Mar 17, 2025
Maoz Matarasso from Launch It Capital shares insights from investing in Proofig AI, an innovative startup focused on image integrity for academic publishing. He emphasizes the significance of strong teams, ethical AI use, and real-world value, highlighting Proofig AI as an impactful, high-potential investment.
Investing in startups at the earliest stages—especially during the pre-seed phase—involves navigating a world of uncertainty. Despite thorough due diligence, early investments come with higher risks due to untested business models and unknowns in execution.
Reflecting on our journey with Proofig AI, I’d like to share what shaped our decision to support a young company working at the intersection of academia and artificial intelligence. Proofig AI has created a breakthrough solution for image integrity in scientific research, and we saw great potential early on.
Evaluating Pre-Seed Opportunities
When evaluating pre-seed ventures, the founding team is everything. We assess their maturity, team dynamics, and communication style. Especially when the founders are researchers or academics, our concern is often about the pace of execution. Research-based startups can be slower to scale, and founders may be drawn away by other academic or international opportunities.
There’s also the question of leadership experience. While researchers bring immense subject expertise, they may lack the managerial know-how to build and scale a company. That’s why we assess their commitment, adaptability, and ability to translate an academic idea into a scalable, market-ready solution. Intellectual property ownership is another critical factor in tech-focused ventures.
When we met Dr. Dror Kolodkin-Gal, the founder of Proofig AI, it was clear he was both highly capable and deeply committed. He had identified a major problem in academic publishing—image integrity—and was creatively building a solution, even with limited resources. His early supporters included friends, family, and a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority, but we became the first private fund to invest in the company.
Understanding the Problem Firsthand
On a personal level, I was already familiar with the image challenges in academia—my wife, a biology PhD, had to include numerous images in her research. Watching her navigate the importance of visual data helped me immediately see the value Proofig could offer to researchers, universities, and publishers.
A Strategic Focus in a Crowded AI Market
The AI landscape in research is becoming increasingly crowded, with many tools focused on writing assistance or data review. But Proofig took a smart, focused approach by addressing a less-discussed but essential area: image integrity.
As AI-generated images become more common and more convincing, the risk of manipulated visuals in scientific research grows. Proofig’s software fills a crucial gap by detecting duplications and alterations before they undermine trust in published data.
This focus has positioned Proofig as a leader in the niche. Its applications even go beyond academia—its core technology could help industries like healthcare, insurance, or government, where data accuracy is essential.
Why We Chose to Invest
When we assess startups, we look for a team with domain expertise, strong vision, and the ability to execute. We want to partner with founders who are curious, grounded, and easy to collaborate with—because trust and alignment are key to long-term success.
A compelling product is only part of the equation. The problem it addresses must be real, the solution must be viable, and the business model must show promise in a realistic timeline. We also aim to support companies that positively impact society—those that improve processes, solve real-world challenges, and aren’t just chasing trends.
Proofig AI stood out to us as an impactful company offering both strong return potential and deep societal value. Their solution addresses a growing challenge in academic integrity as generative AI tools make it easier to produce manipulated content. Proofig’s technology acts as a safeguard for research credibility.
A Founder with Vision and Execution
Dr. Dror Kolodkin-Gal brings the exact qualities we look for in a founder. He listens, learns quickly, and takes initiative. He sets achievable goals and knows when to seek advice. These traits, combined with the product’s potential, made it clear to us that Proofig AI was a venture worth backing.
We believe that Proofig AI has what it takes to grow into a major player in the future of trustworthy research—and Dror is the kind of founder who can lead it there.