Biometrics awards round-up: veriScan, Access Softek, Qualcomm, Kount, Socure, Zetes

The 2020 business technology awards’ season is upon us, and several biometrics companies, as well as organizations implementing biometrics from partners or developing solutions to compliment their core business areas have been recognized for outstanding achievements.

The veriScan biometric identity management system has earned the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority a 2020 CIO 100 award, while SVP of Technology and CIO Goutam Kundu has been inducted into the CIO Hall of Fame in the 2020 class for his efforts, MWAA announced.

An in-house team from the Authority’s innovation team MWAA Labs developed veriScan to meet the congressional mandate for biometric screening of departing international travelers.

“The Airports Authority made foundational decisions early on that underpinned how we ensure high-quality IT services and solutions that will carry us into the future,” says Kundu. “VeriScan exemplifies this outcome, demonstrating how a strong foundation leads to the ability to quickly address airport problems through agile, innovation solutions. It is an honor to be recognized by the industry with these two awards.”

The MWAA technology team was also recognized with a CIO 100 award in 2016. The CIO 100 awards are hosted by IDG.

Access Softek takes credit union industry award

The Biometric Call Center Authentication Manager (BAM) from Access Softek has won the CUNA Technology Council’s Best of Show Award, based on its innovation and ability to be integrated with any core processing system. The award also reflects the company’s demonstration of commitment to delivering technology that further growth in the credit union market, according to the company announcement.

BAM replaces traditional knowledge-based authentication with biometrics on the credit union member’s phone to provide a higher level of security with shorter call times, and promote the adoption of mobile services with improved member experiences. The technology can also be used to verify large wire transfers, or for in-branch verification.

Qualcommm and Kount make Fast Company 2020 Most Innovative

Fast Company’s list of the Most Innovative Companies for 2020 recognizes Qualcomm for its new technologies, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon Modem-RF system for 5G smartphones and mobile devices.

The company says 5G will reach the mainstream in 2020, powered by Snapdragon systems.

“When it comes to the opportunities for 5G, they’re endless — unlike any wireless generation before it. 5G will not only enhance mobile broadband but can bring cellular to virtually all sectors and connect everything to everything else,” writes Qualcomm President Cristiano R. Amon. “Combined with unprecedented levels of performance and efficiency, this connectivity can transform industries and unlock rich new user experiences.”

Amon also notes that IHS Markit has predicted $13.2 trillion in economic growth enabled by 5G by 2035.

BehavioSec partner Kount has been named to the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2020 in recognition of the impact on industry and culture of its digital fraud and cybersecurity offerings.

Kount began offering its Identity Trust Global Network recently, which it says reduces chargebacks by up to 99 percent, increases operational efficiencies by up to 65 percent, reduces manual fraud revenues by up to 83 percent, and decreases false positives by up to 70 percent. For each interaction, the Network links 2.7 billion fraud records in real-time, according to the announcement.

Socure among best startup employers

Socure has been named to Forbes’ list of America’s Best Startup Employers for cultivating a culture among the top 500 for qualifying businesses.

Companies were assessed based on a review of articles, blogs and social media posts, focusing on corporate culture and employee engagement, as well as on employee satisfaction and growth.

“We are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a top startup employer,” says Socure Senior Vice President of People Russell Lobsenz. “Employee engagement and retention have always been a priority for us and making Socure a great place to work is something we are very passionate about. We believe in amplifying human potential with data science, using technology for good, and building a future we all want to live in. Being included in this prestigious list is very gratifying and shows that our dedication to creating a great culture is having a real, tangible impact.”

Zetes-made Belgian ID wins regional award

At the High Security Printing event in Lisbon, the new Belgian eID document, which were launched to a pilot phase in January with support from Zetes, has been awarded Best Regional ID Document. The award reflects excellence in security printing, system infrastructure, and implementation of a government scheme such as a passport or identity card.

Belgium has been issuing electronic identity documents since 2003 but added additional photo images and two fingerprints to a dual smart card in the updated version to make Belgium’s eID an ICAO-compliant travel document.

“The Belgian eID is a flagship product in Zetes’ portfolio,” says Zetes CEO Alain Wirtz. “It has been the company’s first governmental reference and a key one to establish our reputation worldwide. We were therefore honoured to be able to continue our collaboration with the Belgian authorities for the renewal of this project and are proud about today’s recognition from the industry.”

Article Topics

Access Softek  |  awards  |  biometrics  |  digital identity  |  Qualcomm  |  Socure  |  veriScan  |  Zetes