Fime adds digital identity advisory expertise with Consult Hyperion acquisition

A digital identity testing and consultancy juggernaut is coming together in France, with Fime acquiring Consult Hyperion.

The deal enhances Fime’s comprehensive consulting and advisory services, taking in not just testing but also development and implementation, according to the announcement. It combines Fime’s global reach with Consult Hyperion’s expertise in specialized consulting and advice. The combined business is intended to serve clients from startups to established global market leaders, and is adaptable to markets worldwide, the companies say.

Fime itself was acquired by Gallant Capital Partners, along with the payment testing business of U.S.-based UL Solutions, back in May. The two entities were merged to create a large provider of digital ID, payments and “smart mobility” testing and consulting services.

Fime CEO Lionel Grosclaude says the acquisition is a significant milestone for Fime, and positions it well in those three areas of focus.

Consult Hyperion was founded back in 1986 by David Birch, who remains with the company as a global ambassador, and others. Birch is also on the advisory board of the Deepfake Summit. Consult Hyperion has published studies this year on AI-driven identity fraud (with Signicat) and the challenge deepfake injection attacks pose to biometric identity verification (with Inverid).

“We have worked alongside Fime for a number of years, and are delighted to join forces with an organization sharing our values, including creativity, collaboration and deep expertise,” say Consult Hyperion Co-founders Stuart Fiske and Neil McEvoy in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Joining Fime enhances our ability to support clients worldwide in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of our industries. Our combined strengths will deliver innovative, scalable, and more locally relevant consulting and advisory services.”

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Fime also recently announced plans for a new Technical Centre and team of NFC engineers to support its testing of digital ID and payment technologies. Fime France was also accredited for biometrics testing by NIST at the end of 2023.

Article Topics

acquisitions  |  biometric payments  |  biometric testing  |  biometrics  |  Consult Hyperion  |  Fime