Passwordless authentication startup OwnID acquired by Brazilian unicorn Unico
OwnID, which specializes in passwordless identity verification, was founded in 2020 by Dor Shany and Rooly Eliezerov, both former employees of Gigya, which was bought by SAP in 2017.
Brazilian digital identity company Unico, valued at around $2.6 billion, announced the acquisition of U.S.- and Tel Aviv-based startup OwnID.
OwnID was founded in 2020 by Dor Shany and Rooly Eliezerov, both former employees of Gigya, which was sold to SAP in 2017. The company specializes in passwordless identity verification. Instead of remembering and managing complex passwords, its system allows users to log in to websites and apps using passkeys, biometric identification, or magic links. OwnID also adds an analytics layer that tracks the login experience and provides customers with real-time data on user behavior and failures. This solution is designed not only to improve security but also to reduce customer abandonment during registration and login.
OwnID currently processes approximately 3.5 million verifications per month, with high-profile international clients including Nestlé, SAP, the NFL, and fashion brand Michael Kors. The company employs around 20 people, split between California and Tel Aviv. The founders will continue managing the business under the new brand, OwnID by Unico.
For Unico, a leader in the IDTech sector in Brazil with about 25 million identity verifications per month for banks, telecom operators, and retailers, the acquisition is part of a global expansion strategy. The company has made eight acquisitions since 2020, including Oz Forensics and Trully.AI. With OwnID, Unico adds a passwordless product to its portfolio while gaining a foothold in the U.S. and Israeli markets.
