When we were founded in 2001, our technology was utilised at border security and our systems at UAE airports and over a period of 3,273 days, we identified over 650,000 individuals who were not permitted to enter the country.
Very early on, we understood that the requirements for ID management of mass populations in extremely challenging circumstances would require a complete end-to-end offering. It was our engineering approach to iris recognition, the creation of a complex yet robust data architecture in the back end, combined with state-of-the art devices would ensure our success and maintain our leadership in this space, two decades on.
We spearheaded the iris biometric sphere; the first iris recognition platforms in border control, the first iris-enabled ATM, the first iris-enabled supermarket POS, the first to secure blockchain authentication by replacing the cryptic key with an iris and the first to launch iris payments via a mobile device.
Over the last 21 years, we have established ourselves as a trusted provider of identity solutions for the management of large populations in operationally challenging environments, supplying a full-service solution for a variety of settings including national security and border control, cash/food/non-food humanitarian aid transfers, Government to citizen social protection provision mobile money and pension payments. We are proud to work with United Nations Agencies such as the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Programme (WFP) and many National government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) around the world, in addition to a large number of retail banks across the Middle East.
Now, we are leading the way in iris payments, Blockchain and microfinance, having developed our own hardware, software and APIs which help bring assistance to millions of unbanked and annually processing USD$ 1.2 billion in humanitarian aid funding, equivalent to 9.3% of total global aid.
We work with banks and financial institutions across 7 countries including Jordan, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Egypt & East Timor. We have also integrated with 5 financial switch systems incl. Temenos T24, Infosys Finacle, ICS BANKS & SmartVista.
IrisGuard is ISO 9001-2015 and ISO 27001:2013 certified.
Who We Are
Global payment solutions company, utilising our iris recognition technology for contact-free identity verification and authentication of payment transfers for Humanitarian aid & Government assistance to millions of beneficiaries in the developing world.
Our multinational and diverse team of 31 is strategically located at HQ in Milton Keynes in the UK, where our engineers focus on Research & Development of our hardware; our regional office in Amman Jordan hosts an expert team of our software developers as well as Operations including our field-based staff; joined by Business Development and Marketing across both regions plus Washington D.C., USA.
This demographic coverage enables us to build upon the trusted relationships we have established with key humanitarian donors, United Nations agencies and international NGOs.
20+ years delivering world’s first
| 2001 | Iris-Border control system |
| 2008 | Iris-ATM using only the eye |
| 2013 | Iris-ATM cash assistance for UNHCR Refugees |
| 2015 | Iris-Food payments in WFP supermarkets |
| 2017 | Iris-Blockchain deployment |
| 2019 | EyePay Phone global launch |
| 2019 |
Cash aid distribution via a mobile wallet |
| 2020 | Offline mode launches with EyePay Phone |
| 2021 |
Door to door cash & food distribution |
What we do
Enabling better, easier, faster and more dignified access to financial services for the unbanked
Managing trusted human authentication requirements for large populations
We verify one individual out of millions in real time-without cards, PIN numbers, private keys or bank accounts. We utilise the human iris as the most accurate human identifier available today.
Impacting assistance distribution through innovation
We authenticate financial transactions in less than three seconds thus removing the complexity of distributing cash assistance from donors to beneficiaries, streamlining the process on the ground and stretching funding further by eliminating identity related fraud.
100% Accurate proof-of-life
We enable our partners to distribute value, goods and services to their beneficiaries with complete accountability and transparency, increasingly in demand by international humanitarian aid donors, whilst protecting beneficiaries' entlitements through iris as proof-of-life.
Testimonials
"The beneficiary receives aid faster, in privacy and with dignity. The donors are assured complete accountability ……… IrisGuard targeted aid distribution platform eliminates fraud, reduces bank fees, increases efficiency and allows more beneficiaries to receive the aid they so desperately need."
Steven Choka, UNHCR Cash-based Interventions Officer
"...our collaboration with UNHCR and IrisGuard allows us to return greater dignity, privacy and ensure financial inclusion of vulnerable people throughout Iraq...”
Yazen Altimimi, Zain Cash CEO
"UNHCR has been utilizing iris scan technology to facilitate assistance in the MENA region - in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt - and it has proven to be a most effective and efficient channel."
Ayman Gharaibeh, UNHCR Iraq Representative
"Today, Jordan is bringing iris recognition for channeling assistance to refugees."
H.M. King Abdullah II, King of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Supporting academic and research institutions
We have built up a long-standing and strong relationships with number of academic bodies including the Universities of Cambridge, Bath and Reading in the UK, CASIA, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, Clarkson University, University of Notre Dame, USA as well as the US standards body NIST.
We work closely with any academic institution with research projects on iris recognition and as a matter of policy, we provide them with required hardware at subsidized or free pricing to help them achieve their objectives.
Award-winning iris recognition technology
IrisGuard have won many prestigious awards including the 2021 GSMA GLOMO Award, 2021 Technology Innovator Award from Corporate Vision Awards, International Innovator of the Year at the 2nd annual LendIt Fintech Industry Awards and were named as one of the World Food Programme’s “Top 10 Innovators”.
We are proud supporters of The Million Lives Collective (MLC), who have in December 2020 welcomed IrisGuard as an official member of its Vanguard cohort. It consists of innovators and social entrepreneurs from around the world who are making a significant impact in addressing global development challenges and have served over 1 million people who live on less than $5 per day.
Supporting key industry membership networks
We are also members of the Biometrics Institute, the GSMA and the Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) network of 80 members who collectively deliver the vast majority of CVA in humanitarian contexts worldwide. Their members include UN agencies, Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, local and international NGOs, donors and private sector organisations.
Find out more
Our systems are suitable for new database registration including utilising of existing iris images, and for provision of services and payments that require an accurate proof-of-life to ensure accuracy and accountability. Speak to our team about your requirements and challenges or get in touch to arrange a free, non-obligatory system demo.
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