• Nisien.AI was founded in 2023 and is already working with social media platforms and major brands to detect and respond to online harms in real time
• Funding and key appointments set to unlock new product growth at the Cardiff-based innovator including a tool to support moderation of conflict between social media users, fostering healthy conversations and user/customer retention

Cardiff, March 2025: Nisien.AI a pioneering Welsh artificial intelligence start-up based in Cardiff, has received investment from the British Business Bank’s £130m Investment Fund for Wales via Foresight Group and the Development Bank of Wales, in a joint investment.

Founded less than two years ago by two Cardiff University academics, Professors Matt Williams (Criminology) and Pete Burnap (Data Science, AI), Nisien.AI uses scientifically informed cutting-edge technology to detect and respond to online harms, such as online conflict, to support healthy debate and conversations.

The investment comes just over a year since the Investment Fund for Wales was launched in November 2023, by the government-backed British Business Bank, to boost the supply of early-stage finance to small and medium-sized businesses across Wales. 

Nisien.AI, which already has 14 employees, is working with key customers ranging from the top five social media platforms to global brands.

The new investment will enable the company to continue to innovate and scale, making key hires and accelerating R&D to develop and bring to market novel and disruptive products, like its maiden revenue generating product “HERO Detect”, which deploys AI algorithms to accurately detect and classify harms across online platforms in real-time. 

In addition to identifying and responding to online harms, the company is also working on new AI products based on emerging scientific evidence on ‘what works’, in building cohesive integrated online spaces. These distinctive products address user/customer retention issues on social media platforms and brand channels, by using a non-censorship approach that protects freedom of expression.

These products will support content moderation and longer term healthy online conversation and community integration. This functionality is essential given the polarising debate around issues of freedom of speech, where the current option to censor content is sub-optimal for users, platforms and brands.

Alongside the investment, Foresight has introduced an experienced Chairman, Tony Stockham, to the business. Tony has worked with Foresight in the past to scale technology businesses and was formerly both an academic and successful entrepreneur in the field of AI.

The founders, who are taking on the roles of Chief Science Officer (Williams) and Chief AI Officer (Burnap) at Nisien, will also remain employees of Cardiff University. They are supported by senior industry hires, including Lee Gainer, former CFO of Wealthify who has joined as CEO; Dean Doyle, former Head of Delivery at HateLab, who has joined as Chief Operating Officer; and Rhodri Hewitson, former Principal Engineer at AM Digital, who has joined as Head of Engineering.

Lee Gainer, CEO at Nisien.AI added: "It's an incredibly exciting time to be growing a challenger business in this sector. With the Online Safety Act being implemented soon, we believe the growth potential for Nisien.AI is huge. With the support of Foresight, the Development Bank of Wales and the British Business Bank, we look forward to accelerating the great start the business has made since its formation and continuing to grow, creating sustainable new tech jobs here in Cardiff."

Ruby Godrich, Investment Manager at Foresight comments: “We are excited to be working with the Development Bank of Wales on our first joint investment into Nisien AI. We are keen to see the improvements Nisien.AI will provide to online safety and look forward to working together with the Nisien team.”

Bethan Bannister, Senior Investment Manager at the British Business Bank, said: “The Investment Fund for Wales was established to provide the financial backing that pioneering and ambitious companies like Nisien.AI so often need, and we are pleased to support their growth plans as they continue to innovate and scale. The company has certainly established itself as one-to-watch on the Welsh tech scene and we’re looking forward to tracking their success as they continue on their journey.” 

Hannah Mallen, Assistant Investment Executive at the Development Bank of Wales, said: “Nisien is a great example of a Welsh business working at the cutting edge of a rapidly developing field. Part of our aim at the Development Bank is to support businesses in Wales with strong growth potential and a positive social impact. Nisien’s work will be increasingly important in the rapidly evolving and increasingly topical world of social media, and we’re glad to have supported them during this round. We look forward to working with Foresight to support the business.”

ENDS

Advisers:
FDD: SME Finance Partners (Chris Thomas)
Foresight Legals: Geldards (Alex Butler and Mina Dimitrova)
Tech DD: Woodstreet Research (Cai Gwinnutt)
DBW Legals: Blake Morgan
Nisien Legals: Acuity

For more information, please contact:
Lauren Tunnicliffe, Senior Communications Manager, British Business Bank, lauren.tunnicliffe@british-business-bank.co.uk

Lydia Lambert, Working Word, lydia.lambert@workingword.co.uk      

Notes to editors
About the Investment Fund for Wales
Operated by the British Business Bank, the Investment Fund for Wales (IFW) provides a mix of debt and equity funding. IFW will offer a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million. It works alongside the various support and funding organisations from Welsh Government as well as local intermediaries such as accountants, fund managers and banks, to support Wales’ smaller businesses at all stages of their development.

The funds in which the IFW invests are open to businesses with material operations, or planning to open material operations, in all areas of Wales, including but not limited to North Eastern Wales, North Western Wales, Mid Wales, South West Wales and South East Wales.

Supported by Nations and Regions Investments Limited, a subsidiary of British Business Bank plc, the Bank is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. Neither Nations and Regions Investments Limited nor British Business Bank plc are authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

www.investmentfundwales.co.uk

About Foresight Group (“Foresight”) 
Founded in 1984, Foresight is a leading investment manager in real assets and capital for growth, operating across UK, Europe, and Australia.

With decades of experience, Foresight offers investors access to attractive investment opportunities at the forefront of change.  Foresight actively builds and grows investment solutions to support the energy transition, decarbonise industry, enhance nature recovery and realise the economic potential of ambitious companies.

A constituent of the FTSE 250 index, Foresight’s diversified investment strategies combine financial and operational skillsets to maximise asset value and provide attractive returns to its investors. Its wide range of private and public funds is complemented with a variety of investment solutions designed for the retail market.
Foresight is united by a shared commitment to build a sustainable future and grow thriving companies and economies.

Visit https://foresight.group for more information.
Follow us on LinkedIn for key updates.

 

For more information contact:
Chris Barry, Influential: Barry@thisisinfluential.com / +44 (0)7733 103 693
Foresight Group: marketing@foresightgroup.eu / +44 (0)20 3667 8100

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• Sefydlwyd Nisien.AI yn 2023 ac mae eisoes yn gweithio ar blatfformau cymdeithasol a brandiau mawr i ganfod ac ymateb i niwed ar-lein mewn amser real
• Cyllid a phenodiadau allweddol i ddatgloi twf cynnyrch newydd yn arloeswr o Gaerdydd gan gynnwys offeryn i gefnogi cymedroli gwrthdaro rhwng defnyddwyr cyfryngau cymdeithasol, meithrin sgyrsiau iach a chadw defnyddwyr/cwsmeriaid

Caerdydd, Chwefror 2025: Mae Nisien.AI, cwmni newydd arloesol ym maes deallusrwydd artiffisial o Gymru sydd wedi’i leoli yng Nghaerdydd, wedi derbyn buddsoddiad gan Gronfa Buddsoddi Cymru o £130m gan Fanc Busnes Prydain drwy Foresight Group a Banc Datblygu Cymru, mewn buddsoddiad ar y cyd.

Wedi’i sefydlu lai na dwy flynedd yn ôl gan ddau academydd o Brifysgol Caerdydd, yr Athro Matt Williams (Troseddeg) a’r Athro Pete Burnap (Gwyddoniaeth Data, AI), mae Nisien.AI yn defnyddio technoleg flaengar sy’n seiliedig ar wybodaeth wyddonol i ganfod ac ymateb i niwed ar-lein, megis gwrthdaro ar-lein, i gefnogi dadl a sgyrsiau iach.

Daw’r buddsoddiad ychydig dros flwyddyn ers lansio Cronfa Fuddsoddi Cymru ym mis Tachwedd 2023, gan Fanc Busnes Prydain a gefnogir gan y llywodraeth, i hybu’r cyflenwad o gyllid cyfnod cynnar i fusnesau bach a chanolig ledled Cymru.

Mae Nisien.AI, sydd eisoes â 14 o weithwyr, yn gweithio gyda chwsmeriaid allweddol yn amrywio o'r pum platfform cyfryngau cymdeithasol gorau i frandiau byd-eang

Bydd y buddsoddiad newydd yn galluogi'r cwmni i barhau i arloesi a graddio, gan wneud llogi allweddol a chyflymu ymchwil a datblygu i ddatblygu a dod â chynhyrchion newydd ac aflonyddgar i'r farchnad, fel ei gynnyrch cynhyrchu refeniw cyntaf HERO Detect, sy'n defnyddio algorithmau AI i ganfod a dosbarthu niwed yn gywir ar draws llwyfannau ar-lein mewn amser real.

Yn ogystal â nodi ac ymateb i niwed ar-lein, mae'r cwmni hefyd yn gweithio ar gynhyrchion AI newydd yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth wyddonol sy'n dod i'r amlwg ar 'yr hyn sy'n gweithio' wrth adeiladu mannau ar-lein integredig cydlynol. Mae'r cynhyrchion nodedig hyn yn mynd i'r afael â materion cadw defnyddwyr/cwsmeriaid ar blatfformau cyfryngau cymdeithasol a sianeli brand, trwy ddefnyddio dull di-sensoriaeth sy'n amddiffyn rhyddid mynegiant.

Bydd y cynhyrchion hyn yn cefnogi cymedroli cynnwys a sgwrsio ar-lein iach yn y tymor hwy ac integreiddio cymunedol. Mae'r swyddogaeth hon yn hanfodol o ystyried y ddadl polareiddio ynghylch materion rhyddid i lefaru, lle nad yw'r opsiwn presennol i sensro cynnwys yn ddigon da i ddefnyddwyr, platfformau a brandiau.

Ochr yn ochr â’r buddsoddiad, mae Foresight wedi cyflwyno Cadeirydd profiadol, Tony Stockham, i’r busnes. Mae Tony wedi gweithio gyda Foresight yn y gorffennol i raddio busnesau technoleg a bu gynt yn academydd ac yn fentergarwr ym maes DA.

Bydd y sylfaenwyr, sy'n ymgymryd â rolau Prif Swyddog Gwyddoniaeth (Williams) a Phrif Swyddog AI (Burnap) yn Nisien, hefyd yn parhau i fod yn weithwyr cyflogedig Prifysgol Caerdydd. Cânt eu cefnogi gan uwch-gyflogwyr diwydiant, gan gynnwys Lee Gainer, cyn Brif Swyddog Ariannol Wealthify sydd wedi ymuno fel Prif Weithredwr; Dean Doyle, cyn Bennaeth Cyflenwi HateLab , sydd wedi ymuno fel Prif Swyddog Gweithredu; a Rhodri Hewitson, cyn Brif Beiriannydd yn AM Digital, sydd wedi ymuno fel Pennaeth Peirianneg.

Ychwanegodd Lee Gainer, Prif Weithredwr Nisien.AI: "Mae'n amser hynod gyffrous i fod yn tyfu busnes heriwr yn y sector hwn. Gyda'r Ddeddf Diogelwch Ar-lein yn cael ei rhoi ar waith yn fuan, credwn fod y potensial twf ar gyfer Nisien.AI yn enfawr. Gyda chefnogaeth Foresight, Banc Datblygu Cymru a Banc Busnes Prydain, edrychwn ymlaen at gyflymu ar y dechrau gwych y mae'r busnes wedi'i wneud ers hynny, gan greu swyddi cynaliadwy ym maes technoleg newydd, gan greu swyddi newydd ym maes technoleg a datblygu cynaliadwy."

Ruby Godrich, Rheolwr Buddsoddi yn Foresight: “Rydym yn gyffrous i fod yn gweithio gyda Banc Datblygu Cymru ar ein buddsoddiad cyntaf ar y cyd yn Nisien AI. Rydym yn awyddus i weld y gwelliannau y bydd Nisien.AI yn eu darparu i ddiogelwch ar-lein ac edrychwn ymlaen at gydweithio â thîm Nisien .”

Dywedodd Bethan Bannister, Uwch Reolwr Buddsoddi gyda Banc Busnes Prydain: “Cafodd Cronfa Fuddsoddi Cymru ei sefydlu i ddarparu’r gefnogaeth ariannol sydd ei hangen mor aml ar gwmnïau arloesol ac uchelgeisiol fel Nisien.AI, ac rydym yn falch o gefnogi eu cynlluniau twf wrth iddynt barhau i arloesi a chynyddu. Mae’r cwmni yn sicr wedi sefydlu ei hun fel un-i-wyliadwrus ar y sin dechnoleg Gymreig ac rydym yn edrych ymlaen at olrhain eu llwyddiant wrth iddynt barhau ar eu taith.”

Dywedodd Hannah Mallen, Swyddog Buddsoddi Cynorthwyol gyda Banc Datblygu Cymru: “Mae Nisien yn enghraifft wych o fusnes Cymreig sy’n gweithio ar flaen y gad mewn maes sy’n datblygu’n gyflym. Rhan o’n nod yn y Banc Datblygu yw cefnogi busnesau yng Nghymru sydd â photensial twf cryf ac effaith gymdeithasol gadarnhaol. Bydd gwaith Nisien yn gynyddol bwysig ym myd y cyfryngau cymdeithasol sy'n datblygu'n gyflym ac yn fwyfwy cyfoes, ac rydym yn falch o fod wedi eu cefnogi yn ystod y rownd hon. Edrychwn ymlaen at weithio gyda Foresight i gefnogi’r busnes.”

DIWEDD

Cynghorwyr:
FDD: SME Finance Partners (Chris Thomas)
Foresight Legals: Geldards (Alex Butler and Mina Dimitrova)
Tech DD: Woodstreet Research (Cai Gwinnutt)
Cynrychiolwyr Cyfreithiol BDC / DBW Legals: Blake Morgan
Nisien Legals: Acuity

I gael rhagor o wybodaeth: www.cronfafuddsoddicymru.co.uk

Am ragor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch â:

Lauren Tunnicliffe, Uwch Reolwr Cyfathrebu, Banc Busnes Prydain, lauren.tunnicliffe@british-business-bank.co.uk 

Lydia Lambert, Working Word, lydia.lambert@workingword.co.uk      

Nodiadau i olygyddion
Am Gronfa Fuddsoddi Cymru
Yn cael ei gweithredu gan Fanc Busnes Prydain, mae Cronfa Fuddsoddi Cymru (CBC) yn darparu cymysgedd o gyllid dyled ac ecwiti. Bydd CBC yn cynnig amrywiaeth o opsiynau cyllid masnachol gyda benthyciadau llai o £25k i £100k, cyllid dyled o £100k i £2m a buddsoddiad ecwiti hyd at £5 miliwn. Mae'n gweithio ochr yn ochr â'r sefydliadau cymorth a chyllid amrywiol gan Lywodraeth Cymru yn ogystal â chyfryngwyr lleol fel cyfrifwyr, rheolwyr cronfeydd a banciau, i gefnogi busnesau llai Cymru ar bob cam o'u datblygiad.

Mae’r cronfeydd y mae’r CBC yn buddsoddi ynddynt yn agored i fusnesau sydd â gweithrediadau materol, neu sy’n bwriadu agor gweithrediadau deunydd, ym mhob rhan o Gymru, gan gynnwys ond heb fod yn gyfyngedig i Ogledd-ddwyrain Cymru, Gogledd Orllewin Cymru, Canolbarth Cymru, De-orllewin Cymru a De-ddwyrain Cymru.

Gyda chefnogaeth Nations and Regions Investments Limited, is-gwmni i British Business Bank plc, mae’r Banc yn fanc datblygu sy’n eiddo’n gyfan gwbl i Lywodraeth EM. Nid yw Nations and Regions Investments Limited na British Business Bank plc wedi’u hawdurdodi na’u rheoleiddio gan yr Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Darbodus (ARhD) na’r Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol (AYA).

www.cronfafuddsoddicymru.co.uk

Ynglŷn â Foresight Group (“Foresight”)
Wedi'i sefydlu ym 1984, mae Foresight yn rheolwr buddsoddi blaenllaw mewn asedau real a chyfalaf ar gyfer twf, gan weithredu ar draws y DU, Ewrop ac Awstralia.
Gyda degawdau o brofiad, mae Foresight yn cynnig mynediad i fuddsoddwyr i gyfleoedd buddsoddi deniadol sydd ar flaen y gad o ran newid. Mae Foresight yn mynd ati i adeiladu a thyfu atebion buddsoddi i gefnogi'r trawsnewid ynni, datgarboneiddio diwydiant, gwella adferiad natur a gwireddu potensial economaidd cwmnïau uchelgeisiol.

Yn rhan o fynegai FTSE 250, mae strategaethau buddsoddi amrywiol Foresight yn cyfuno setiau sgiliau ariannol a gweithredol i uchafu gwerth asedau a darparu enillion deniadol i'w fuddsoddwyr. Ategir ei hystod eang o gronfeydd preifat a chyhoeddus gan amrywiaeth o atebion buddsoddi a gynlluniwyd ar gyfer y farchnad adwerthu.

Mae Foresight wedi'i uno gan ymrwymiad ar y cyd i adeiladu dyfodol cynaliadwy a thyfu cwmnïau ac economïau ffyniannus.
Ewch i https://foresight.group am ragor o wybodaeth.
Dilynwch ni ar LinkedIn i gael diweddariadau allweddol.

Am fwy o wybodaeth cysylltwch â:
Chris Barry, Influential: Barry@thisisinfluential.com / +44 (0)7733 103 693 
Foresight Group: marketing@foresightgroup.eu / +44 (0)20 3667 8100