The technology company, specialized in biometric solutions, has been awarded by Banco Santander and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, one of the most prestigious awards in today’s business world and which recognizes their work in the development of cutting-edge technology Made in Spain
In a year marked by the impact of Covid-19, this company from Alicante (Spain) has increased its workforce by 135% and closed the year with a turnover of 7.2 million euros, adding more than twenty new international clients.
FacePhi achieves this recognition after being named SME of the Year in Alicante and closing a 2020 full of milestones, such as its IPO in the Euronext Growth in Paris or its inclusion among the best regtech companies in the world.
The technology company, FacePhi, specialized in the development of biometric solutions for identity verification, has won the National SME Award of the Year 2020, organized by Banco Santander and the Chamber of Commerce of Spain, in a gala ceremony held this Friday that counted on the participation of His Majesty King Felipe VI, in charge of presenting the award, as well as prominent personalities from the business and financial world. An event that, in this edition, has once again given visibility to the work of small and medium-sized companies as job creators and wealth generators in Spain.
This award, which comes just a few weeks after the company received the Alicante SME of the Year Award, highlights FacePhi’s work in developing cutting-edge Made in Spain technology with the highest levels of quality and certification within this sector. Thus, this recognition reflects the firm’s continuous upward trajectory in a disruptive sector that is increasingly linked to the activity of banks, financial and healthcare groups, thanks to the reinforced security and contactless use provided by biometric systems for the verification of identity.
This award comes in a year marked by the impact of Covid-19, which has not prevented the firm from adding more than 20 new international clients, entering with strength into Asia and consolidating its leadership position in Latin America, which has meant a revenue figure from the sale of software licenses of 7.5 million euros. Likewise, the structure of the company has undergone a strong evolution, increasing its staff by 135% to tackle new projects and maintain its commitment to R&D&i.
“We feel the SME of the Year award as a recognition to an extraordinary team of professionals, who have made new projects possible all over the world despite not having been able to travel for months due to Covid-19. Growing and creating new jobs in such a complex scenario has been a challenge, but it has also given us the opportunity for our solutions to have a positive social impact, helping thousands of people to access services safely, contactless and without having to leave their homes. Our technology has been decisive, for example, so that many pensioners in Argentina could give “proof of life” in full confinement, being able to claim their right to a pension”, explains Javier Mira, CEO of FacePhi.
The IV call for the National SME of the Year Award places this event as one of the most prestigious in the business world, where all small and medium-sized companies with less than 250 employees and a turnover of less than 50 million meet euros. In this last rendezvous, as a special case, the organization has promoted, together with the award for the best SME, a special mention for the Best Initiative in the Fight Against Covid-19 carried out in 2020.
IPO, consolidation and new investors
2020 has been a year full of milestones for FacePhi, which has experienced its IPO at Euronext Growth in Paris, the entry into the regulatory sandbox ‘Innovation Financial Services’ launched by the South Korean authorities or the jump into the health sector with the development of a facial recognition project for the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. In the final stretch of the year, the company was named one of the best companies in the world for regulatory compliance (regtech), through its inclusion in the international RegTech100 list.
The beginning of 2021 has also brought significant operations for the company, such as the announcement of important investment agreements worth 33 million euros. A movement with which the technology company born in Alicante looks to the future, gaining momentum to continue consolidating itself as a benchmark in the biometrics sector, whose market forecasts place it as one of the technologies with the greatest growth potential in the years to come.
