Startup Catch Raises $5M to Build AI Executive Assistant With Built-In Security Guardrails

Catch, a startup developing an AI-powered executive assistant, has announced a $5 million funding round to expand development of its product. Unlike many generative AI tools that are given broad access to calendars, email, and files, Catch is positioning its assistant around built-in guardrails that restrict what data and systems the AI can reach and act upon.

The rise of AI assistants in business settings has raised concerns among security professionals about data exposure, unauthorised access, and the risk of AI tools acting outside intended boundaries. Catch's approach reflects a growing trend of vendors building security and access controls directly into AI products from the outset, rather than treating them as an afterthought.

For small and medium businesses considering AI assistants to handle scheduling, communications, or administrative tasks, tools with clearly defined access limits and permission controls reduce the risk of sensitive business data being exposed or misused. As AI tools become more common in day-to-day operations, understanding what data an assistant can see and act on is becoming an important part of vendor due diligence.