About TranscendHow we built the platform the AI era demands
Follow our path from a bold founding idea to partnering with leading brands to power every data decision, and activate AI responsibly, at scale.
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1888
The advent of Kodak's camera marked a pivotal moment in societal reflections on privacy. It initiated public discourse on the implications of capturing and sharing personal moments, laying early groundwork for today's privacy considerations.
1890
Just two years later, the Harvard Law Review published "The Right to Privacy", marking a cultural shift by advocating for privacy rights amidst rapid technological changes. The article emphasized the need for legal protections against the unauthorized publication of private information, highlighting the evolving necessity of personal privacy in modern society.
1991
On August 6, 1991, the first website was introduced to the world, setting off a 'Cambrian explosion' in digital information and data collection. The proliferation of sensors in phones, homes, and public spaces dramatically changed the landscape of personal data, setting the stage for modern privacy challenges.
2017
Our co-founders, Ben and Mike, were students at Harvard when they posed a simple question: Could they reclaim their personal data from the apps they used every day like Spotify, Uber, and Fitbit?
But this question opened a rabbit hole of customer service mazes and legal labyrinths, revealing a stark truth—our data was not ours to command.
In that moment of clarity, Transcend was born, a name embodying our mission to rise above the status quo and empower the individual to take control of their data.
2018
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) went into full force in May 2018. Laying the foundation for modern privacy regulation, the GDPR is one of the strictest privacy laws to date, and compliance is now table stakes for doing business in the EU.
2019
In the wake of GDPR's implementation, we onboarded our first customer, Patreon. Our novel approach to powering full automation of data subject requests (DSRs) not only fortified Patreon's compliance with GDPR but also elevated their customer service experience.
Maria João Medeiros
Customer Support
2020
Several new privacy laws went into effect in 2020 including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the first privacy law of its kind in the US, and LGPD in Brazil.
2022
We embarked on a journey to broaden the scope of our platform, evolving beyond DSR Automation and Consent Management to include a diverse range of solutions. This strategic expansion positions Transcend’s platform as the most comprehensive and versatile in the market.
2022
In a landmark move, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) imposed a substantial fine on Sephora, signaling a shift in the regulatory landscape. This enforcement action, the first of its magnitude, served as a clear message to the market: privacy compliance is no longer a mere formality. It underscored the seriousness with which regulators are now approaching privacy violations, setting a precedent for rigorous enforcement and accountability in the digital age.
2023
Transcend forged key partnerships with two Fortune 50 customers and expanded our team to 50 members, underscoring our growing influence in the industry. Building on this momentum, we introduced Pathfinder, a groundbreaking AI Governance tool, further cementing our commitment to evolving privacy challenges.
2023
Marked by the widespread embrace of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other LLM chat products, the year 2023 emerged as a new era in data privacy, bringing forth unprecedented considerations and challenges in managing and protecting personal information.
2024
We raised a $40 million Series B to continue building for a world where responsible data use is no longer optional.
Our customers were already living that shift, collectively powering data rights for billions of people and fulfilling millions of data subject requests. Fast Company, Deloitte, and others recognized Transcend for innovation and growth.
2024
In March 2024, the EU AI Act was signed into law—the first comprehensive legal framework for artificial intelligence.
As companies raced to deploy AI, regulators made clear that the data behind those systems would be held to a higher standard. For the first time, governance of AI data became a binding requirement.
2025
Adoption accelerated across the enterprise. The number of data rights fulfilled through Transcend nearly tripled to 15 billion, while responsible AI workflows scaled rapidly as AI moved from experimentation into production. Our reach also expanded beyond privacy teams to the technology and digital organizations driving growth.
IDC named Transcend a Leader for the first time, alongside recognition from ADWEEK, while Deloitte included us on the Fast 500 for the second consecutive year.
2025
Compliance shifted from a legal formality to an operational requirement.
With new AI regulations taking effect and privacy laws expanding across the U.S., companies were under increasing pressure to prove how customer data was being used.
At the same time, AI investment surged, raising the stakes for getting it right.
In 2026, we're moving at a pace that matches the moment
We welcomed new leaders across the company and invested in every team to meet growing enterprise demand. We launched Agentic Assist and the first privacy MCP Server, enabling AI agents to enforce data permissions in real time. The founders who first asked "can I use this data?" as Harvard students are still leading the company, now into its most consequential chapter yet. With Gartner projecting $2.5 trillion in global AI spending this year, that question has never mattered more, and we've never been more ready to answer it.
Our leadership team
Ben Brook
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Mike Farrell
Co-founder, Chief Technology Officer
Kate Parker
President
Luke Arno
Chief Revenue Officer
Elizabeth Jackson
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Dianne Decena
Vice President, Partnerships
Chris Shishido
Vice President, Finance
Andrew Moon
Head of Brand and Communications
Our investors
Meet the investors behind Transcend. Their diverse expertise and guidance fuel our mission to create the most complete data privacy solution on the market.
Ship AI faster with governance built-in
See how leading enterprises turn governed data into a competitive advantage: powering AI personalization, first-party data strategies, and new revenue opportunities without slowing innovation with manual reviews.
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