
Blackpearl targets US growth after strong rise in annual revenue
The company ended the year to 31 March 2025 with USD $12.5 million in ARR, marking a 70 percent rise from the previous year. Blackpearl's average revenue per user rose by 53 percent over the past six months, with subscription revenue up 91 percent to USD $7.7 million, highlighting its ongoing expansion.
Chief Executive Officer Nick Lissette described Blackpearl's long-term strategy, stating, "Last year, we committed to setting ourselves up for the next stage of growth. We have the potential to be a billion-dollar company and we're creating a portfolio of solutions that balance high-risk innovation with consistent, long-term performance. We're innovating and executing at a pace that's hard for anyone to keep up with."
Lissette attributes the results to a strong focus on product development and continuous innovation. He said, "Last year, we told investors we would invest in the next stage of growth and we've proven this with the launch of Bebop, an AI-powered sales intelligence tool developed in a single quarter and the most successful beta in the company's history."
With a focus on small and medium-sized businesses in the United States, Blackpearl has expanded its suite of AI-powered solutions. "We're targeting the SME market in the US with AI-powered solutions that deliver measurable growth. With Pearl Diver firmly embedded and Bebop now live, the next phase of Blackearl's trajectory is dominance," Lissette commented.
Chief Financial Officer Karen Cargill emphasised the importance of execution alongside innovation. "At the same time, we've focused on scaling our core data infrastructure and transitioning to high-value enterprise customers. This has been a powerful multiplier of sustainable growth as we position ourselves for what's next," she said.
Pearl Engine, the company's core platform, processed 21 billion rows of data per day after scaling by 210 times over the past year. The company's subscription revenue reached USD $7.7 million, an increase of 91 percent from the prior year.
The company's key financial highlights include a gross margin of 68 percent, reflecting ongoing platform efficiency, and a rise in revenue concentration, with 17 percent of total revenue now generated by its top 10 customers, up from 10 percent the previous year. Pearl Diver, Blackpearl's solution aimed at the SME market, achieved approximately USD $10 million in ARR just eight quarters after its full launch.
During the reporting period, Blackpearl also completed a USD $12.5 million capital raise to fund its growth plans. The launch of Bebop followed what the company described as the most successful beta in its history.
Looking ahead, Lissette outlined Blackpearl's position in the AI landscape, stating, "As the AI landscape continues to shift, Blackpearl is not just chasing the future - it's actively building it. The AI opportunity is here and our platform has been purpose-built to capture it. We're positioned to lead AI-powered sales and marketing solutions for the US SME market and we're entering FY26 with clear momentum, a disciplined growth strategy and a compelling value proposition for investors."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Techday NZ
an hour ago
- Techday NZ
AI-driven cyber attacks surge as APAC risk leaders feel unprepared
A new study has found that the majority of risk leaders feel ill-equipped to address the rising rates of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cyber attacks across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The 2025 Cyber Risk Report by Aon highlights a 29 percent increase in cyber incident frequency in APAC over the past year and a 134 percent rise over the last four years. The report draws attention to the surge in sophisticated threats, including AI-powered deception, social engineering, and deepfake attacks, leading to a 233 percent year-on-year increase in fraud-related cyber insurance claims. Geographical isolation is no longer seen as a protective factor for New Zealand organisations, as cyber threats now originate from a global landscape. Over the last 18 months, local entities have experienced disruptions linked to technology failures overseas, with consequences including business interruption and data loss. The increasing dependency on interconnected digital systems is cited as contributing to this heightened exposure. Systemic disruption The report describes the relationship between technological innovation and risk as a "Faustian pact," emphasising that greater efficiency is matched by increased vulnerability to external events. It notes that 63 percent of suspected nation-state cyber operations worldwide in the past year originated in APAC, often targeting critical infrastructure and key industries. Of the 1,414 global cyber events analysed, 56 incidents attracted significant media attention and led to average shareholder value losses of 27 percent for affected companies. Preparedness and risk management A growing gap has emerged between the adoption of AI tools and preparedness to manage associated risks. Ninety-eight percent of surveyed risk leaders said they do not feel fully prepared to oversee AI risks. Despite 79 percent of organisations using or planning to use AI, only 32 percent have a formal inventory of these tools. This disparity, according to the report, expands the digital attack surface faster than risk management strategies can keep pace. The report states that organisations are improving their response to incidents, with the percentage of entities paying ransoms dropping to 25 percent in 2024, and the median ransom payment at USD $110,890 in the fourth quarter of that year. This trend is seen as a sign of better disaster recovery and incident response planning. Implications for New Zealand Cyber insurance market conditions for New Zealand businesses have shifted, with rates decreasing by roughly seven percent in the first quarter of 2025 following a prolonged period of increases. More organisations are reportedly reviewing whether to take out or expand cyber insurance to meet the scale of emerging risks. "New Zealand businesses are getting more mature in how they approach cyber risk - but the old belief that we're somehow safer because of our isolation no longer holds," said Duncan Morrison, Cyber Practise Leader in New Zealand for Aon. Morrison added, "Disruptions to global software vendors and tech supply chains have already hit local organisations hard. As we adopt more advanced tools like AI and real-time data systems, the interconnectivity that powers progress also increases our exposure." He emphasised that competitive pricing is not the only driver for reviewing cyber insurance needs. "Aon is seeing more New Zealand organisations reassess their cyber insurance needs - not just because pricing is more competitive, but because the risk is now tangible," Morrison said. Morrison noted key indicators of the changing risk landscape, stating, "The rise in AI-driven attacks, the growth in fraud claims and the sharp drop in ransom payments all point to two things: the threat is real, and smart preparation works." Geostrategic drivers According to Adam Peckman, Head of Risk Consulting and Cyber Solutions for APAC and Global Head of Cyber Risk Consulting at Aon, regional tensions are a major factor in the growing cyber risk landscape. Peckman stated, "Nation-state-backed threat actors are increasingly using cyber campaigns for asymmetrical conflict, economic coercion, or corporate espionage. Businesses need the tools to make better, data-driven cyber decisions." Morrison also urged businesses to be proactive: "The good news is that businesses don't have to face these challenges alone. There are practical steps they can take today: from exploring cyber insurance options to using better data analytics for risk assessment and ensuring AI investments are properly protected. The key is to take action now."


Techday NZ
3 days ago
- Techday NZ
Metaforms raises USD $9m to revolutionise market research
Metaforms, a San Francisco-based artificial intelligence startup, has raised USD $9 million in Series A funding to support the development of AI infrastructure for the market research industry. The funding round was led by Peak XV Partners, formerly known as Sequoia India, and included participation from Nexus Venture Partners and Together Fund. With this investment, Metaforms will expand its team, enhance its AI agents, and broaden its platform to include report generation and voice-based research capabilities. The company's integrations already extend to widely used research tools such as Decipher, SPSS, and Confirmit. Addressing industry bottlenecks The global market research industry, estimated to be worth USD $130 billion, is experiencing rapid growth. However, agencies face increasing challenges from outdated operational systems, leading to capacity issues and compressed margins. Metaforms aims to address these challenges, enabling agencies to meet client demand without overburdening their staff or turning away work. "We're thrilled to partner with Akshat and Arjun as they reimagine what a market research agency could look like in an AI-first world. Metaforms is scaling rapidly, by enabling some of the largest research agencies globally to automate workflows such as survey programming and data processing through their suite of AI agents." Shailendra Singh, MD, Peak XV Research agencies traditionally spend significant time on manual tasks such as converting survey questionnaires into code, coordinating with multiple panel providers via email, and running complex validation scripts. Metaforms' AI agents automate these processes, fitting within agencies' existing workflows and improving efficiency without replacing human expertise. The platform's functions include converting questionnaires into survey code, identifying problematic data before it impacts projects, coordinating with panel vendors, and managing quotas across multi-country studies. For many agencies, these capabilities represent the difference between being able to scale up or having to refuse additional business. Industry traction Since launching commercially six months ago, Metaforms has secured contracts with four of the world's top twenty research agencies, including Strat7. The platform currently processes over 1,000 surveys per month and counts several Fortune 500 companies among its clients. Metaforms reports a 100% expansion rate among clients who started with a single AI agent and have since deployed additional AI functionalities. "Metaforms has been incredibly successful thanks to their uniquely thoughtful approach to modernising research operations - embedding seamlessly into the workflows, tools, and platforms that researchers and agencies already use. I'm excited to continue supporting the team as they build on that momentum with this Series A." Jonathan Tice, GTM Consultant [Prev: Chief Customer Officer, Forsta] Akshat Tyagi and Arjun S founded Metaforms in 2022, driven by their own difficulties accessing professional market research as early-stage founders. They identified that agencies were limited not by a lack of demand, but by their operational bandwidth, and set out to build a platform to increase efficiency. "Our goal is simple: help great research teams spend less time firefighting and more time doing the work that actually matters," said Akshat Tyagi, co-founder and CEO of Metaforms. "When you automate the grunt work, you make high-quality research more accessible to more companies." According to Metaforms, its AI platform makes high-quality, professional-grade market research more accessible both to large global companies and early-stage startups. By automating high-volume, repetitive tasks, the platform is enabling agencies to serve clients they may previously have had to turn away, improving their ability to scale and manage costs effectively. "Metaforms is a breakout example of the India-to-global play in AI," said Manav Garg, Co-founder and managing partner at Together Fund. "They're not just automating tasks - they're rebuilding research infrastructure for the modern era. With their early traction across global agencies, Akshat and Arjun are showing what's possible when deep customer empathy meets technical ambition." Agencies such as Strat7 have reported tangible benefits from deploying Metaforms' platform. Tabita Razaila, Head of Operations at Strat7, said, "Our partnership has delivered strong ROI, thanks to Metaforms' exceptional service and prompt support." "They're solving a major pain point for the entire industry. That focus and ability to deeply understand customer needs and address that using genetic AI is the hallmark of Metaforms team. We are thrilled to back Akshat and Arjun in their journey of building a remarkable company!", said Jishnu Bhattacharjee and Arjun Gandhi, Nexus Venture Partners. Future plans Looking ahead, Metaforms has plans to triple the size of its team and further expand its agent capabilities, including the development of automated reporting, voice research, and expanded language support. The company's long-term goal is to process over 100,000 surveys per year, further increasing access to comprehensive market research across industries and company sizes. "When research agencies grow, better business decisions get made," added Akshat Tyagi. "We're not here to replace the humans in the loop. We're here to give them leverage."


Techday NZ
4 days ago
- Techday NZ
Dawnguard raises USD $3m to embed security at design stage
Amsterdam-based cybersecurity startup Dawnguard has emerged from stealth with a pre-seed funding round totalling USD $3 million. The funding was led by 9900 Capital alongside a group of angel investors including scale-up founders and current CIOs and CISOs. This financial backing will be allocated to expanding Dawnguard's engineering team, enhancing enterprise integrations, and progressing the company's platform towards broader production deployments. Embedded approach Dawnguard has set out to introduce a new approach to cybersecurity by embedding security directly into system architecture, rather than bolting it on at later stages. This model ensures secure, compliant, and scalable systems from initial design through to deployment and beyond. "Our industry treats security as a checkbox. It's broken. We built Dawnguard because security needs to be part of the system's DNA from the start, not an afterthought. This is about aligning intent with reality, and giving teams the tools to enforce that alignment at the earliest stage and long after deployment," said Mahdi Abdulrazak, CEO of Dawnguard. Dawnguard's platform is designed to provide a collaborative canvas for engineers and security professionals, aiming to bridge the historic gap between system design and security implementation. The company distinguishes itself by not only scanning deployments or automating reviews but facilitating ongoing alignment of enterprise security goals within the architecture itself. The startup's founding team is composed of cybersecurity specialists with backgrounds at IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, and the military. CEO Mahdi Abdulrazak and CTO Kim van Lavieren lead the team, bringing substantial experience in running large-scale security operations and in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to cloud environments. AI and automation at the core Dawnguard is building AI and machine learning engines to identify vulnerabilities during the design phase of IT projects and maintain security as systems evolve. This proactive model is intended to allow security decisions to be enforced early and consistently, addressing risks before systems go into production and responding dynamically as new vulnerabilities and threats emerge. "Dawnguard closes the gap between design and reality. We're giving teams the power to translate security intent into enforceable code so they don't have to rely on spreadsheets, static docs, or guesswork," said Kim van Lavieren. The platform targets security architects, DevOps engineers, and cloud teams. It enables users to validate cloud infrastructure designs pre-deployment, automatically generate production-ready Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using validated models, and keep enforcing security posture throughout the system lifecycle, helping to pre-empt issues and avoid post-deployment drift. Industry response and investment "Dawnguard isn't just building tech - they're rewriting the DNA of cybersecurity. In a world addicted to patching symptoms, they've chosen to re-engineer the root. That's not just bold - it's necessary," said Dimitri van Zantvliet, Dutch Railways CISO & Chair Dutch CISO Community, and a Dawnguard investor and advisor. "Hundreds of security tools overwhelm CISOs with promises of better detection, yet few tackle the root issue: design flaws in code that AI-driven threats exploit. As attacks grow smarter, defenses must shift left - embedding resilience at the codebase. We are excited to back Dawnguard, who build protection by design, not patch by necessity," said Chris Corbishley, Managing Partner 9900 Capital. Future plans Dawnguard intends to grow its platform capabilities to support increasingly dynamic operational environments. Plans include addressing the security risks presented by rapid AI-driven development methodologies and bridging the gap between quickly prototyped software and the infrastructure it runs on. The company is also working on a new operational model aimed at enabling organisations to create scalable, trustworthy systems that can better resist emerging digital threats. "With software moving faster than ever, security can't be stuck in the past," Abdulrazak said. "We're creating the platform that makes secure architecture not just possible, but inevitable." Follow us on: Share on: