Tech startup Gravity receives digital identity certification mark from ID2020 Alliance
Digital startup Gravity is among the ID2020 inaugural class of digital identity solutions to have received the ID2020 Certification Mark.
The ID2020 Certification Mark certifies end-to-end digital identity solutions and serves as a third-party seal of approval so that implementers and, ultimately, end-users can trust that the technology was developed according to the highest ethical and technical standards and with a full consideration of the inherent risks.
Gravity was selected from among a pool of 25 other applicants worldwide, and is the only European solution deployed on the ground in Africa to have received certification.
Gravity is a startup based in Paris (France) and Nairobi (Kenya). It is building a decentralized cloud platform through which individuals can easily receive, store, and share verifiable data in a secure wallet that they control.
This enables the creation of private and trusted digital identities that helps individuals unlock opportunities in a variety of cases. The platform helps small businesses in Kenya create digital economic identities by leveraging their data trail from mobile operators, suppliers and others so that they can access more customized loan products.
It is also being used to enable refugees to create profiles about their skills and programme participation. These improve access to livelihood opportunities and help humanitarian organisations coordinate better.
The platform is a key enabler of identity transactions for vulnerable populations. Even basic phone users can manage their identity with the help of a designated guardian. Third-party applications can leverage the Gravity platform to easily integrate a digital identity component that is based on open standards.
The startup is currently using the platform to help 500 small shopkeepers gain access to affordable working capital loans in Nairobi. The company is looking at deploying its solution to help improve livelihood prospects for Syrian refugees in Gaziantep, Turkey in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme in Turkey.
