Press Release
Media Contact: Milind Borkar, info@illuma.cx
Illuma Named Finalist in D CEO’s 2027 Innovation Awards
Voice Security innovator recognized for advancing cybersecurity and fraud defense for financial institutions
Illuma, the leading provider of Voice Security solutions for financial institutions, has been named a finalist in D CEO’s 2027 Innovation Awards in the Innovation in Cybersecurity category. The recognition highlights Illuma’s innovative approach to securing voice interactions, helping financial institutions protect against increasingly sophisticated fraud while making authentication faster and easier for legitimate account holders.
Illuma Labs Inc., led by Founder and CEO Dr. Milind Borkar, is one of four finalists selected in the cybersecurity category. Its flagship platform, IllumaSHIELD™ Voice Security, brings together four core capabilities—Passive Authentication, Fraud Defense, Adaptive Multi-Factor Authentication, and Human + AI Collaborative Intelligence—to help financial institutions authenticate trusted account holders, identify potential fraud and AI-generated deepfakes, and apply additional verification when needed.
“As AI-driven fraud becomes more sophisticated, securing the voice channel requires more than traditional authentication,” said Dr. Milind Borkar, Founder and CEO of Illuma. “We believe the future of Voice Security lies in combining identity verification, fraud defense, adaptive security, and collaborative intelligence. Being recognized by D CEO reflects the importance of this approach and the work our team is doing to help financial institutions protect every voice interaction.”
D CEO editors reviewed more than 300 nominations for the eighth annual Innovation Awards program, recognizing companies, C-suite leaders, and entrepreneurs helping establish Dallas–Fort Worth as a national center for innovation. Illuma’s selection reflects its work to advance cybersecurity beyond traditional caller verification by combining real-time voice intelligence, fraud defense, and adaptive security in a unified platform designed for financial institutions.
Finalists will be featured in D CEO’s January/February issue and online. Winners will be honored at a private awards dinner in January 2027.
About D CEO’s Innovation Awards
Presented by D CEO, the Innovation Awards honor companies, executives, entrepreneurs, and other leaders driving innovation in North Texas. D CEO editors select finalists and winners based on their impact on the region. For more information, visit D CEO’s Innovation Awards.
For more information, visit https://www.dmagazine.com/awards_and_events/the-innovation-awards/
About Illuma
Illuma is the FinTech leader in Voice Security and the only CUSO dedicated to securing voice interactions for financial institutions. IllumaSHIELD™ is a comprehensive Voice Security platform that combines real-time voice authentication, fraud prevention, adaptive multi-factor authentication (MFA), deepfake detection, and Human + AI collaborative intelligence to continuously verify identity and secure every conversation. Implemented in days, IllumaSHIELD™ helps organizations reduce fraud, streamline authentication, and deliver more secure, seamless account holder experiences across contact center and self-service channels.
Illuma’s leadership in Voice Security has been recognized through multiple Best in Show and innovation awards, including Finovate, Tech Titans, VentureTech, the CreditUnions.com Innovation Series, NACUSO’s Next Big Idea Competition, and The League of Credit Unions & Affiliates Shark Tank.
For more information, visit illuma.cx.