The London-based agency’s platform makes use of synthetic intelligence expertise to detect and reply to cyber threats in a enterprise’ IT programs. It says its self-learning AI can monitor threats in actual time and provide you with methods to strike again.

Darktrace, based in 2013 by a gaggle of former intelligence specialists and mathematicians, mentioned it intends to drift a minimum of 20% of issued share capital in an preliminary public providing on the London Inventory Trade’s premium market. This may make it eligible for inclusion in benchmark indexes just like the FTSE 100.

“Our intention to record on the London Inventory Trade marks a significant milestone in Darktrace’s historical past of speedy progress, and a historic day for the U.Okay.’s thriving expertise sector,” mentioned Poppy Gustafsson, Darktrace’s CEO and co-founder.

“We’re proud to be a part of that custom of British innovation, because the U.Okay. turns into a number one world centre for the event of AI.”

Darktrace’s IPO announcement comes regardless of issues over the lackluster market debut of Deliveroo, the Amazon-backed meals supply firm. Deliveroo shares plunged as a lot as 30% on its first day of buying and selling, making it one of many worst London IPOs for a big firm.

However some analysts mentioned Deliveroo’s woes could also be restricted to the corporate, which has been dogged by employment rights issues, quite than a broader indication of hassle for London tech listings. Deliveroo says it is “simply beginning life as a public firm” and is “assured” in its capacity to ship long-term returns for shareholders.

Darktrace reported income of $199.1 million for the yr ended June. 30, 2020, up 45% from $137 million in the identical interval a yr earlier. Losses totalled $28.7 million, although this was down from the $34.7 million Darktrace misplaced in its 2019 fiscal yr.

Darktrace’s greatest investor is Invoke Capital, the enterprise fund of U.Okay. entrepreneur Mike Lynch. Lynch at present faces the specter of potential extradition to the U.S. over fraud expenses associated to the sale of Autonomy — the software program agency he based — to Hewlett-Packard in 2011 for $11 billion. Lynch denies the accusations.

Gustafsson and Chief Technique Officer Nicole Eagan each used to work at Autonomy. Darktrace shares the identical workplace constructing as Invoke in London, however says that Lynch has no direct involvement with the day-to-day operating of the corporate.

The agency, which was final valued at $1.65 billion in its final non-public financing spherical, has tapped Jefferies, Berenberg, KKR Capital Markets to guide the IPO if it goes forward, with Needham & Firm and Piper Sandler performing as joint bookrunners.