EyeVerify announces name change, new product offering in Asia
August 17, 2017 | Bobby Burch
Nearly a year after being acquired by Ant Financial for more than $100 million, Kansas City-based EyeVerify wants its new vision reflected in a new name.
The biometrics tech firm is changing its name from EyeVerify to Zoloz, EyeVerify CEO Toby Rush wrote in a recent company blog post. The company, which at this time declined to offer more information about the name change or Zoloz’s meaning, has yet to release new branding to reflect the switch.
Rush wrote that the move accounts for the firm’s more extensive approach with security offerings.
“We will also be changing our name to Zoloz to reflect our more comprehensive solution for trusted digital identity,” Rush wrote.
EyeVerify created the “EyePrint ID,” which transforms a selfie of a user’s eye into a biometric security key. It’s used by millions of people around the world to access mobile banking or other secure information. In September 2016, Ant Financial — the payments affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding — purchased EyeVerify for more than $100 million. The deal is one of the metro’s most notable exits in the past decade.
The name change comes amid the firm’s ambitious expansion in Asia to quadruple its user base from 450 million to 2 billion people. Rush announced that the firm will be offering a new hosted identity platform that helps people manage their digital lives.
That platform will first be available in Asia as it evaluates how to offer it in North America and Europe, Rush said.
“The platform is centered around the idea that I am me, my phone should just know me, and my apps and services should know me – automatically, conveniently and securely,” he wrote. “Underserved and underbanked consumers in this region are moving to mobile so quickly that they have leapfrogged biometrics adoption and identity services in other geographies.”
Founded in 2012, EyeVerify has more than 60 staffers and raised more than $13 million in capital. Local investors in EyeVerify included Mid-America Angels, Women’s Capital Connection, Think Big Partners, Flyover Capital, Sprint and other private investors.
2017 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
KC’s Smart City ‘Living Lab’ to tackle domestic terrorism threats
Since 2013, more than 160 active shooter situations have taken place in the United States. Imagine for a moment if those events could be prevented or mitigated through the use of technology, such as drones, social media analysis and other sensors. That future is closer than ever according to leaders of Kansas City’s Smart City…
A vibrant arts culture leads to innovation and why hometown investors are vital
Here’s this week’s dish on why the arts community shouldn’t be a benched player on the sidelines of a city’s economy game; the importance of hometown investors to thriving startup communities; and what universities are doing to keep the talent pipeline strong for an entrepreneurial future. Check out more in this series here. The Atlantic…
ClaimKit snags $1.8M from local VC Flyover Capital
Insurance tech startup ClaimKit is tapping an area venture capital fund to help launch its second software offering that quickly analyzes policies. The company raised $1.8 million to launch RiskGenius, which helps to identify and categorize insurance clauses in commercial policies. Leawood-based venture capital firm Flyover Capital led the round, which included participation from the…
Arredondo: The Economist documentary, recent press great for Kansas City
It’s no secret that I’m a total homer for Kansas City. I truly believe that we have the opportunity and ability to become a world-class, 21st-century city. With that being said, I’ve been known to hyperbolize when it comes to the promise I see in Kansas City. But recently, our city has sold itself with…