It sounds like the stuff of science-fiction; computer-based systems that can learn behavior pattern and make predictions about future incidents in both the physical and virtual world. After all, just mentioning the term "artificial intelligence" typically conjures up thoughts of machines becoming self-aware and annihilating humankind vis-a-vis "The Terminator." But while some may brush off the idea that security systems leveraging artificial intelligence or AI, for short, will ever come to fruition, the reality is they are already being implemented in a variety of applications. Just last month, Armorway, which has patented an artificial intelligence platform that combines a variety of analytics with cognitive intelligence and deep machine learning, announced that it has received 2.5 million in funding from a variety of investors. The company, which has received support in the past from the University of Southern California, the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and U.S. Army Research Office, said the money will help further develop its AI and prescriptive analytics solutions.

"In 2016, selecting the top achievers was extremely difficult," said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. "The variety, depth, disruption and traction we saw from the early stage companies to those with significant scale made it one of the toughest vintages to judge. The North America winners are representative of the amazing ecosystem that never ceases to astound, with new and experienced entrepreneurs continuing to push the barriers of innovation. As one of the winners, Armorway should be proud of its accomplishment under such strong competition." Red Herring's editorial staff evaluated companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technological innovation and intellectual property, DNA of the founders, business model, customer footprint and market penetration.

Though fans may not always notice, professional athletes put thought into their outfits off and on the field. They'll choose custom sneakers on the court, fancy jackets at the press conference and color-coordinated headphones in the locker room. Professional video game players rarely do better than jeans and oversized hoodies. So at its first of several planned ventures to amp up e-sports, a Los Angeles start-up is hoping to give the growing industry a sophisticated look. Ultimate Media Ventures on Monday launched ULT Kills, a fashion line of T-shirts, hoodies, hats and eventually footwear that, in the words of co-founder Nate Eckman, isn't the usual "super-embarrassing … kitschy, nerdy gamer wear."

Armorway, an AI platform and data analytics startup, announced Tuesday that it had completed a round of seed funding to the tune of 2.5 million to further expand its AI platform for tackling information security threats. According to a press release announcing the round, Armorway will use the capital to deliver "descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics with cognitive intelligence and deep machine learning to dynamically understand and respond to all types of security threats." Additionally, the company will use the extra funding to expand its customer base and R&D team, as well as continue working on product development. Armorway CEO and co-founder Zareh Baghdasarian said that Armorway is focused on using AI and predictive analytics to find potential threats and respond before they become a problem. "Security organizations of all kinds spend significant time and effort on incident response and investigation--both reactive processes which are inconsistent with the true definition of better safety and prevention," Armorway offers two core products: Trust and Sentinel.