Tenta Browser

Tenta Browser emerged in 2016 as a mobile web browser engineered with a primary focus on privacy and security. The Seattle-based company was founded by Jesse Adams, Jennifer McEwen, and Christopher O'Connell, a trio that had previously collaborated on MiKandi, a marketplace for adult mobile apps. This prior experience in a domain where user privacy is paramount directly informed their mission with Tenta. The company operated on a "zero-knowledge" principle, meaning it did not store user data or the private keys needed to decrypt it on its servers, ensuring a high degree of user anonymity.

The browser was designed for the Android platform and integrated a suite of security features by default. Core to its offering was a built-in VPN using the OpenVPN protocol, which encrypted all user traffic. Beyond the VPN, Tenta encrypted all local browsing data, including history, bookmarks, and downloaded files, using AES-256 bit encryption. This data was secured behind a user-set PIN, which was never stored on Tenta's servers. One notable feature was "Zones," which allowed users to assign different VPN server locations to different browser tabs simultaneously. The browser also supported secure DNS (DNS over TLS), ad-blocking, and anti-tracking technologies. Tenta's business model diverged from the common practice of monetizing user data. The core browser and its privacy features were free, with revenue generated from a premium subscription service. This paid tier, Tenta Pro, offered a full-device VPN to encrypt traffic from all apps on a user's phone, not just the browser, and access to a wider range of server locations.

In January 2019, Tenta secured a seed funding round of an undisclosed amount from ConsenSys Ventures, the investment arm of blockchain technology company ConsenSys. This investment highlighted the browser's alignment with decentralized technologies. The company's trajectory took a significant turn in November 2019 when it was acquired by the cybersecurity giant Avast for an undisclosed sum, though one source mentions a figure of $5.3M. Following the acquisition, the Tenta team joined Avast to integrate their technology into Avast's product line. This collaboration led to the development and release of the Avast Secure Browser for Android, which is built upon the Tenta codebase and incorporates many of its core privacy and security functionalities. While the original Android-only Tenta browser remained available on the Google Play store for a time after the acquisition, it is no longer accepting new users.

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