Enabling trust in the connected world

  • Recipient: BioConnect
  • Region: Toronto
  • Total funding allocated: $3.9 million
BioConnect provides enterprise biometric authentication and a security platform to increase security and establish stronger trust in unifying a person's identity across physical, IoT and digital applications.
FedDev Ontario has truly been a catalyst in BioConnect's growth—giving us the confidence to invest at a pace we would not otherwise have been able to do on our own.

 

Jeff Crews,
Chief Customer Officer, BioConnect

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You have probably used biometric technology today, perhaps without even realizing it. Have you unlocked your smartphone using your thumbprint or Face ID? These are biometrics! They come in two forms: physiological, such as your face, eyes and fingerprints; and behavioural, which are unique characteristics and patterns derived from your behaviour, such as the way you walk or talk.

BioConnect has developed a way to harness the power of biometric technology to offer solutions to the toughest security problems faced by businesses. Its biometric solutions can verify a person's identity across physical and digital spaces, which offers increased identity assurance, cybersecurity and protection of valuable business assets—a highly desired level of security in the market today.

BioConnect's solutions rely on unique personal characteristics that cannot be shared, stolen, borrowed, or forgotten, which eliminates the risk of password sharing and the loss, theft or neglect of cards, fobs, PINs and keys that come with traditional single-factor authentication technologies. And the company is committed to making further advancements in its solutions to remain a leader in the field.

With support from a FedDev Ontario investment of up to $3.9 million, BioConnect recently launched its new Unified Mobile Access, known commercially as "BioConnect Link", — a mobile, two-factor authentication solution that combines the technical advances made in both digital and physical access control. This new technology provides secure access to doors, data centres and other important equipment, without the need to replace existing infrastructure.

This investment is also helping to build an innovation ecosystem where BioConnect, along with its team of cross-functional experts, customers and partners, will develop biometric security solutions from its new innovation hub in Toronto—BioConnect Labs.

BioConnect Labs leverages the company's proven research and development track record to develop new solutions from the idea stage through to development and to market. Thanks to FedDev Ontario's support at a vital time of growth, BioConnect will continue to expand its product portfolio, its reach to new markets, and its team by adding approximately 40 high-quality jobs.

"FedDev Ontario has truly been a catalyst in BioConnect's growth—giving us the confidence to invest at a pace we would not otherwise have been able to do on our own," says Jeff Crews, Chief Customer Officer, BioConnect. "FedDev Ontario will play an instrumental role in our ability to grow our revenues, create jobs and compete on a global scale."

Over the past decade, more than 900 customers globally have implemented BioConnect's solutions, including one of Canada's top banking institutions, which uses mobile biometric technology to deliver a more secure, convenient solution for commercial banking customers to access their accounts and execute transactions.

"Our priorities have always been to become a Canadian technology success story located in Canada, controlled by Canadians and creating high-value jobs in the Toronto tech ecosystem," says Jeff Crews, Chief Customer Officer, BioConnect. "FedDev Ontario support allows us to continue to invest and maintain our growth trajectory into the future."

BioConnect recognizes that the global shift to a more open, digital world makes it critical for businesses and institutions to ensure the security of their data, spaces, networks and people. FedDev Ontario is proud to support a forward-thinking, homegrown Canadian company that possesses a strong willingness to adapt to the ever-changing digital economy.

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