Biometric Venue Ticketing Firm Gets $1.5M in Seed Funding

A live entertainment-focused biometric ticketing firm is getting a higher profile thanks to new seed funding: Austin-based Blink Identity says it has brought in $1.5 million.

The investment round was led by Sinai Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in emerging companies in the internet and software spaces; and it featured contributions from Techstars, a startup-focused VC firm, and Ticketmaster’s parent company Live Nation, as well as “other live entertainment related funds,” according to a statement from Blink identity.

Live Nation’s investment in the firm first came to light through the company’s Q1 update this past May, with the company explaining in a note to investors that it invests in “new technologies to further differentiate Ticketmaster from others in the ticketing business.” Blink Identity’s technology is designed to identify registered ticket holders through facial recognition, without any need to stop and pose for a camera, potentially allowing for seamless entry into an entertainment venue. In announcing its successful seed funding round, Blink Identity acknowledged the Live Nation partnership, which it said entails “early pilot programs in a variety of venues.”

Commenting on the funding, Sinai Ventures lead investor Jordan Fudge asserted that “Blink Identity has created a fast, accurate and user-first identity service for live entertainment venues, solving the bottleneck problem and creating a preferential experience for consumers and venue owners alike.” Fudge also pointed out that Blink Identity’s co-founders had previously developed biometric technology for the Department of Defense, which “uniquely qualifies them to lead the charge.”

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July 9, 2018 – by Alex Perala