In our 5 minutes with profiles, MEF members talk about their business, their aspirations for the future and the wider mobile industry.
This week Chief Product Officer Keiron Dalton, introduces mobile identity specialists Sekura.id.
What does Sekura.id do?
Sekura.id leverages the connected world to provide the Identity Layer that doesn’t exist on the Internet today. We deliver relevant and dynamic authentication and identity verification services, centred on mobile, while connecting directly with mobile operators to provide a global footprint of services across several sectors via a single API.
When did you launch and what growth have you seen?
We launched the company in 2019, and there are several different angles to measure our growth.
Customer impact:Â We started in the UK, positively impacting the majority of UK citizens. Fast forward to today and we positively impact over 2.5bn people across six continents.
From a partner ecosystem perspective:Â Our journey started with the big four mobile operators in the UK, where we leveraged that connectivity to provide identity services to two go-to-market partners. Today, we have connectivity to over 75 mobile operators with a vast array of go-to-market partners ranging from Identity to risk assessment.
Presence:Â We started with our HQ in Aylsham, Norfolk. We now have offices in Chester and Johannesburg, with feet on the ground in places like the US and India. Sekura.id is actively involved in many global projects, including the CAMARA project, as we endeavour to influence all things Mobile Identity. Our thought leadership and guidance help to support the expedient delivery of identity services in territories that have traditionally struggled.
What are your main goals?
We have huge ambitions; by leveraging the mobile connectivity that exists today, we endeavour to drive and align the concept of ‘ID for all and everything’ and ‘ID for every natural person on earth by 2030′ – a UN sustainable goal. We will create a true ubiquitous Identity layer, underpinning everyone’s digital life.
Where do you see your company in three years’ time?
Today, we focus on mobile, but in three years, we will be in a position where we don’t just only impact the mobile ecosystem, but we’re intrinsic in delivering Identity across all connected devices. Our Identity rail concept will expand to have a wider-ranging relevance, impact and an opportunity to increase our inclusivity efforts further – societal impact is ingrained in our vision.
What aspect of mobile is most exciting to you right now?
Firstly, I think reachability; the proliferation of smartphones in places such as Africa generates a whole new opportunity to positively impact countries with untapped potential. The infrastructure is there already and continues to expand, scale and improve.
The layering of innovation can now explode (augmented reality, personalisation, content etc). AI/machine learning is a headline-grabber, where services are augmented to improve access to healthcare, with a deeper understanding of the human and better-tailored personalisation. A human-like interaction can be provided where a human isn’t available.
As more devices are connected, the focus tends to be on commerce. Utilising devices to determine the health status of the vulnerable or providing opportunities for collaboration for those that are isolated excites me. It is critical that we deliver the much-needed Identity layer that doesn’t exist today, as without it, we run the risk of creating new challenges and exposing those to that risk.
What’s the most critical issue that will hit mobile within the next 12 months?
Connectivity is outstripping the foundational elements needed to support it. More devices are connected, more humans are associated with those devices, and more data and insights are being generated. However, the human, consent, and Identity element has been left behind.
Certain components are open to compromise due to the increased demand and requirement to get things to market to capitalise on the boom. The lack of context is associated with what’s going on with your connected device, where the data is going, no means of consent, and no real idea of what is happening downstream.
Apart from your own, which mobile companies are the ones to watch in the year ahead?
It’s the companies that are thinking beyond technology and looking at the human element; I’m not thinking of a disruptive app or a new biometric, I’m thinking of the ubiquitous impact that is likely to be centred on understanding data, insight, behaviours, predictability, and future modelling. Like Sekura.id, albeit mobile and connected-devices focused, it is about the positive impact we can make on the human experience first and foremost.
