before they materialize.

“We are thrilled to support some of the most innovative companies shaping the future of financial technology,” said Marianna Lopert-Schaye, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, Investments & Innovation at BNY. “The Ascent Program is uniquely positioned to help these companies validate and scale their ideas with real institutional input—while helping BNY future-proof our infrastructure and advance safe, responsible innovation.”

The Ascent Program reflects BNY’s commitment to fostering innovation not just within the firm, but across the broader fintech ecosystem. By working hand-in-hand with emerging companies at critical growth stages, the company aims to accelerate the adoption of secure, scalable technologies that benefit markets globally.