Privaris

About Privaris

Privaris operated in the biometric security sector, focusing on personal, wireless devices for identity authentication. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, the company developed solutions aimed at the intersection of high-security biometric applications and individual privacy. The firm was co-founded by Barry W. Johnson, who also served as its President and CEO. Over its lifetime, Privaris raised a total of $38.9 million in funding over 14 rounds from institutional investors including Noro-Moseley Partners, Harbert Management, and River Cities Capital.

The company's core business involved creating hardware and software products that applied fingerprint biometrics to everyday security challenges. It targeted a broad client base, including individual consumers, small businesses, large corporate enterprises, and government entities at the federal, state, and local levels. The business model centered on the sale of its physical devices and leveraging its patented technology for various security applications, including physical access to buildings, logical access to computers and networks, and secure financial transactions.

Privaris's flagship product was the plusID, a key-fob sized, personal biometric device. This handheld unit featured a fingerprint sensor and a secure processor. A key selling point was its privacy-centric design; the user's encrypted fingerprint data was stored exclusively on the tamper-resistant device and never transmitted or held in a central database. The plusID was engineered to be compatible with existing security infrastructures, such as 125 kHz proximity and 13.56 MHz contactless smart card technologies, minimizing the need for clients to overhaul their systems. The device supported various connection methods, including Bluetooth and USB, and was designed for multiple uses, from unlocking office doors to authenticating online transactions. A significant development in the company's history was the transfer of the majority of its patent portfolio to Apple between 2012 and 2014, signaling a strategic shift or wind-down of its operations, as the company is now considered deadpooled.