Smile ID

Smile ID develops AI-powered digital identity verification, fraud detection, and KYC/AML compliance solutions built specifically for rapidly digitizing markets in Africa and emerging economies. The platform provides three core products: Onboard (verifying new users through government database checks, document verification with biometrics, and custom compliance combinations with risk-based scoring), Authenticate (re-verify users at high-stakes moments including login, new device detection, password changes, and transaction approval to prevent account takeovers), and Screen (checking identities against 1,000+ global and local sanction lists, PEP, and adverse-media lists with continuous monitoring). Smile ID's layered defense combines biometrics, device intelligence, network intelligence, and source-of-truth verification, with AI models trained on local documents and faces, optimized for real-world conditions including low light, low bandwidth, and diverse device ranges. The platform achieves a false rejection rate of 1-1.5% and has completed 400M+ identity checks, trusted by 4 of 5 top Nigerian banks and 3 of 4 South African BNPL leaders, partnered with Mastercard. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the company has raised approximately $31.1 million at the Series B stage from investors including Costanoa, Susa Ventures, Norrsken22, LocalGlobe, CRE Venture Capital, 500 Global, and Commerce Ventures.