In a world where AI-powered attacks are dismantling traditional encryption faster than ever, one Indian deeptech startup is rewriting the rules of cybersecurity. Srinivas Shekar, Co-Founder and CEO of Pantherun Technologies, has built an encryption system that eliminates the decades-old vulnerability of key exchange—a breakthrough forged in live national security environments where failure isn’t an option.
Co-Founder and CEO
Pantherun Technologies
Fresh off a $12 million Series A, Pantherun is taking its AI-driven, real-time encryption global, targeting critical infrastructure from defense to energy, where split-second decisions demand zero-compromise security. In this conversation, Shekar reveals the hard truths about building world-class IP from India, why edge computing is the new battleground for data protection, and how responsibility—not just ambition—shifts when your technology stands between operational continuity and catastrophic failure.
CIO&Leader: How did building encryption in a live national security environment shape Pantherun’s approach to resilience and trust?
Srinivas Shekar: Building encryption in a live national security environment profoundly shaped Pantherun’s approach to resilience and trust. The technology was first used in situations where systems were under constant pressure, and data had to move without delays, errors, or exposure. There was no room for assumptions that networks were safe or that attackers would strike later.
This experience made it clear that traditional encryption methods were not strong enough—any dependency on key exchange or setup steps created risk. As a result, Pantherun designed its encryption to work without handshakes or key sharing, ensuring data remains protected at all times without slowing down critical systems.
Trust, in this context, came from performance, not claims. The system had to work quietly in the background, even when networks were unstable or under attack. That early exposure to real-world, high-risk environments shaped Pantherun’s belief that true resilience means security that is always on, invisible to users, and dependable when it matters most.
CIO&Leader: Why has secure communication without key exchange remained unsolved for decades, and what did Pantherun do differently?
Srinivas Shekar: Secure communication without key exchange has remained unsolved for decades because most encryption systems depend on first sharing a secret. Whether it is SSL, TLS, or another standard, both sides need to exchange or agree on a key before communication can begin. That initial step has always been a weak point, especially in high-risk or high-speed environments where attackers can listen in, interfere, or disrupt the process.
Pantherun approached the problem differently by removing the need for key exchange altogether. Instead of sharing keys, it independently generates the same encryption key at both ends simultaneously using an AI-driven algorithm. Since no key is ever transmitted or stored, there is nothing an attacker can do with any intercepted data, as there is no way to find the key to decrypt it.
This shift changed how secure communication works. By eliminating the handshake and keeping encryption fully real-time, Pantherun made secure communication faster, harder to break, and better suited for mission-critical systems where security and reliability cannot be compromised.
CIO&Leader: In a world where AI threatens encryption, how does Pantherun use AI to strengthen it—especially at the edge?
Srinivas Shekar: AI is changing both sides of cybersecurity. While attackers use AI to break into systems faster, Pantherun uses AI to strengthen encryption itself, especially at the edge, where data is generated and acted on in real time.
Pantherun’s approach uses AI to generate encryption keys for every data transmission dynamically. These keys are never exchanged, stored, or reused. Since the key is created independently at both ends, there is nothing for AI-driven attacks to observe, learn from, or exploit. This makes pattern-based attacks far less effective.
At the edge, where devices often have limited computing power and cannot afford delays, Pantherun’s real-time encryption works without slowing systems down or changing data formats. The result is always-on protection that fits naturally into edge environments like industrial systems, mobility platforms, networking, telecom, and innovative infrastructure, where security must be strong, fast, and invisible to users.
CIO&Leader: Why is real-time encryption becoming essential for critical infrastructure like defense, energy, and industrial systems?
Srinivas Shekar: Real-time encryption is becoming essential for critical infrastructure because these systems can no longer afford delays, blind spots, or after-the-fact security. In sectors like defense, energy, and industrial operations, data is constantly moving between sensors, control systems, and command centres, and decisions are often made in seconds. Traditional security tools focus on detecting threats after data has already moved or been stored. That approach leaves a gap where attackers can interfere, manipulate signals, or disrupt operations. Real-time encryption closes that gap by protecting data the moment it is created and while it is in motion, not later.
As these systems become more connected and automated, the risk of cyber interference grows. Real-time encryption ensures that communication remains trusted, uninterrupted, and reliable, even in hostile or unstable network conditions. For critical infrastructure, this is no longer just about protecting information, but about keeping essential services running safely and continuously.
CIO&Leader: What are the most brutal truths about building global deeptech IP from India that founders underestimate?
Srinivas Shekar: One of the most brutal truths about building global deeptech IP from India is that innovation alone is not enough. Founders often underestimate how long it takes to earn trust in international markets, especially in areas like security and semiconductors. Customers want proof, certifications, and long-term reliability, not just a strong idea.
Another challenge is patience. Deeptech takes years of research, testing, and iteration before it is ready for real-world use. The timelines are longer, the costs are higher, and early feedback can be slow or discouraging. This can be not easy in an ecosystem that often celebrates fast growth and quick wins.
Finally, building a global IP means thinking beyond local conditions from day one. Standards, regulations, and customer expectations vary across regions, and founders must design for that complexity from the outset. The real test is not just creating technology in India, but making it credible, scalable, and trusted worldwide.
CIO&Leader: After your $12 million Series A, what shifts first—scale, ambition, or responsibility?
Srinivas Shekar: After a Series A, the first fundamental shift is responsibility. The funding brings momentum, but it also raises the bar on reliability, delivery, and trust. When your technology protects data that powers real-world systems, every decision matters more.
That responsibility then guides how scale happens. For Pantherun, the capital enables the company to expand internationally by building sales and partner networks across North America, Europe, and APAC. At the same time, a significant portion of the funding is going into R&D to further strengthen its high-performance, real-time encryption technology, especially for high-volume, low-latency environments where performance cannot be compromised.
Ambition evolves as well, but it becomes more focused. The goal is not just to grow faster, but to make strong encryption simple and consistent across devices, whether at the endpoint, edge, cloud, or in operational technology environments. As data becomes the operating system of modern life, the responsibility is to protect it everywhere, without adding complexity for those who depend on it.