PXL Vision secures digital identities

PXL Vision provides services for the safe and easy verification of digital identities. The spinoff from the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) has already impressed a range of companies and their clients. As the ETH explains, the company allows a smartphone to replace the people who currently verify the identity of potential customers in a bank branch or a mobile phone operator’s shop.

The process is simple. First, the customer scans the front and back of their ID card. They then record a short selfie video, before using an app to upload the documents to a cloud on a certified Swiss server. Within seconds, the system confirms whether the scanned document and the video are authentic, if a real person is in front of the camera and if the identity document matches the person, writes the statement. The service allows customers to immediately purchase a mobile phone subscription or set up a bank account. They are no longer dependent on a customer advisor or opening hours.

Known as Daego, the technology supports all international travel documents and other forms of ID. The telecommunications company Sunrise was one of PXL Vision’s first customers. “At first, the company’s main concern was whether their customers would accept the new technology,” explained one of PXL Vision’s founders, Karim Nemr. “But these were unfounded. It turns out that, regardless of age or gender, people have no problem with their identity being verified digitally.” Bearing the label of “ETH spin-​off” also helped with credibility. 

PXL Vision has development centers in Armenia and Serbia. The next step is to establish the company in the financial industry and gain a foothold in the USA and Asia. “Every year, billions of personal data records are stolen and misused,” said Nemr. “This means lack of trust is a huge problem. We have a solution for that.”