France
AI-powered digital identity firm ShareID has raised €2 million in seed funding. The Paris-based company, founded in 2020 by Sara Sebti and Sawsen Rezig, will use the funds to expand into the US market.
The round was led by Newfund, an entrepreneurial VC firm that finances seed-stage startups driving global change. It included participation from 212 Founders, a program of mentoring and financing of startups in Seed and Series A stages by CDG Invest, and several business angels, including Bernard Mourad and Tom Kemp.
Europe
The European Commission is publishing the first version of a common EU Toolbox to implement the European Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet) This technical backbone, developed by Member States in collaboration with the Commission, will be the basis to engineer a prototype Wallet that can be used for testing in a variety of use-cases.
The Toolbox will “complement the legislative proposal on a trusted and secure Digital Identity and is a crucial first step that will enable the creation of a robust framework for digital identification and authentication based on common standards across the EU. It aims to ensure a high level of trust in digital transactions in Europe. Member States will keep working closely with the Commission to continuously update the Toolbox.”
The requirements and specifications set out in the Toolbox are not mandatory for Member States until the legislative proposal on the European Digital Identity Wallet has been adopted by the co-legislators.
At the same time, the Commission is also supporting large-scale pilots, under the Digital Programme, with up to €50 million of co-financing to address high-priority use-cases for the Wallet, including the Mobile Driving Licence, eHealth, payments, and education/professional qualifications. The pilots are expected to start in the first half of 2023.
Jordan
The Public Security Directorate (PSD), in partnership with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, has approved the use of digital identity documents — identification card, driver’s licence and vehicle licence — instead of paper format.
Citizens can now use these digital documents on the ‘Sanad’ application, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported on Saturday, citing a ministry statement. The ministry added that to ensure easier access, these digital documents can be downloaded on citizens’ phones to be used when there is no Internet connection.
Global
Ping Identity has formed a new strategic alliance with Deloitte to help the organisations’ shared clients improve advanced Identity Access Management (IAM) Solutions selection and onboarding.
Through the alliance, Ping and Deloitte’s clients will be able to streamline digital identity management and authorise which employees, customers, vendors, and suppliers can access sensitive corporate resources.
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Their clients will have access to intelligent identity solutions able to scale enterprise-wide and to offer customers “a secure and frictionless experience.”
France / Africa
A subsidiary of Thales – Thales Digital Identity and Security (Thales DIS) — formerly known as Gemalto, is under investigation by judicial authorities in France over accusations that the company got involved in unorthodox practices to secure ID document contracts in six African countries.
According to French investigative publication Mediapart, which first reported the story, Gemalto paid bribes or used other unfair channels like intermediaries or lobbyists to secure at least 10 contracts between 2015 and 2019 to produce different ID documents for Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Niger, Senegal and Uganda.
Thales says it is cooperating fully with the investigations into “contracts won by Gemalto before its acquisition by Thales in 2019.”
Thailand
Thai citizens travelling on domestic flights within Thailand can now verify their identity prior to boarding using a digital ID card or digital driving licence stored on their smartphone.
The addition of support for digital IDs on domestic flights follows the Thai government’s launch last month of the D.Dopa app that enables users to create and store a digital ID card on their smartphone that they can use to access a range of government services.
“Anyone wishing to validate their digital IDs will need to visit their district office’s registry division and bring their physical ID card,” according to a National News Bureau of Thailand report. “Officials will ask them to open the D.Dopa app, enter their 13-digit ID number and accept the terms and conditions of the app.
“They will also be asked to scan a QR code and fill out a Personal Data Protection Act consent form.”
Africa
African digital identity vendor Smile Identity has secured $20 million in Series B Funding. The round was co-led by Costanoa and Norrsken22. Additional new investments came from Commerce Ventures, Courtside Ventures, Two Culture Capital, and Latitude. Existing investors Valuestream Ventures, Intercept Ventures and Future Africa also joined the round.
This round brings Smile Identity’s total funding to more than $30 million since its founding.
The funding will be deployed for investments in three areas which include the expansion of its product & engineering team in Africa and globally, accelerating the development and specialization of its AI-powered biometrics, document verification, anti-fraud solutions and data access. Also, the company will be completing its Pan-African reach by building new teams in Francophone and North Africa, with a focus on local language support, compliance and UX optimization.
