Apate.AI
Category: AI in Cybersecurity
AI-powered cyber-intelligence startup developing an anti-scam bot army to disrupt and dismantle the business models of scammers. Apate.AI was founded in 2024. The company is led by Dali Kaafar. Based in Sydney, Australia. Team size: 11-50. Total funding raised: $2.5 million. Latest round: Seed. Key investors include Lobby Capital, OIF Ventures, Investible, Concept Ventures, Baobab Ventures.
- Founded
- 2024
- Headquarters
- Sydney, Australia
- Team size
- 11-50
- Total funding
- $2.5 million
Value proposition
Proactively disrupts scam operations by deploying advanced conversational AI bots to waste scammers' time and resources, while gathering intelligence to protect businesses and communities.
Products and solutions
AI-powered conversational bots (bot army), Real-time scam intelligence and analytics platform
Unique value
Apate.AI's approach is unique as it moves beyond mere detection and blocking of scams. It actively engages with scammers using an army of AI bots to waste their time and disrupt their operations, effectively 'scamming the scammers'.
Target customer
Telecommunications providers, financial institutions, governments, and law enforcement agencies.
Industries served
Telecommunications, Financial Services, Government, Law Enforcement
Technology advantage
The core advantage lies in their advanced conversational AI and the ability to gather real-time intelligence on scam operations. This proactive disruption model provides a higher level of protection and actionable insights compared to traditional reactive cybersecurity measures.
How they differentiate
Apate.AI differentiates itself by proactively 'scamming the scammers.' It uses an army of advanced conversational AI bots to engage with and waste scammers' time, aiming to disrupt their business models from the inside, rather than just blocking or detecting them. This approach also allows them to gather near real-time intelligence on scam tactics.
Main competitors
Nexusflow, AirMDR, CallAssistant.AI
Key partnerships
Macquarie University Cyber Security Hub, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, TPG Telecom, Mobileum — partnership announced September 9, 2026, integrating Apate conversational AI agents with Mobileum's Active Intelligence Platform for telecom scam disruption.
Notable customers
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank)
Major milestones
Secured $2.5 million in a Seed funding round., Launched a pilot program with Commonwealth Bank, Australia's largest bank., Received federal funding from Australia's Economic Accelerator (AEA) and the Office of National Intelligence., Successfully spun out of Macquarie University's cybersecurity research hub.
Growth metrics
As of August 31, 2026, Apate reported more than 2.5 million autonomous conversations with threat actors and over 250,000 intelligence artefacts extracted. The approximately 2 billion blocked-call figure refers to Australian telecommunications providers collectively, not Apate's performance.
Market positioning
Positioned as a specialized cyber-intelligence firm focused on proactive disruption of scam operations through AI-powered counter-scamming technology.
Geographic focus
Expanding globally across North America and Europe, alongside operations in Australia, Asia and Africa. Reincorporated in Delaware effective August 25, 2026; technology and research remain in Sydney, with a London office planned.
Patents and IP
Information not publicly available.
About Dali Kaafar
Founder & CEO of Apate.AI with over 15 years in cybersecurity research. Previously served as a Senior Principal Research Scientist at CSIRO's Data61 and is currently the Executive Director of the Macquarie University Cyber Security Hub.
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Official website: https://www.apate.ai/