CitizenMe
Your digital world, in your hands. Take control of your personal data and realise its value.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
* | £1.5m | Seed | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
CitizenMe operates a platform centered on the principle of zero-party data, positioning itself as a personal data marketplace where individuals maintain control and ownership of their information. The company was founded in 2013 by StJohn Deakins, a serial internet entrepreneur with a history of working on digital transformation projects since 1995, including developing British Airways' first online booking system. His experience with a previous mobile platform startup, which he sold in 2010, led him to recognize the burgeoning value of personal data and the need for a model where consumers could participate in that value.
The business model is structured around a two-sided marketplace. For individuals, CitizenMe offers a mobile app that allows them to aggregate their digital data, gain personal insights, and anonymously share this data with companies in exchange for rewards like cash, discounts, or charitable donations. The key feature is that personal data remains on the user's device, ensuring privacy and control. The app uses gamification and offers quick surveys, with instant PayPal payouts for completed paid activities, which has garnered positive user reviews.
For its business clients, which include prominent names like Mars, Sainsbury's, GSK, and Mastercard, CitizenMe provides a platform to access rich, real-time consumer insights directly from consenting individuals. This approach of using enriched zero-party data (eZPD) allows companies to conduct market research, test product segmentation, and personalize services with highly accurate and ethically sourced information. The company generates revenue by offering this data access to businesses, ranging from pay-as-you-go survey options to tailored enterprise solutions that integrate CitizenMe's technology into a company's own data stack. Since its founding, CitizenMe has received funding from investors including Mercia Asset Management, 1818 Venture Capital, and Innovate UK.
Keywords: zero-party data, personal data marketplace, consumer insights, data privacy, ethical data, data monetisation, StJohn Deakins, mobile market research, personal data economy, customer data platform, data ownership, consented data, edge AI, data analytics, consumer behavior, brand loyalty, digital identity, data exchange, adtech, fintech