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§ Private Profile · Easton, MD, USA
AI-powered risk intelligence platform screening social media and public data for HR teams and compliance, mitigating reputational risks.
Easton, Maryland-based Ferretly provides an artificial intelligence-powered risk intelligence platform that screens social media and public online data to identify behavioral patterns and mitigate corporate reputational risks. The software-as-a-service company operates with a workforce of 38 employees and analyzes a database of over 225 million digital profiles to assist human resources teams, compliance leaders, and local law enforcement agencies. In August 2024, the enterprise secured $2.5 million in seed funding to launch new election personnel screening tools, bringing its total capital raised to just under $5 million across three financing rounds. The executive leadership team brings prior enterprise software experience from building and scaling technology startups like Pipestream and Avrio, which were subsequently acquired by major multinational corporations including BMC Software and Hitachi. Ferretly was officially founded in 2019 by serial technology entrepreneur Darrin Lipscomb.
Ferretly has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds.
Ferretly has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Ferretly has raised $4.5M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $2.5M Seed in August 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15, 2024 | $2.5M Seed | — | — | Announced |
| May 1, 2023 | $2M Seed | Bull City Venture Partners | General Catalyst | Announced |
Ferretly has raised $4.5M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Ferretly's investors include Bull City Venture Partners, General Catalyst.
Ferretly is an AI-powered social media screening platform that analyzes public online data to identify behavioral risks, helping organizations mitigate reputational threats during hiring and vetting.[1][2][3][4] It serves HR teams, compliance leaders, tech/gig platforms, gaming companies, dating apps, public agencies, nonprofits, and enterprises like Deloitte, Blizzard Entertainment, and Paramount Global, solving the problem of "digital blind spots" in traditional background checks by flagging issues like threats, prejudice, drugs, offensive gestures, extremist symbols, and weapons.[3][4][5][6] With over 1,000 customers in 35+ countries, Ferretly has analyzed 225M+ posts, surfaced 6M+ behaviors, and raised $2.5M in seed funding in 2024, showing strong growth in high-stakes verification for safer workplaces and communities.[3][4]
Ferretly was founded in 2019 by Darrin Lipscomb, an experienced entrepreneur who previously built and sold software startups Pipestream to BMC Software and Avrio to Hitachi.[1][3][4] Based in Easton, Maryland, the idea emerged from Lipscomb's recognition that traditional background checks miss critical online signals—like threats, racist remarks, or misconduct—that could misalign candidates with company values.[4] Early traction built through AI enhancements for image classification (e.g., detecting middle fingers, Nazi symbols, weapons) and expansions into sectors like election personnel screening, influencer vetting, and NFL draft processes, leading to adoption by global clients including police forces and political parties in the U.K., New Zealand, and Canada.[4]
Ferretly rides the AI ethics and trust verification trend in HR tech, where digital footprints increasingly predict real-world risks amid rising remote work, gig economies, and online toxicity.[2][4][6] Timing aligns with post-2020 scrutiny on workplace culture, DEI backlash, and regulatory demands (e.g., FCRA/GDPR), amplified by events like elections and high-profile scandals, making social vetting essential for brands protecting reputation.[3][4] Market forces like exploding social data volumes and AI advancements favor Ferretly, positioning it against competitors like Fama and Social Intelligence by emphasizing proactive, values-aligned screening that influences safer ecosystems in tech platforms, gaming, and public safety.[1][2]
Ferretly is poised for expansion with its 2024 funding fueling tools for election screening, influencer vetting, and gig safety, targeting deeper AI for real-time monitoring and global compliance.[4] Trends like AI regulation, zero-trust hiring, and metaverse toxicity will propel growth, potentially evolving Ferretly into a full-spectrum digital risk platform influencing how organizations build trust at scale. As digital behaviors define reputations, Ferretly's mission to close blind spots will remain core to fortifying cultures in an always-online world.[3][7]