Startup Wants to Deploy Facial Recognition System at Concert Venues
Blink Identity has received a seed round led by Sinai Ventures with participation from Live Nation, Techstars and other live entertainment related funds.
Blink Identity claims its facial recognition solution solves the bottleneck problem and creates a preferential experience for consumers and venue owners alike.
AUSTIN, Texas — Tech startup Blink Identity, based here, wants to help get you through those congested live concert venue lines as fast and secure as possible with the help of its facial recognition system.
The company has edged closer to that reality after raising a $1.5 million seed round led by Sinai Ventures, along with participation of Live Nation, Techstars and other live entertainment-related funds.
The company, founded by Mary Haskett and Dr. Alex Kilpatrick, completed the Techstars Music Accelerator in Los Angeles this past spring, and is focused on bringing facial recognition technology to live event venues and commercial spaces. Live Nation announced earlier this year that Ticketmaster will pilot Blink Identity’s technology for uses including admission to event venues.
The company claims its solution solves the bottleneck problem and creates a preferential experience for consumers and venue owners alike.
“We believe that this technology is widely applicable, and that Mary and Alex’s experience developing biometric identification technology for the Department of Defense uniquely qualifies them to lead the charge,” says Jordan Fudge of lead investor Sinai Ventures.
The company has secured an initial partnership with Live Nation, the world’s largest entertainment company, to leverage early pilot programs in a variety of venues.
The identity-in-motion technology is said to identify people at a full walking speed. Blink Identity claims it can verify the identity of 60 people per minute walking past a camera with facial recognition at full speed. Not requiring people to stop to apply identity verification enables the technology to be applied to events with tens of thousands of event-goers.
In May Live Nation told VentureBeat it will test the system in corporate buildings and venues and then asses its benefits to decide on the details of its use. It also suggested the technology could be used to facilitate “deeper consumer relationships.”
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