The German startup detects online hate, digital violence and misinformation in 89 languages in real time and works with prosecutors and police along with commercial clients. The investors were not disclosed.
Penemue, the Freiburg-based TrustTech startup that develops artificial intelligence to detect and counter online hate speech, digital violence and misinformation, has raised more than €1.7 million in a new funding round. The investors were not disclosed.
The company was founded by Jonas Navid Mehrabanian Al-Nemri, Sara Egetemeyr and Marlon Lückert. Egetemeyr, co-founder and CEO, framed the problem in terms that go beyond individual victims: “It’s not just the people affected who are the victims, but everyone who reads, the fans, the communities and the next generation.”
Penemue’s technology monitors social media comments and direct messages in real time in 89 languages, identifying content that constitutes hate speech, threats or potentially criminal communication, including coded language, slang, dialects and emojis.
The AI is continually updated to recognize newly emerging terms and cultural nuances. Users receive immediate alerts and can hide or remove problematic content with a single click, or file a complaint directly through the platform to initiate legal proceedings.
An impact evaluation carried out by the University of Mannheim has documented positive effects in the fight against digital violence.
The customer base spans Bundesliga clubs from Germany’s first and second divisions, politicians operating at federal level, companies, media and artists and influencers from all over Germany and Europe.
Penemue also works directly with prosecutors, law enforcement authorities, and official reporting offices to enable more consistent processing of digital crimes. The dual track, commercial SaaS for organizations and licensing to governments that distribute the tool to politicians and NGOs, reflects a deliberate choice to operate as a for-profit company rather than one dependent on grants.
Egetemeyr has noted that raising the capital needed to quickly develop expensive AI technology is easier as a private company, especially when investors share the underlying mission.
The legal tailwind behind the market is concrete. under the EU Digital Services LawOrganizations that operate digital communication channels are legally required to implement protection measures against harmful content, a mandate that creates compliance-driven demand for platforms like Penemue’s, regardless of social engagement.
The new capital will finance further development of AI, new European and international partnerships and deeper cooperation with public institutions.
Penemue is a member of Deutsche Telekom’s TechBoost program and a partner of the #NoHateSpeech initiative, and has previously been recognized as Baden-Württemberg AI Champion.
