Eyn
AcquiredEntrepreneur First '16London, GB · Founded 2016 · 1 known investors
Eyn built mobile identity verification software that paired facial anti-spoofing checks with public-key cryptography, allowing a standard smartphone camera to confirm that a live person matched a stored biometric credential. It was sold to organizations that wanted to issue biometric identity keys without distributing dedicated hardware, and the company was acquired by Onfido in 2021.
Also known as EYN
Founders & leadership
Eyn was founded in 2016 by Hasan Sheikh Faridul and Mohamed Ben Arbia.
Investors · 1
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Eyn (styled EYN) was a London-based digital identity verification company whose stated mission was to make identity verification as secure as an airport border check while remaining as user friendly as contactless payment. The company listed an address at 41 Corsham St, London, UK, and operated the website eyn.vision.
Eyn's technology included biometric presentation attack detection (liveness detection). Coverage of its acquisition described the relevant capability as ultrasound-based, or acoustic-based, presentation attack detection, which the acquirer intended to integrate into its own identity verification stack.
Eyn appears in the portfolio listings of Entrepreneur First, the London-based talent-first company builder and early-stage investor. The company was acquired by Onfido, with the deal reported as completed in October 2021.
Latest developments
In late October 2021, Onfido was reported to have completed its acquisition of Eyn in order to add the company's ultrasound-based biometric presentation attack detection to its offering.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Eyn positioned itself in the digital identity verification and biometrics market, aiming for airport border-check levels of security with contactless-payment levels of user convenience. Its acquisition by Onfido, a larger identity verification provider, placed its liveness technology inside an established IDV platform.
The company emphasised team experience in developing biometric systems used in major airports and government agencies, with members drawn from academic institutions including EPFL and Oxford, and an ultrasound/acoustic approach to presentation attack detection distinct from purely visual liveness checks.
Technology
Eyn worked on biometric identity verification with presentation attack detection. Reporting on its acquisition characterised its approach as ultrasound- or acoustic-based liveness detection, intended to determine whether a biometric sample is presented by a live person rather than a spoof.
Geography
Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, at 41 Corsham St.
History
Eyn is listed in the portfolio of Entrepreneur First, the London company builder that forms teams pre-idea and provides pre-seed funding and follow-on convertible notes to graduating companies. The company operated as an independent identity verification vendor until its acquisition by Onfido, completed by October 2021.
Risks & controversies
No controversies are reported in the available sources. Note that the domain eynvision.com hosts an unrelated AI consulting and product studio operating as Eynvision, which should not be conflated with this company.
Compiled by commissioned research from 4 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Timeline · 1
launches, deals, and filingsBiometric Update reported that Onfido had recently completed its acquisition of digital identity verification company Eyn, with the stated aim of integrating Eyn's ultrasound/acoustic-based biometric presentation attack detection (liveness) technology.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 4
primary sources listed
- EYN | Biometric Updatebiometricupdate.com · web
4 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Eyn do?
- London-based biometric identity verification startup, acquired by Onfido in 2021 for its acoustic liveness detection.
- Who founded Eyn?
- Eyn was founded by Hasan Sheikh Faridul, Mohamed Ben Arbia in 2016.
- Who are Eyn's investors?
- Eyn's investors include Entrepreneur First.
- Where is Eyn headquartered?
- Eyn is headquartered in London, GB.