Identity platform Verimi gains additional partner Giesecke+Devrient becomes new shareholder

Berlin (ots)

• Pre-version of the product tested in pilot phase Shareholder agreement signed in Berlin

The new European identity, registration and data platform Verimi is getting further support: Giesecke+Devrient (G+D), the global market leader in securing payment transactions, identities, connectivity and data, is joining the group of shareholders. “We are delighted to have Giesecke+Devrient on board as another shareholder with extensive expertise in the field of security technology and payment transactions,” said Donata Hopfen, CEO of Verimi. Bundesdruckerei, Deutsche Lufthansa and Deutsche Telekom only joined the group of shareholders in August.

“People who identify themselves and pay want to be able to rely on the security of technology and data. However, there is still a lack of a secure and transparent standard here,” said Ralf Wintergerst, CEO of G+D. “As a leading provider of security technology, we are happy to contribute our expertise to close this gap together with Verimi.”

Giesecke+Devrient will become the tenth member of the group of shareholders. So far, these include Allianz, Axel Springer, Bundesdruckerei, Core, Daimler, Deutsche Bank with Postbank, Deutsche Telekom, Here Technologies and Lufthansa. G+D’s entry is subject to approval by the relevant bodies and antitrust authorities.

The new additions to the group of shareholders will be announced at an event in Berlin today. Top managers from the existing companies will come together to sign the shareholders’ agreement.

Christian Sewing, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Deutsche Bank: “Verimi is a strong lever for all companies involved to be relevant for their customers on a daily basis with identity and payment services on the Internet. We are starting in Germany and want to quickly gain partners in Europe.”

“This is a very special day for us. The final signing of the contracts brings us a big step closer to the vision of a European, open and cross-industry identity platform,” says Donata Hopfen, CEO of Verimi.

The growing circle of shareholders from leading international companies shows that the Verimi idea of offering an alternative to the large platform economies is meeting with a great response. In spring 2018, the company will launch its first product, the so-called single sign-on (register once centrally and log in everywhere). Verimi will implement the requirements of the new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from the outset and support the e-Privacy Regulation using state-of-the-art technologies. The platform will also be the first in Germany to be able to integrate the e-ID card and citizen account functionalities. To this end, the company is currently working intensively with the authorities.

After carrying out a series of hackathons to connect the software interfaces, Verimi has been completing an initial pilot phase (usability test) with a preliminary version of the log-in function since the beginning of December. The user guidance is being tested in a closed user group. Participants in the first usability test include Deutsche Bank, Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt and start-ups such as the successful fintech Weltsparen. Further tests will follow before the market launch.