iProov expands biometric security operations to U.S. with new HQ

UK-based iProov has opened its U.S. headquarters and appointed an executive team for business development in the North American biometric security market, the company announced.

The U.S. office is located in Catonsville, Maryland at the bwtech@UMBC Research and Technology Park.

“Our new U.S. headquarters is perfectly situated,” said in a prepared statement iProov Founder and CEO Andrew Bud. “Not only will we enjoy close proximity to our government customers, but we will also be able to more easily leverage Maryland’s outstanding resources – in the form of nearby intellectual capital, tech talent, and the vibrant cybersecurity community associated with the bwtech@UMBC Technology Park. Our new location and new executive hires are setting the stage for iProov’s next phase of rapid growth, and we’re excited about the way forward.”

Management joining iProov’s U.S. operations includes Joe Palmer, President of iProov, Inc., and Simon Williamson, VP of Sales for iProov North America.

“It is exciting news that iProov is establishing its U.S. headquarters in Maryland to become part of our thriving cybersecurity community,” said in a statement Governor Larry Hogan. “Our highly-educated workforce, proximity to many key federal agencies, and critical mass of innovative companies makes Maryland an outstanding location for global cyber companies looking to expand in the U.S. market. We are very excited that our outreach efforts resulted in attracting them here.”

The decision to open an office in Maryland came after iProov met with Governor Hogan in 2017 during an economic development mission to the United Kingdom. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed for cyber companies in the U.K. and Maryland to enter an exchange program to further explore market opportunities in the two regions.

iProov’s biometric authentication technology delivers ID verification during onboarding and border control, but also provides customer authentication in banking, healthcare and enterprise access management. Dubbed Flashmark, the solution ensures liveness and authenticity through controlled illumination to flash a sequence of colors onto a user’s face.

iProov holds 18 international patents for Flashmark’s presentation attack detection (PAD) and face-matching capabilities. It has been tested for conformity by the U.K. national standards laboratory.

Flashmark identifies presentation attacks, establishes liveness and protects the system from deepfakes by leveraging a number of solutions, including face verifier, ID matcher and palm verifier.

Since 2018, iProov has registered 10x revenue increase and more than doubled its headcount. Its customers include ING, Rabobank, the U.K. Home Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“We have chosen to locate our U.S. headquarters in a great source of top cyber talent and close to the nation’s most sophisticated customers. Our plan is to work closely with them to protect U.S. citizens and stay ahead of growing threats like deepfakes,” said Joe Palmer, iProov president and head of the U.S. office. “More than 2.5 million people ‘iProoved’ themselves in 2019 to assert their identities safely and conveniently. We are very excited to build our presence here by further growing our team and safeguarding millions of Americans.”

“Cybersecurity is a global issue. UK businesses are continuing to innovate, lead the sector and identify the solutions that will achieve global impact,” said UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss.

“iProov’s US expansion is evidence of the growing global demand for UK innovation. I’m delighted that my department has supported iProov’s scale-up as we work towards striking a trade deal with our partner across the pond.”

iProov CEO Andrew Bud was recognized by Queen Elizabeth and was made CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services to export in the New Year Honors.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometric liveness detection  |  biometrics  |  cybersecurity  |  facial recognition  |  identity verification  |  iProov  |  United States