fbpx

Checkstep Raises $1.8M Seed Funding to Combat Online Toxicity

Early stage startup gets funding for R&D effort to develop advanced content moderation technology

We’re thrilled to announce that Checkstep recently closed a $1.8m seed funding round to further develop our advanced AI product offering contextual content moderation. The round was carefully selected to be diverse, international, and with a significant added value to our business. Influential personalities of the tech industry from the U.S. and U.K., but also from France, Bulgaria and Singapore are backing Checkstep, including many previous founders of online platforms, such as Joe White MBE, co-founder of Moonfruit.com and British Consul General in San Francisco, Jon Oringer who founded Shutterstock, a leading photography provider, as well as technology specialists, such as William Tunstall-Pedoe, who founded Evi, which became Amazon Alexa, and Diana Hu, who leads the AR platform at Niantic the company behind Pokemon Go.

This investment will go into R&D to scale the software to deliver the additional functionality required to build a unique content moderation platform that manages the entire content lifecycle, from the policy definition to the management of the appeal process.

Checkstep was founded in 2020 with an initial focus on misinformation, but the founders soon realized that the mission of creating an inclusive internet involves addressing all potential forms of online harm from hate speech, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to terrorist propaganda. Our company is building a 360-degree AI service set to help digital community providers prepare for the regulatory changes ahead while quickly scaling up their capacity to address and help growing online communities. Checkstep’s AI is also fully designed for interoperability through third party integrations, making Checkstep unique in its market segment.

We were featured in DCMS’s recent UK Safety Tech Sector Analysis report as a new addition to their list of safety tech providers. The U.K. is a pivotal epicenter of opportunity across innovation and technology, and Checkstep was chosen through a rigorous application and selection process as just one of ten companies from over 200 applications this year into the Oxford Foundry accelerator’s fourth cohort, giving direct coaching advice from incredible advisors such as Kevin Roberts, Executive Chairman of Saatchi and Saatchi, a leading PR firm, and and resources.

Since its beginning, Checkstep’s leadership team has received direct coaching from the former CTO of Disney, Chairman and ex-CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, and the founder of Evernote, a leading productivity software company. This has enabled us to expand and confirm our business strategy, and prioritise our product roadmap much more effectively.

“It is positive to discover startups like Checkstep that support platforms in taking content moderation to the heart of what they do, to build trust and safety with their users. What struck me about the Checkstep team is they also recognise the need to address AI bias, and with Guillaume’s pedigree in this sector, it seems like the right balance of technological know-how and ethical understanding and care, we are excited to see how Checkstep develops as a company and service provider over the coming months.” — Jon Oringer, Founder of Shutterstock

We’re very proud to be backed by such strong investors who believe in our product.

More posts like this

We want content moderation to enhance your users’ experience and so they can find their special one more easily.

How Video Game Bullying is Threatening the Future of the Industry

Video games have become an integral part of modern entertainment, offering immersive experiences and interactive gameplay. With the rise in popularity of online multiplayer games, a dark side has emerged : video game bullying. This pervasive issue threatens the well-being of players and the reputation of the entire video game industry. In this article, we…
4 minutes

Content Moderation for Virtual Reality

What is content moderation in virtual reality? Content moderation in virtual reality (VR) is the process of monitoring and managing user-generated content within VR platforms to make sure it meets certain standards and guidelines. This can include text, images, videos, and any actions within the 3D virtual environment. Given the interactive and immersive nature of…
31 minutes

How to Respond Faster to Crises with Self-Serve Queues

On May 26th, what began as a moment of celebration for Liverpool FC fans turned tragic when a car drove through the club’s Premier League victory parade on Water Street injuring 79 people including four children. As the news came out, videos and posts of eyewitnesses flooded social media. Moments like these bring more than…
4 minutes

The Evolution of Content Moderation Rules Throughout The Years

The birth of the digital public sphere This article is contributed by Ahmed Medien. Online forums and social marketplaces have become a large part of the internet in the past 20 years since the early bulletin boards on the internet and AOL chat rooms. Today, users moved primarily to social platforms, platforms that host user-generated content. These…
7 minutes

Emerging Threats in AI Content Moderation : Deep Learning and Contextual Analysis 

With the rise of user-generated content across various platforms, artificial intelligence (AI) has played a crucial role in automating the moderation process. However, as AI algorithms become more sophisticated, emerging threats in content moderation are also on the horizon. This article explores two significant challenges: the use of deep learning and contextual analysis in AI…
4 minutes

Fake Dating Images: Your Ultimate Moderation Guide

Introduction: Combatting fake dating images to protect your platform With growing number of user concerns highlighting fake dating images to mislead users, dating platforms are facing a growing challenge. These pictures are not only a threat to dating platform's integrity but it also erodes user trusts and exposes companies to reputational and compliance risks. In…
5 minutes

Live Chat Content Moderation Guide

During any live streaming nowadays, whether it be a content creator on Youtube, an influencer on Instagram, or even live sports in some cases, there's always some sort of live chat. These are public commentary sections where viewers can interact and share their thoughts and opinions, but depending on which event or what sort of…
6 minutes

What is Content Moderation ? 

Content moderation is the strategic process of evaluating, filtering, and regulating user-generated content on digital ecosystems. It plays a crucial role in fostering a safe and positive user experience by removing or restricting content that violates community guidelines, is harmful, or could offend users. An effective moderation system is designed to strike a delicate balance…
5 minutes

Customizing AI Content Moderation for Different Industries and Platforms

With the exponential growth of user-generated content across various industries and platforms, the need for effective and tailored content moderation solutions has never been more apparent. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a major role in automating content moderation processes, but customization is key to address the unique challenges faced by different industries and platforms. Understanding Industry-Specific…
3 minutes

Trust and Safety Teams: Ensuring User Protection

As the internet becomes an integral part of our daily lives, companies must prioritize the safety and security of their users. This responsibility falls on trust and safety teams, whose primary goal is to protect users from fraud, abuse, and other harmful behavior.  Trust and Safety Teams Objectives  The Role of Trust and Safety Teams…
6 minutes

How to Protect Online Food Delivery Users: The Critical Role of Moderation

Nowadays, most people can’t remember the last time they called a restaurant and asked for their food to be delivered. In fact, most people can’t recall the last time they called a restaurant for anything. In this new era of convenience, food delivery has undergone a revolutionary transformation. What once involved a phone call to…
5 minutes

Text Moderation: Scale your content moderation with AI

In today's interconnected world, text-based communication has become a fundamental part of our daily lives. However, with the exponential growth of user-generated text content on digital platforms, ensuring a safe and inclusive online environment has become a daunting task. Text moderation plays a critical role in filtering and managing user-generated content to prevent harmful or…
4 minutes

How AI is Revolutionizing Content Moderation in Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives, connecting us with friends, family, and the world at large. Still, with the exponential growth of user-generated content, ensuring a safe and positive user experience has become a daunting task. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes into play, revolutionizing the way social media…
3 minutes

The Role of a Content Moderator: Ensuring Safety and Integrity in the Digital World

In today's digital world, the role of a content moderator is central to ensuring the safety and integrity of online platforms. Content moderators are responsible for reviewing and moderating user-generated content to ensure that it complies with the platform's policies and guidelines, and the laws and regulations. Their work is crucial in creating a safe…
5 minutes

Navigating Relationships: Why Content Moderation Plays a Critical Role in Modern Dating

Since the invention of dating websites in 1995, the way potential partners meet and form relationships has changed completely. However, with this convenience comes the challenge of ensuring a safe and positive user experience, which becomes increasingly tedious and time-consuming as more users enter the platform. This is where AI content moderation comes in handy,…
4 minutes

Prevent unwanted content from reaching your platform

Speak to one of our experts and learn about using AI to protect your platform
Talk to an expert