UrbanFox

Market position

UrbanFox positions itself against conventional rules-based fraud detection tools, describing its model as the first self-learning fraud detection model and emphasising that it uses no rule sets. Coverage of the company frames it as an Irish fintech start-up in the fraud prevention segment, with backing from fintech and aviation-linked investors.

The company states it does not use rule sets, instead generating a fresh risk profile for each user via multi-agent models that predict fraudster behaviour and compare it to real-time user activity, with decisions made before checkout rather than after a chargeback. It also emphasises rapid self-serve integration and explainable results, and says no third party is required.

Technology

UrbanFox describes a self-learning detection model powered by Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) that builds behavioural profiles for each of a customer's users to learn what normal activity looks like for that business. Earlier coverage describes the use of generative artificial intelligence to build technology that 'thinks' like a fraudster and mimics fraudster behaviour. The system produces live risk scores and confidence levels on signals such as device fingerprint, impossible travel, bot activity and account takeover attempts, and is integrated via API.

Go-to-market

Sales are led through direct engagement — demo bookings and expert consultations on the company website, plus a free fraud scan offered with the Fennec product. The founder described the Barclays/Techstars accelerator network as a key source of client and investor contacts, and stated a strategy of building the development team in Ireland while selling into the US and UK, with the US as the main target market.

Merchants and e-commerce businesses, large payment processors, and banks and other companies that move money from merchant sites to cards or bank accounts; the company has targeted the aviation and retail sectors, and its technology is applied to e-commerce, digital purchases and payment processing.

Geography

Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with development based in Ireland and a stated commercial focus on the US and UK markets; the company participated in an accelerator programme in London.

History

The company was founded in 2015 in Dublin by Daniel Loftus and began as a customer analytics tool. After concluding that the customer analytics market was already dominated by established players, Loftus pivoted the business following data science consultancy work with banks and online merchants on customer behaviour, moving it into fraud prevention. UrbanFox participated in the Barclays Accelerator run with Techstars in London, and in 2019 was raising a further funding round. In November 2022 it announced a €3.5m seed round to grow its team and expand in the aviation and retail sectors.