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Finalisten ATHENE UP25@it-sa: Interview with NENNA.AI
NENNA.AI is one of the five finalists for the ATHENE UP25@it-sa Award
The startup NENNA.AI is one of the five finalists in the running for this year's ATHENE Startup Award UP25@it-sa. We met with the startup, which offers an AI privacy infrastructure, for an interview.
Your startup in one sentence?
We provide the AI privacy infrastructure that finally allows companies to use AI in the way they often already do secretly in shadow AI usage—only with data security, without sleepless nights, and without giving away their data to international corporations and risking data leaks.
How did your business idea come about?
Between our own AI euphoria and the phrase, “We're not really allowed to use that...” – so we built a solution that makes the “really” redundant. We believe that AI can only be successful for companies in the long term if it is secure.
How big is your team, who is in it, and how did you find each other?
Large enough to solve complex problems. Lean enough to avoid getting bogged down in meetings. We know each other from our long-standing personal network and launched NENNA.AI together in 2024.
Who profits from your product/your solution, and why?
Anyone who doesn't just want to “test” AI in their company, but wants to use it immediately in a way that is truly secure, simple, and user-friendly. This puts those responsible in the driver's seat and frees them from liability and data risks.
What are your next steps?
Fight Shadow-AI: with NENNA we want to set the new standard for safe AI use in Europe.
Why are you convinced that you will be successful?
Because AI without control is like driving a car without a steering wheel. And we supply the steering wheel – suitable for every AI and made in Germany.
What have been the biggest successes and hurdles/low points so far?
Success: First customers who say: Everyone needs this!
Low point: Every time someone thinks that EU hosting of AI models is inherently data-secure and that, as a German company, you should only rely on global players.
Why did you apply for the ATHENE Startup Award UP25@it-sa?
Because we want to show that secure AI is clearly part of cyber resilience. The topic needs more visibility; too often, people look the other way. And that you can rock data protection. And prize money is prize money, after all :)
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