May 29, 2020
iProov, leaders in biometric authentication and Genuine Presence Assurance, is supporting start-ups that are finding innovative ways to solve the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
bkynd, which went live with iProov today, is a non-profit that has come up with a way of safely connecting volunteers with people that need assistance with shopping. This is especially important, bearing in mind that everyone in a house in the UK where one person has COVID-19 symptoms should be self-isolating for 14 days according to official guidance.
The bkynd online community allows people in isolation to log requests for shopping. Local volunteers can then connect with those people and provide help.
bkynd offers three key advantages :
- Availability – the bkynd website is open to anyone and everyone that has internet access. If there isn’t a service in your area, or you’re not aware of it or do not qualify for it, bkynd connects you with local people that can help.
- Payments – debit cards can’t be handed over, and trusting a stranger with cash is a risk. Getting access to cash in the first place can be hard if you’re not able to leave the house, while the health risks of handing over notes and coins is also a challenge during the pandemic. bkynd aims to solve this by offering a secure payment solution.
- Trust and safety – bkynd uses iProov to ensure that all participants verify their identities when they join up. This ensures that names and photos are genuine and can be trusted.
Anup Mehta, CEO of bkynd, told us: “We were already working on a similar project. Many people need help and many others want to give help, so we wanted to make the process of getting and giving help quicker and easier than is currently possible. We wanted to use technology to create a safe and secure way of connecting those in need with people that could provide help whilst fostering trust and connection.
“COVID-19 has accelerated that process. With the help of iProov, we’ve been able to launch the bkynd Early Adopter Programme within a matter of weeks to help fight back against the virus. We’d like to thank Andrew Bud and the team at iProov for their incredible support.”
Andrew Bud commented, “Our mission at iProov is to make the world a safer place by increasing trust online. Being able to use technology to build trust between dependent or vulnerable people that need assistance and volunteers willing to provide that assistance is an honor. I’m very proud of the work that we are doing with organizations like bkynd and encourage other start-ups to get in touch if iProov technology can assist them.”
bkynd is now looking for people to test its shopping solution by signing up to the Early Adopter Programme. To join the bkynd Early Adopter Programme, or to be added to the waiting list, visit https://www.bkynd.org/.
