Shaping AI for the Next Generation
Safeguard Youth from Sexual Extortion
Tech Moves Fast
—And So Do Its Risks to Minors.
As youth engage with AI and AI-generated content across their learning, entertainment, and communication tools, they become more susceptible to manipulation and abuse online. Building AI safeguards that keep up with these risks is challenging. Without intentional oversight, AI tools can expose children to harmful, inappropriate, or exploitative content—often without detection or accountability.
Apgard is your partner in building safer AI.
Understand the Risks to Children from Emerging AI
Children face unique vulnerabilities within AI applications such as:
Content Exposure:
Inappropriate, sexualized, or violent material generated or surfaced by AI
Exploitation & Grooming:
Sophisticated chatbots and synthetic personas used to gain trust or deceive
Manipulation & Persuasion:
Personalized nudges that exploit developmental gaps in reasoning
Surveillance & Data Extraction:
Biometric and behavioral data obtained without meaningful consent
Bias & Exclusion:
Systems trained on adult-centric or discriminatory datasets
Mental Health:
Exposure to hate speech and bullying that worsen anxiety & depression
Whether you build, govern, or advocate, join us in building AI that safeguards youth by default.
🛡️ Trust & Safety Managers + Product Teams
Embed child-safety evaluations directly into your AI workflows. Uncover edge cases, close blind spots, and build responsibly—at scale.
🧠 AI Engineers + Researchers
Pilot Apgard’s automated evaluation tools in real-world environments. Help us refine accuracy, coverage, and usability—together.
Our Mission
At apgard, we bridge the gap between innovation and accountability, empowering organizations to adopt emerging technologies responsibly. We work hand-in-hand with partners across industry, civil society, and academia to ensure that progress is people-centered, transparent, and safe by design—making youth digital safety simpler, faster, and more actionable.
Meet Our Team
We’re a team of trust and safety experts with deep roots in both scrappy startups and tech giants—Patreon, TikTok, Zoom, IBM, and more. With experience spanning content moderation and policy, client services, and tooling, we know what it takes to bridge innovation and accountability. We’re here to help your organization adopt emerging technology with clarity, confidence, and compassion.
Vivian Chong
Co-Founder & CEO
Ariel Colon
Co-Founder & CTO
Our Name
Our name, apgard, honors Dr. Virginia Apgar, the pioneering physician who developed the Apgar Score—a simple, standardized test that revolutionized how newborns are evaluated in their first moments of life. Her work saved lives by bringing structure, speed, and clarity to a critical decision-making process.
At apgard, we bring that same spirit to the digital age. As AI becomes more embedded in everyday life, we believe early, evidence-based evaluations are essential—especially to protect youth. Our platform helps organizations detect risks in AI systems, safeguarding the next generation—just as Dr. Apgar’s work safeguarded new life from the very start.