Meerkat
Meerkat is a tech startup focused on advancing computer vision and image analysis for process automation.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | N/A | - | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| USD | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 |
| EBITDA | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 |
| EV | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 |
Source: Dealroom estimates
Related Content
Meerkat, a Brazilian startup from Porto Alegre, specializes in developing computer vision and facial biometrics technologies. The company was founded by CEO Renan Franz, who has a background in finance and controlling at companies like RBS and AEL, alongside Gustavo Führ, a former software engineer at RBS, and Guilherme Fickel, who was pursuing a doctorate in computer vision at UFRGS. Their solutions cater to a market where security and fraud prevention are critical, including banks, fintechs, retail, and e-commerce.
The firm's core business revolves around creating and providing sophisticated algorithms for facial recognition. One of their key offerings was a facial recognition API, frAPI, which evolved to incorporate deep learning techniques. This shift significantly improved accuracy, enabling the system to identify an individual from a database of 10,000 with 82% accuracy from a single image, while maintaining real-time processing speeds of up to 25 frames per second on standard CPU hardware. The technology was also ported to a mobile SDK for Android and iOS, allowing for biometric processes to be performed offline directly on smartphones. This capability addresses the need for robust identity verification in various commercial applications.
In a significant milestone, Meerkat was acquired by Acesso Digital in August 2020, a major player in the Brazilian biometrics market. The acquisition was part of Acesso Digital's strategy to internalize key technologies, replacing third-party solutions with Meerkat's advanced algorithms. Prior to the acquisition, Acesso Digital was already a client of Meerkat, indicating a strong existing partnership and confidence in their technology. The deal was financed by a R$40 million investment Acesso Digital had received from the e.bricks Ventures fund earlier that year.
Keywords: facial recognition, computer vision, biometrics, fraud prevention, API, identity verification, deep learning, artificial intelligence, security technology, fintech solutions, retail tech, e-commerce security, mobile SDK, algorithm development, Acesso Digital, Renan Franz, Gustavo Führ, Guilherme Fickel, Porto Alegre startup