Tag Archives: spotlight

1. What is the mission and vision of PlainID?

Our mission: PlainID’s mission is to provide frictionless user experiences while maintaining security and the highest levels of data privacy and compliance. PlainID helps businesses advance and modernize by simply and securely connecting people with the digital assets they need to do their jobs, accomplish tasks at scale and conduct digital commerce. By making authorization decisions simple, smart, granular, and dynamic, PlainID helps enterprises control who can access what, when, and how on whose authority. Enterprises and organizations worldwide use PlainID to securely connect their employees, customers, and partners with the digital assets they continuously need, on-demand. Our vision: PlainID envisions a world where it’s easy to connect identity (employee, business partner, customer, machine account, system account) to any application, service, or data—with assurance. In the future, we believe that PlainID will be behind every connection between an identity and a digital service: monitoring, securing, and validating it. Authorization is the foundation of security: it’s the last mile that governs what people actually can do.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Digital identities managed through Identity Platforms have grown exponentially in size and relevance. The convergence of market dynamics (user experience, security, and data governance) coupled with the dynamic evolution of ever-increasing security risk vectors has caused the perfect storm of variables for breaches and attacks to occur. Traditional Identity providers provide authentication around the perimeter, but what is the perimeter today in a world of cloud computing? Security must cut through the enterprise and protect digital assets and data that malicious actors may be trying to access. As a result, a paradigm shift to “Identity-First Security” is becoming the de-facto security model for securing the enterprise organization, and Authorization management & control is a centric and crucial part of that architecture.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity must ensure secure access to digital assets. It unlocks a range of essential services now available online, for use as an employee or a consumer. Organizations and individuals can now do business anywhere around the globe with a few clicks of a button. Our organization takes the security of connecting identities to digital assets to the next, critical level – authorization. Market adoption for authorization has been driven by the convergence of traditional identity and access management and cybersecurity requirements. In the future, we believe that PlainID will be behind every connection between an identity and a digital service: monitoring, securing, and validating it. Authorization is the foundation of security: it’s the last mile that governs what people actually can do.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

As in other countries, digital identity and its security are crucial to the growth of the Canadian economy. As Canadians continue to increase their use of digital services, regulations around trusted digital architecture need to be imposed to enable the right control of who can access what, when, and how on whose authority. And no more.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

PlainID’s mission is to provide frictionless user experiences while maintaining security and the highest levels of data privacy and compliance.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

PlainID is the global leader in Authorization as a Service. We provide an extensible authorization platform for securely connecting identities to digital assets across the enterprise, at scale. We make Authorization management plain and simple, across your technology stack and your business ecosystem. Powered by Policy-Based Access Control (PBAC), PlainID’s AuthZ Platform provides Centralized Policy Management with Distributed Enforcement dynamically across vital enterprise access points. Our customers use PlainID to strengthen traditional Identity & Access Management AuthZ, deploy Identity-First Security initiatives (including Zero Trust), and meet Data Access / Governance AuthZ requirements. The PlainID Platform offers a SaaS-based management console and pre-built connectors (Authorizers), extending modern AuthZ to API gateways, microservices, SaaS applications, data brokers, and beyond.

1. What is the mission and vision of CIRA?

As a nonprofit organization, CIRA’s mission is to build a trusted internet for all Canadians. Leveraging more than 30 years of experience managing .CA domains, CIRA offers one of the world’s most advanced back-end registry solutions and operate one of the fastest-growing country code top-level domains (ccTLD) in the world. CIRA researches and develops new technologies and solutions that help increase the security and resilience of the internet; mitigate and respond to cyber-attacks; and support new network, data, and security standards around the world. We also participate in global internet governance and advocate for a variety of internet issues in Canada such as access to broadband internet, privacy and security. Their Community Investment Program provides more than $1 million in grants every year to projects that help create a better internet.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

We are going digital in all aspects of our lives and it’s important to have trust in our own ecosystem. CIRA believes that to build a competitive, safe, inclusive society for all Canadians; governments, organizations, businesses and the public need to trust that credentials created in a decentralized identity model are indeed from an authentic source.

Citizens who access services by authenticating with digital identity credentials have an expectation that the intermediary organizations responsible for performing the authentication will keep their personal information secure. Organizations involved in this chain of trust must adhere to a strict governance framework with clear rules for the collection, storage, and usage of personal information. Such a governance structure must be replete with accountabilities, checks and balances, and an audit function to ensure strict adherence. Ultimately, public trust in any system hinges upon user buy-in to the governance structure.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

We have seen incredible changes and significant economic advantages over the last two decades with the move to online service delivery. Critical issues have risen, from trust to privacy and security. CIRA believes that the evolution of privacy-enhancing, security-respecting, models for the delivery of digital identity is a key foundational requirement for the next stage of evolution. They believe that the approach to establishing trust anchors for decentralized digital identity may benefit from CIRA’s expertise in running one of the largest digital registries in the country and our experience in managing Canada’s DNS infrastructure.

CIRA believes that some important parallels can be drawn between the governance and international alignment in the management of the internet and maybe applicable to some of the issues we see with emerging decentralized identity models. W may be able to draw on our experience to help contribute to the next evolution of digital identity

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada is an advanced digital society and has contributed to the development of standards, policy and governance in all aspects of technology. Trust is very important not just nationally but internationally as various aspects of business and personal rely on digital identity. Trust is one of the core values in which Canada implements its innovative projects around the world and our capacity to be thought leaders is driving forward the creation, development and adoption of digital identity.

CIRA believes that community initiatives such as DIACC and other public and private sector collaborative forums in Canada, along with the presence of thought leaders and very significant contributors to the evolution of digital identity make Canada uniquely positioned to be a significant contributor to the continued evolution of digital identity.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

CIRA believes that the significant issues we are seeing with trust in digital Identity and the important principles in the philosophy embedded in decentralized identity are critical to the continued evolution of a healthy digital economy. Further, the CIRA’s decades of experience in managing the .CA domain registry on behalf of Canadians—which is at its core a form of digital identity—will positively contribute to community efforts to advance the state of digital identity and the digital economy as a whole.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

CIRA also has an innovation hub called CIRA Labs with a focus on leveraging our DNS expertise and managing their large network footprint, data centers and servers globally. They have been managing Canada’s original digital identity registry, the .CA domain name registry, on behalf of Canadians for more than 30 years. CIRA believes that the internet is an overwhelming force for good in the world, and with the right vision and collaborations, Canada can be a leader in its continued success.

1. What is the mission and vision of AIT?

The AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology) is a professional non-profit RTO enterprise focusing on the key infrastructure topics of the future. AIT provides research and technological development to realize basic innovations for the next generation of infrastructure-related technologies in the fields of digital safety and security, energy, health and bioresources, low-emission transport, vision, automation and control, technology experience, and innovation systems and policy.

Dedicated to serving governments, operators of all kinds of critical infrastructure and its industrial suppliers, AIT bridges the gap between research and technology commercialization, which is a key aspect of developing new technologies and enabling an economic boom.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Full digitization of businesses is key to holding one’s ground in global competition. Customers will select those services that provide maximal efficiency and usability while ensuring full data security. Day-to-day news about data breaches makes customers feel insecure. The winners will be those companies that manage to establish and maintain a maximum level of trust for generally accepted applications.

Some emerging markets strongly rely on biometrics as the basic or even single way of personal identification. Trust in the corresponding identity management processes is key for the secure operation of access control to services in everyday life.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity will introduce huge opportunities for new business processes and at the same time pose tremendous threats regarding security and privacy. Any new application must bring along the appropriate security level. New business models must come hand-in-hand with trusted security features. Again, being able to fulfill the requirements of a convenient application and a high level of trust will be key criteria for success or failure in business. Global competition will select the winners.

AIT addresses exactly these challenges by investigating and piloting innovative methods and tools for ensuring the required security of the biometric applications of tomorrow.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Any community aiming at leadership should act as a promoter and supporter of innovations in identity management processes and involve all market participants, from private customers to governmental administrations. In parallel, it should prioritize efforts for the broad implementation of efficient, convenient, and secure identity management processes in all forms of business.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

DIACC’s goals and agenda fit perfectly to the AIT mission of realizing basic innovations for the next generation of infrastructure-related technologies in the fields of digital safety and security. AIT is interested and prepared to contribute to advancing Canada’s digital economy agenda with innovative biometric solutions and secure identity management processes.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

In the area of digital identity management, AIT experts investigate new technologies in the field of biometrics (high convenience, contactless, at a distance, multimodal approaches, privacy-preserving, highly secure, mobile), showcase those technologies to interested end-users as well as to companies working B2B, and are involved in or lead national and European applied research projects. The present focus is on contactless biometrics including fingerprints and 2D/3D face for person identification and identity verification and secure identity management processes. AIT seeks partners to a) incubate end-users and industry with novel identity management solutions, b) enable small and medium-sized prototypes and pilots, c) distribute and roll out its biometric technologies, and d) build new connections into North America’s scientific community.

1. What is the mission and vision of Nuance?

Nuance’s mission is to facilitate fast, easy, secure access to the services that people depend upon. When a person contacts a company or government agency, they should be able to quickly verify themselves with minimal work on their part. They should also know that their identity is safe and that the company or agency that they’re engaging with is using the latest technology to detect and stop fraudsters. Nuance promotes an accessible, biometrics-based approach to authentication in which a person’s voice acts as a central, lifelong credential that frees them to use whichever device or channel they want. Where other biometric modalities like fingerprint sensors and face scanning require a person to have access to a particular device, voice biometrics can be enrolled and then authenticated against in any channel. Therefore, by adding voice biometrics to their digital identity, governments and enterprises can ensure that they are offering a secure, accessible to everyone, including vulnerable and less technology-savvy clients. A biometrics-based approach also enables organizations to stop digital identity fraud at the source—the actual fraudster—by detecting fraudsters no matter the device or identity they hide behind. And it helps law enforcement agencies identify and prosecute organized fraud groups to protect their citizens from identity theft and related crimes.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Both corporate and government entities need to trust that the person they’re interacting with is actually who they claim to be; likewise, people need a convenient, accessible way to prove their identity to governments and companies. A trusted digital identity, based on principles of accessibility and universality, is key to facilitating these interactions.

Furthermore, as people increasingly prioritize data privacy and security, governments and companies should embrace these principles in kind. By adopting strong, state-of-the-art authentication and fraud prevention technologies like voice biometrics, enterprises and government services can demonstrate to their clients that they share these values.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity will enhance privacy protection by enabling new ways to share specific identity attributes without having to share an identity in its entirety. Digital identity will also increase accessibility to critical services: pairing a person’s digital identity with their biometrics will allow that person to receive services without requiring a security factor that they may not have access to, such as a smartphone or physical identity card.

Nuance enables secure, accessible digital identity that goes beyond the simple digitalization of government IDs by providing technology to append biometric voiceprints to identities, as well as behaviourprints and “conversationprints”.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Through DIACC, Canada is taking the lead in adopting a secure, accessible digital identity framework that will facilitate the interoperability of digital ID standards and approaches between provinces. Further, in establishing leadership in developing such a framework, Canada will play a key role in developing a digital identity that can be used outsides of its national borders. By adopting biometrics as part of its strong digital identity framework, Canada can demonstrate the importance of making digital identity fully accessible to everyone.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

It’s time to transform national identities, but digitization is only one step: digital identity initiatives must aim to provide better services with fewer barriers even while proactively moving against abuse from fraudsters who have amassed the valuable personal information of millions of citizens over the past decade. Enriching digital identities with other data including biometric factors is critical to increasing access to services for more vulnerable populations and to fighting fraud more effectively.

Nuance has more than 20 years’ experience helping banks, telecommunication providers, insurance companies and governments deliver better services and fight back against ever-evolving fraud threats. We’re very excited to share our expertise and collaborate with other organizations to accelerate the adoption of secure, accessible digital identities across Canada and around the world.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Nuance is a global leader in biometric authentication and fraud prevention, helping governments and enterprises deliver better services and fight back against ever-evolving fraud threats. Our Gatekeeper biometric security solution reduces friction and increases trust in every interaction across voice and digital channels while helping fraud teams prevent, detect, and investigate more fraud. Over 500 organizations have enrolled over 600 million biometric prints through our solutions, securing over 8 billion customer engagements and preventing more than $2 billion in fraud losses annually.

1. What is the mission and vision of Regula?

With 29 years of experience, Regula has the largest ID document template database (9800+), supports over 138+ languages, in addition to supporting documents from over 248+ countries and territories.

Regula develops and improves solutions for the identity verification market. We strive to provide our customers with the best possible level of security and ensure that they benefit from superior protection features.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

The existing and emerging markets are growing fast. New banks, new currencies, new technologies are all rapidly reshaping the customer’s expectations. A trustworthy digital identity that ensures the best possible level of security is crucial to retaining customers and growing businesses in this fast-paced industry.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Millions of people trust the Governmental Security Organizations every day for their safety and well-being. It’s essential that these authorities have the highest level of security and service possible. Regula can empower the digital identity transformations and help the Canadian and global economy in a mission to protect and serve citizens.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

The heart of digital identity and trust services is community. Being a leader, it’s vital for Canada to give the community the confidence to flourish and grow.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

Having the best ID verification technology on the market and being compliant with data processing regulations is something that we take as a must and therefore, Regula joined DIACC to assist in delivering secure, remote, frictionless ID verification services for users across industries.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Regula Face SDK delivers secure (fully on-premises), frictionless online biometric verification regardless of the device used. Face matching allows you to compare a face biometric scan (selfie) with the photo on the ID or even a photo from the RFID (if combined with Document Reader SDK). Moreover, a liveness check becomes another security check available for the user. Such an easy step for a legitimate customer helps assure that the person holding the ID is the one on it as well as help confirm genuine presence.

Integration happens like plug and play. Together with that you get the solution that is compliant with the regulations, runs on all devices and platforms as well as reduces operational costs. Face SDK can be used in a variety of industries for different use cases including automated check-in in air travel, or onboarding in fintech. Regardless of the industry or use case software runs on the end-user device delivering the highest level of security.

1. What is the mission and vision of Credivera?

Mission: To bridge the way the world manages personal and professional credentials. We make people’s lives easier, safer, and more productive by seamlessly connecting trustworthy information to where it needs to go.

Vision: Transform the way we provide proof of people, products, and processes.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

A global economy requires a shared, trusted framework for understanding that the information we are receiving is true, untampered, and current.

As we look at traditional industries, we see an urgent need to securely share information about an individual that respects both their personal data and the information required for operating a compliant organization.

As these markets interconnect, the skills of a workforce may be hybrid, remote or highly accessible but fundamentally still require a capacity to analyze, assess, and deploy talent associated with an identity based upon their current status.

Digital ID transitions the way we validate skills from subjective to objective, placing an emphasis on the work and removing stereotypes and bias limiting the advancements of new markets.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity will create a common language and roadmap for securely sharing important personal information that honours the individual being in control of their identity. As their identity expands to involve personal and career credentials, the nature of work and repositioning of talent globally becomes a reality.

Canada will be able to attract the talent our industries require, share expertise in emerging geographies, and remove blockages in the way current economic systems operate that require verified identification in a manual way.

Credivera is developing an open, standards-based identity platform that provides proof of certifications and work experience using verified digital credentials. As we build a digital ecosystem of businesses, issuers, and individuals, we are supporting industries to adopt new ways to capacity plan, manage compliance, and identify opportunities for new career and skill development.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada can be agile and advocate for creating and mandating a shared standard of digital identity among world leaders. Through fundamental systems that enable both public and private trust services people, markets, and personal data can flow faster and more securely.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

As a participant in emerging advancements in digital identity for the government, Credivera learned of the Pan Canadian Trust framework and aligned with DIACC’s initiatives. As a member, we are excited to share knowledge and assist in creating the future of digital identity together.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Credivera is currently working with the Government of Canada on User Centric Verifiable Credentials, supporting the interoperability of foundational identity documents and will be found on the Microsoft Marketplace in the coming months for their digital Wallet.

1. What is the mission and vision of the CREA?

Our mission is to support REALTORS® in service to their clients through the provision of services and standards that enrich the REALTOR® profession and reputation and to advocate for public policy that ensures Canadians can fulfill their home and property rights and aspirations. Our vision is that REALTORS® are the chosen, trusted and respected professionals for consumer real estate needs.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

As technology continues to develop and touch all aspects of life, it’s more important than ever to create secure proof of identity and authentication in the digital space that enables individuals, organizations and governments to have confidence in their digital interactions. Ultimately, digital identity is critical to ensure people can trust the services they receive online and help reduce occurrences of cyber fraud that can erode this trust.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Digital identity is quickly becoming a key feature in the 21st century economy as innovation and economic growth is, for the most part, happening online. Developing a strong digital identity framework in Canada will help build global trust and could lead to increased capacity for international collaboration in many different sectors.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada’s forward thinking and focus on the protection of personal information provides it with the unique opportunity to become a leader in the development and adoption of digital identity and authentication technologies. As technology companies continue to choose Canada as the destination to develop their products and services, Canada is well-positioned to be a strong international voice in this space.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

As the real estate industry continues to shift online and adopt digital tools, the need for trusted digital identity for both REALTORS® and their clients has become essential. CREA joined the DIACC to become a part of the ongoing discussions and valuable work happening on this subject, with the goal of being part of the solution to this important issue.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) is one of Canada’s largest single-industry Associations. Our membership includes more than 135,000 real estate brokers, agents and salespeople, working through 78 real estate Boards and Associations across Canada.

1.What is the mission and vision of Trust Science?

Trust Science ® is a FinTech SaaS that delivers Credit Bureau 2.0 ® / Credit Bureau + ™. Its mission is to help deserving people get the loans they deserve. The service gives lenders highly accurate scores about underbanked and financially stressed borrowers in a fair, ethical and compliant way. This solution repairs the on-ramp to the modern credit economy, improving financial inclusivity while simultaneously boosting lender profitability.

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

Even in multi-billion dollar credit bureaus, data often crosses individuals, leading to frequent mix-ups and inaccurate credit reporting (i.e. lost opportunities for deserving borrowers or fraud committed by un-deserving people). With a trustworthy digital identity and interoperable digital credentials, lenders can ensure that individual data is correct and correctly attributed. As well, given the trends in Consumer Protection and Privacy laws, trustworthy identity is the first step toward returning control and consent to the use of personal data back to its rightful owners. Furthermore, in the rapidly emerging market of alternative credit underwriting, where Trust Science is a leader, digital identity enables new application processes, giving new-age credit bureaus fast and secure access to more data points for more accurate scoring. Trust Science believes that digital identity solutions will form the backbone of financially inclusive credit scoring and will be instrumental in a variety of other contexts.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

Interoperable digital credentials will transform all economies by significantly reducing cost and time for all forms of applications and sharing sensitive, verified information. Trust Science is designed to be a compliant service in all jurisdictions so that it can improve borrowing outcomes for global citizens and lenders. This is evidenced, in part, by a massive patent and trademark estate (comprising over 4 dozen patents, trademarks and pending patents across 18 different countries, and counting.) To support this transformation, Trust Science is pioneering the application of digital identity in the credit reporting industry. It is a Founding Steward of the Sovrin.org Identity network alongside industry heavyweights and it has now proudly joined DIACC. It will also provide services/consulting and its Smart Consent™ software to lenders and their borrowers to enable a transition to the use of digital credentials in loan applications, as digital wallets proliferate among consumers. As well, the company is working with regulatory bodies in both Canada (OSFI) and in the U.S. (RFI submission re: Explainable AI to 5 federal agencies in June 2021) to ensure that modern technology and its capabilities are fully understood and appreciated by all stakeholders, especially the topmost banking regulators.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada undisputedly has the technological capabilities and knowledge needed to be a global leader in digital identity and trust services. A strong supporter of digital identity standards, Trust Science is excited to be a part of that leadership, especially with the Canadian government’s “User-Centric Verifiable Digital Credentials” initiatives.

At a practical and real-world level, Canada shares the world’s longest border with the world’s biggest and most advanced economic and technological actor.  It is incumbent on a partner in such a relationship to meet or beat best practices in all matters of identity and services (like money transfer) that rely on trust and KYC. Turning to the global space, Canada must continue to support domestically-driven innovations to maintain its position of leadership and continue to set the global pace of digital identity standards in the customary Canadian way: fair, ethical, and inclusive.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

Trust Science joined DIACC to facilitate partnerships with other members that will further the adoption of emerging digital credential standards. The company believes that these partnerships will form the foundation of a strong Canadian ecosystem of digital identity companies and that all the different players’ collective experiences working on the cutting-edge of the tightly regulated lending industry will provide mutually valuable insights among each other.  Trust Science looks forward to networking and collaborating with other DIACC members in a way that helps Canada maintain its reputation for having a very strong banking/lending sector and healthy financial (including Insurance industry) institutions.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

Trust Science provides automated loan underwriting solutions leveraging traditional credit bureaus’ data, alternate data, and user-permissioned data. Given the risk associated with centrally stored personal data accessed during the loan application process, Trust Science aims to enable migration to decentralized digital credentials that will increase security and privacy while also significantly simplifying the application process. Put simply, Trust Science offers lending leaders a fair and ethical way of scoring financially stressed or under-banked customers, right now.

DIACC is very pleased to welcome Accenture as a member. In this spotlight interview, DIACC President Joni Brennan connects with Iliana Oris Valiente, Managing Director, Canada Innovation Strategy and Blockchain Lead and Christine Leong, Global Lead Blockchain and Biometrics, to hear their thoughts on digital ID and the great work that Accenture is doing in this space.

DIACC Spotlight on Accenture – YouTube

1.What is the mission and vision of ValidCert?

Our Mission is built on a foundation of Protection, Validation and Empowerment. The ValidCert Vision creates an Eco-System of Trust. Our Eco-System of Trust (1) Protects Digital Identity and Micro-Certificates (2) Provides Validation of Credentials by Government Approved Institutions (3) Empowers Life-Long Learning

2. Why is trustworthy digital identity critical for existing and emerging markets?

There is a global need for upskilling and reskilling which is creating a focus on shorter courses and micro-credentials. The approach to education and learning is changing and the technology has to focus on protecting and providing a forum for Digital Identity and Credentials to help bridge the skills gap. If individuals, globally, can safely and efficiently claim who they are and share validated micro-credentials in a protected environment, this will have a positive impact on streamlining the hiring and recruiting process which directly adds economic value. Reducing fraud, protecting rights and increasing transparency can increase efficiency for existing and emerging markets.

3. How will digital identity transform the Canadian and global economy? How does your organization address challenges associated with this transformation?

In order for Digital Identity to be successful, governments globally need to collaborate on creating interoperability to ensure individuals are protected when information is being shared. Risks need to be focused on, which include cybersecurity threats and data breaches. Digital Identity can be directly connected to economic value with increased use of financial services, increased access to employment opportunities all resulting in reduced costs and time savings for resources. According to McKinsey & Company, a subset of key focus areas for Canada and governments globally include cost savings, reduced fraud, and improved labour productivity all impacting the economy. ValidCert addresses challenges associated with this transformation by focusing on the key focus areas. Our platform is low-cost focused on enhancing processes surrounding assigning micro-credentials, providing a platform for Students/Job Seekers that is supported by the Learning Institutions that 3rd parties, such as recruiters, are invited to review. We are protecting the identity of the Issuer, Assignee and the Viewer, who are all major players in our Trust Eco-System. This will assist in reducing fraud as well as ensure that individuals’ identities and credentials are validated to be a “fit” for the job they are seeking. This will save time and resources for hiring companies, whether private or public.

4. What role does Canada have to play as a leader in this space?

Canada has a very important role to play as a leader in digital identity and trust services. This includes developing, in collaboration with organizations and other countries, policies and frameworks to ensure acceptance of digital identities. Similar to a currency, Digital Identities need to have cross-border acceptance.

5. Why did your organization join the DIACC?

We joined DIACC because we have trust in the objectives and vision of DIACC and its’ members. DIACC is creating a collaborative community to share knowledge and information to create sustainable solutions for Canada and for other countries. As part of DIACC, we are fortunate to be a part of the SIG (special interest group) for Digital Credentials which is validating the ValidCert Mission and Vision. We are not only learning but sharing our technology, research and experiences in order to move the Digital ID Dial forward.

6. What else should we know about your organization?

We are utilizing the best of Private and Public Technology environments so institutions and individuals can decide what information they want to share. We are protecting the accomplishments of all existing and future users of the Valid-Cert Eco-System!