Prince Khaled Invests In Clearspeed’s US$60 Million Series D

Saudi Arabia’s Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud has joined a US$60 million Series D funding round in Clearspeed, the California-based voice-based risk assessment technology firm, through KBW Ventures, the venture capital fund he leads as founder and CEO.  

The round was led by Align Private Capital, a Florida-based private investment firm, with additional participation from IronGate Capital Advisors, a Florida-based venture capital firm focused on dual-use technologies, and Bravo Victor Venture Capital, a UK-based fund supporting innovation for the visually impaired and defense sectors.  

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Prince Khaled said that his firm’s first commitment in the insurtech domain was made based on Clearspeed’s financial strength, as well as its alignment with KBW Ventures’ growth-stage focus. “Clearspeed is already profitable and operationally sustainable, exemplifying the shift in our investment strategy toward financially sound companies with a clear trajectory to an initial public offering (IPO) and long-term value creation,” he said.  

Clearspeed, founded by Alex Martin and Kurt Martin in San Diego in 2016, provides dual-use voice-based risk assessment tools used across commercial and government sectors. In insurance, it delivers more than 30x return on investment by accelerating the underwriting and claims process.   

"I'm planning on using this internally," Prince Khaled joked to Inc. Arabia. "When I decided to invest in Clearspeed, I gauged its market leadership position—it is the first mover and clear leader in voice-based risk assessment, setting the benchmark in a rapidly evolving field. The proprietary, validated Clearspeed technology represents a significant competitive moat.”  

The Clearspeed team. Image courtesy KBW Ventures. 

Meanwhile, Martin, co-founder and CEO of Clearspeed, said in a statement that the investment is propelling his company into “a bold new chapter.”   

“We’re doubling down on the markets where trust and speed matter most—government, defense, insurance, banking—and expanding globally to meet the growing demand for secure, high-integrity screening,” Martin said. “We’re investing in our teams, accelerating innovation, and ensuring our technology stays ahead—not just to grow, but to help organizations worldwide realize the strategic advantage of rapidly establishing trust.”  

Clearspeed clients like Zurich Insurance have reported halving claims handling time and increasing immediate payments to customers by 40 percent through its technology. The company’s offering is also gaining traction among government ​​​​​​agencies focused on national security and fraud prevention. Agencies using Clearspeed have reported a 95 percent reduction in vetting cycle time as well as a 65 percent plunge in investigation costs.  

The new investment has brought Clearspeed’s total funding to $110 million, with it also seeing General David H. Petraeus (US Army, Ret.), former CIA Director and Commander of U.S. Central Command, coming onboard as a multi-round investor, and Align Private Capital co-founder and CEO Anna Nekoranec joining the company’s board of directors.  

In a statement, Nekoranec said, “Clearspeed has demonstrated true dual-use potential—with scalable commercial results and meaningful impact in high-stakes environments. It’s rare to see a solution that can reduce fraud, mitigate security threats, and save significant costs without creating friction for the end user. This is the innovation needed to build smarter, more human-centered systems of trust.”  

Petraeus added, “As security threats evolve, so must the solutions designed to counter them. Clearspeed’s AI-enabled voice analytics delivers outsized value for personnel vetting, insider threat mitigation, and enterprise security—where building trust quickly is paramount.” 

Pictured in the lead image is HRH Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, founder of KBW Ventures. Image courtesy KBW Ventures.