Keyless Secures $2M in Additional Funding to Expand North American Presence

Keyless, a London-based biometric authentication startup, has raised $2 million in additional funding, bringing its total funding to $10 million. The funding round was led by existing investors Rialto Ventures and Experian Ventures and aims to support the company’s expansion in North America while driving innovations to combat deepfake technology in the financial services sector.

Founded by CEO Andrea Carmignani, Keyless specializes in privacy-preserving facial biometrics, offering a cutting-edge solution for secure user authentication. Its Zero-Knowledge Biometrics™ technology provides multi-factor authentication in just 300 milliseconds without storing biometric data anywhere, ensuring user privacy. The platform is utilized by banks, fintechs, cryptocurrency platforms, and gaming companies to reduce account takeovers, secure high-risk actions, and enhance operational efficiency. The service is accessible via app and web and holds key certifications, including ISO 27001, ISO 30107, FIDO Biometrics, and FIDO2.

The company has seen rapid growth over the past year, gaining customers across the UK, EU, North America, and South America. Keyless also expanded its U.S. presence by hiring North American Sales and Technical Services Directors and bringing on industry experts Sarah Clark and Charles Walton—both former senior vice presidents at MasterCard—as advisors.

Currently employing 50 people across offices in the UK, U.S., and EU, Keyless plans to use the new funding to accelerate its North American operations and further develop solutions to tackle emerging threats like deepfake technology. With its innovative approach to biometric authentication and strong backing from investors, Keyless is poised to continue its growth trajectory in the global cybersecurity market.

Kraaft Raises €13 Million to Digitize Construction Operations with AI-Powered Platform

Kraaft, a Paris-based startup revolutionizing the construction industry, has secured €13 million in Series A funding to expand its AI-powered collaboration platform. The investment round was led by Dawn Capital, with participation from Brick & Mortar Ventures, Chalfen Ventures, Stride VC, and OSS Ventures.

Founded in 2020 by Marc Nègre, Cédric Boidin, and Thomas Reygagne, Kraaft addresses inefficiencies in construction through its intuitive platform that bridges the gap between field and office operations. The app integrates features such as real-time communication, photo geolocation, document management, and AI-driven workflows.

Key highlights of Kraaft's growth and impact:

1. User base has tripled since its €3.2 million Seed round in 2023

2. Now serves over 1,000 companies

3. Facilitates more than one million messages monthly

4. Supports five languages: English, Spanish, German, Italian, and French

5. Partnered with major European construction firms like SAUR, NGE, and SPIE CityNetworks

6. Reported 15% improvement in handling change orders, boosting project margins

The construction sector, which generated €12.5 trillion in global output in 2023, has been slow to adopt new technologies. Kraaft aims to change this by offering an easy-to-use platform inspired by popular messaging apps like WhatsApp.

Thomas Reygagne, Co-founder and CEO at Kraaft, emphasized the company's mission to empower frontline construction workers and transform productivity in the sector. The new funding will be used to fuel product development and expand into key markets, including the UK and Germany.

Kraaft plans to introduce new features in 2025, such as planning and timesheets for project management, API integrations with platforms like Procore, and AI-driven automation tools to further enhance productivity.

London-based Fintech Aslan Raises €4.7 Million to Revolutionize Employee Pay and Benefits

Aslan, a financial wellbeing platform founded in 2022, has secured €4.7 million in seed funding to expand its innovative solution for employee compensation and rewards. The London-based startup aims to transform how employees are paid and how companies approach workforce engagement and financial wellbeing.

The oversubscribed funding round was led by Notion Capital, with participation from Redstone and various angel investors. Aslan's platform offers a mobile app and reward card that provides instant cashback on purchases, flexible pay options, budgeting tools, and financial education for employees.

With this investment, Aslan plans to launch new features, expand its team, and further develop its technology to address the challenges of employee compensation and financial stress in the UK workforce. The company has already onboarded clients from various industries and achieved strong employee uptake since its launch in April 2024.

As Aslan continues to grow, it seeks to fundamentally change the way people are paid and how companies reward their employees, potentially reshaping the landscape of workforce financial wellbeing in the UK and beyond.

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