Keyless

Keyless provides a privacy-focused biometric authentication platform for businesses, serving clients in finance, fintech, and government. The company was founded in 2018 in London by Andrea Carmignani, Fabian Eberle, Paolo Gasti, Giuseppe Ateniese, and Lucio De Costanzo. The founders, including cybersecurity scholars, developed the technology based on over a decade of research.

The core of Keyless's offering is its patented Zero-Knowledge Biometrics™ (ZKB) technology, which enables passwordless, multi-factor authentication without storing any biometric data on a device or in the cloud. This is achieved through a cryptographic technique called secure Multi-Party Computation (sMPC), which splits and encrypts biometric information, ensuring it cannot be linked back to a user. This process authenticates users in under 300 milliseconds with a glance at a device's camera, providing security against account takeovers, phishing, and credential reuse while complying with regulations like GDPR and PSD2.

The platform integrates into client applications and websites via an SDK or can be used as a standalone authenticator app. It supports the entire user identity lifecycle, from onboarding to login, step-up authentication for high-risk actions, and account recovery. By eliminating the need for passwords and SMS OTPs, Keyless aims to reduce operational costs for its clients. The company's business model is subscription-based, offering both cloud and on-premise deployment options to cater to different client needs.

After being acquired by the digital fraud prevention firm Sift in November 2021, Keyless became an independent company again in 2023, stating that the separation allowed it to better serve different market needs, particularly in the financial services sector. The company has secured a total of $26 million in funding from investors including Rialto Ventures, Experian Ventures, and P101.

Keywords: biometric authentication, passwordless, multi-factor authentication, cybersecurity, zero-knowledge biometrics, identity management, privacy-preserving, account takeover fraud, financial services security, secure multi-party computation, FIDO certified, facial recognition, step-up authentication, account recovery, PSD2, GDPR compliance, fintech security, authentication SDK, identity assurance, deepfake protection