By Amit Chowdhry • Dec 13, 2024
Chorology is an innovator in AI-powered data compliance and security posture management that provides modern, intelligently automated enterprise compliance solutions. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Chorology CEO and CTO Tarique Mustafa to learn more about the company.
Formation Of Chorology
How did the idea for Chorology come together?
Two years ago, during a roundtable discussion with 14 CISOs and CIOs, the Chorology co-founders learned about the most pressing problems faced by top data security practitioners. The feedback was unanimous: ‘We don’t know where our sensitive data is. If we don’t know what sensitive data we have and where it is located, then how can we effectively manage and secure it?’”
Chorology’s founder, Tarique Mustafa, identified a robust AI-based solution. Mustafa, who began his life as a gifted Pakistani child and graduated high school at a very young age, then achieved higher degrees that included twin master’s degrees and PhD research work in AI from USC, led his innovation team to a crucial realization. They concluded that today’s compliance solutions lack the ‘compliance technology engine’ required by enterprises to cost-effectively know their data well enough to quantify and improve their data security risk over time. Current solutions are mostly compliance workflow management platforms without a core AI compliance “engine.”
Mustafa and his team knew that one type of AI capability, machine learning, would never solve this problem for many foundational reasons. Instead, they worked diligently to invent unique deep AI algorithms that automate data discovery, classification, mapping, and compliance enforcement using the core AI principles of knowledge representation, inference calculus, and planning.
Favorite Memory
What has Mustafa’s favorite memory of working for the company been so far? Mustafa said:
“One of my favorite memories of working for CHOROLOGY is the seminal moment when the USPTO patent examiner explicitly recognized the value our team had created. In one of our patents, the examiner states, “ However, none of the cited prior arts.. disclose, or reasonably suggest the … features of an ‘executable planning model” … to process a Data Subject Request (DSR) as required in these independent claims.” The conclusion of this patent examiner is a rare and very positive USPTO comment, highlighting the innovative nature of our research and the impact we are making in the industry.
Core Products
What are Chorology’s core products? Mustafa explained:
“The Chorology Platform is powered by a Deep AI engine that intelligently automates data compliance and security posture enforcement. Automated enterprise data security solutions include:
– Data Discovery
– Data Classification
– Data Mapping & Risk Assessment
– DSPM Enforcement
– Connectors for structured and unstructured data repositories, on-premise and in-cloud.”
Evolution Of CAPE Technology
How will the technology of the CAPE platform evolve over the next 12-18 months? Mustafa noted:
“Over the next 12-18 months, CHOROLOGY’s technology will evolve as we expand our AI-powered Data Compliance and Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform. Leveraging our Deep-AI engine core, we aim to offer new solutions that further automate enterprise data compliance and security, ensuring organizations increase the accuracy, speed, and coverage of data compliance operations while future-proofing the organization for new regulatory mandates.
For instance, we have already secured patents for the automated remediation of Data Subject Requests (DSRs) which today are a massive drain on time, energy and resources. We are in the process of productizing these DSR automation technologies for a 2025 release. This will enable enterprise compliance organizations to automatically respond to and execute inbound consumer Data Subject Requests, significantly lowering the total cost of sensitive data ownership (TCO).”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Mustafa and the team faced in building the company? Mustafa acknowledged:
“Yes – many technical challenges related to exponentially rising enterprise data volumes.”
“By 2025, the volume of data and information created, captured, copied, and consumed worldwide is forecasted to reach 181 zettabytes (that is 181 followed by 21 zeros). Nearly 80% of companies estimate that 50% to 90% of their data is unstructured, encompassing text, video, audio, web server logs, and social media activities. Data professionals report that data volumes in their companies are growing by an average of 63% every month, with nearly six in ten organizations admitting they can’t keep up. As enterprise data volume and sprawl expand, data breaches are also increasing, leading to a corresponding rise in compliance fines. More data means more data risk, which translates to a larger attack surface and therefore larger business risk.
From these unstructured data volume market realities, we realized very early on that one type of classical AI capability, machine learning, would never be a solution to these data compliance problems for many foundational reasons. It is impossible for AI systems to create learning models from enterprise data volumes that are always changing and when data objects and data structures are unknown in advance of the learning.”
“The Chorology team rolled up its sleeves to apply another core AI capability to invent unique Deep AI algorithms that intelligently automate data discovery, classification, mapping, and posture enforcement with no upfront machine learning or model training. This was a very hard technical problem to solve requiring the use of the other classical AI components such as knowledge representation, inference calculus, and planning.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of CHOROLOGY’s most significant milestones? Mustafa cited:
“In Q4 2021, we secured a $9 million strategic investment, marking a significant milestone for our company. Our commitment to innovation was further recognized in Q2 and Q3 of 2024 when the USPTO granted us four blocking patents for our paradigm-shifting compliance automation technology within just four months. Building on this momentum, we are poised to introduce our product to the market along with Beta customers in Q4 2024.”
Funding/Revenue
Where does CHOROLOGY sit in terms of funding and/or revenue metrics? Mustafa revealed:
“Chorology secured a $9 million strategic investment in Q4 2021, establishing a strong financial foundation. The company plans to begin monetization efforts in Q4 2024, with expectations to reach cash flow breakeven by 2025.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Mustafa affirmed:
“Chorology’s competitive differentiation is anchored in its patented, Deep AI core compliance engine (ACE) that is entirely knowledge object based. This innovative engine is mandate-agnostic which allows enterprises to enforce their security posture across any compliance mandate. The ACE engine utilizes data and knowledge objects, including ‘canonical’ and ‘composite’ types, enabling the discovery of sensitive data across any structure, whether unstructured or structured data repositories.”
It ensures accurate, intelligently automated data discovery, classification, and data mapping, all without any machine-learning overhead. Unlike other technologies, CHOROLOGY’s solution does not sit on the repositories to monitor them, thus posing no impact or risk to enterprise database performance. Additionally, while most compliance solutions focus on workflow and ticketing platforms without a true compliance and data security technology engine, CHOROLOGY uniquely offers automated data discovery, classification, mapping, and posture enforcement, setting it apart in the market as measured by total cost of data ownership”
Future Goals
What are some of your future goals for Chorology? Mustafa concluded:
“Chorology’s future goals include expanding the industry verticals the company serves, launching automated data subject request remediation in 2025, and creating go-to-market channel partnerships with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), System Integrators (SIs), and other large enterprise compliance consulting firms. These partnerships will be based on shared-value models to accelerate CHOROLOGY’s global footprint.”
