Qsent

About Qsent

Qsent, founded in 1998, operated as a provider of contact and identity management services. The company was headquartered in the Portland, Oregon area, and established itself by sourcing and verifying contact information from publicly available telecommunication records.

The core of Qsent's business was to supply updated and verified contact identity data to other businesses. It served a diverse client base across several industries, including financial services, e-commerce, retail, insurance, marketing services, and telecommunications. The business model involved aggregating phone numbers and addresses from telephone companies into a comprehensive database. This data was then sold as a service, either through a web-based portal or as an integrated solution for its clients' business applications. This service was critical for functions such as identity resolution and verification, automating time-sensitive business processes for its customers. Key use cases included supporting debt collection agencies, insurance companies, and overnight delivery services.

Throughout its operation, Qsent secured significant venture capital funding to expand its market reach. By mid-2002, the company had raised a total of $46 million from investors such as Oak Investment Partners, Voyager Capital, Maveron, and Silicon Valley Bank. The company's journey as an independent, VC-backed entity concluded in October 2006 when it was acquired.