Wikipedia

Simprints

Simprints is a nonprofit technology company originating at the University of Cambridge.[1] The company builds biometric identification tools and contactless face scanning solutions to be used by governments, NGOs, and nonprofit organisations serving people in low- and middle-income countries who lack proof of legal identity.[2][3] The company promotes a portable biometric system designed for front line workers.[4] The technology uses Bluetooth to connect to an Android mobile device that is interoperable with existing mHealth systems such as CommCare, ODK, or DHIS2.[5]

Simprints
Company typeNonprofit
IndustryTechnology
FounderAlexandra Grigore
Toby Norman
Daniel Storisteanu
Tristram Norman
HeadquartersUniversity of Cambridge
ProductsBiometric identification tools
Websitewww.simprints.com Edit this on Wikidata

History edit

Simprints emerged in May 2012 out of a hackathon organised by the Centre for Global Equality and sponsored by technology company Arm.[6][7] The founders of Simprints include Gates-Cambridge scholars Alexandra Grigore,[8] Toby Norman, and Daniel Storisteanu[9] as well as Royal Holloway-University of London student Tristram Norman.[10]

In 2014, the firm received a Round 4 Saving Lives at Birth Seed Grant, part of a Grand Challenges competition supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the Government of Norway, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Grand Challenges Canada (funded by the Government of Canada), and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).[11][12][13] This funding was partially matched by Arm ltd, a Cambridge based semiconductor and software company.[14] This provided for a pilot study in partnership with BRAC and the Johns Hopkins Global mHealth Initiative to test the system with health workers in Gaibandha, Bangladesh.[5][6][13][15][16][17][18]

In 2015, Simprints received another grant from Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) to move prototypes to the pre-production phase and develop and verify all software. This enabled the firm to launch a pilot project with BRAC which later manifested in a formal partnership.[19]

In 2016, Simprints developed their first production-ready biometric scanner known as Vero. It is IP65 rated and CE/FCC certified.[20] Simprints software architecture also conforms to EU Data regulation.[21]

In 2016, Simprints won a $200,000 grant from the Global Innovation Fund.[22]

In 2017, the firm won a Round 7 Saving Lives at Birth Transition to Scale grant for $2 million to scale up Simprints partnership with BRAC’s maternal health program to reach 2 million expectant mothers and children in Bangladesh.[23][24][4]

In 2019, Simprints announced that 3000 units of the Vero 2.0 would be shipped in early 2020[10]

Published Literature edit

In October 2023, Simprints was featured in a Harvard Business School Case Study entitled ‘Toby Norman: Is passion enough for Simprints to thrive?’. The case, written by Professor Jon Jachimowicz, is an in-depth look at the Simprints story and has become part of the core curriculum for all first-year Business students in the LEAD programme at Harvard.[25]

Affiliations edit

As of January 2023, Simprints' partners and financial supporters include:[26]

Non-current partners and supporters include the Electric Power Research Institute,[33] Grand Challenges Canada[23] and Impact Network.[34]

References edit

  1. ^ "Accelerate alumni". Cambridge Judge Business School. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  2. ^ "The World Bank - Identification for Development (ID4D) Global Dataset".
  3. ^ Nagamine, Yoshinobu; Norman, Toby (2023-09-12). "What are biometrics and how can it be responsibly used to help tackle malaria?". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 2024-05-08.
  4. ^ a b c "How biometrics is giving identities to 'invisible citizens'". CNN International.
  5. ^ a b Storisteanu, Daniel Matthew L; Norman, Toby L; Grigore, Alexandra; Norman, Tristram L (2015-03-02). "Biometric Fingerprint System to Enable Rapid and Accurate Identification of Beneficiaries". Global Health: Science and Practice. 3 (1): 135–137. doi:10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00010. ISSN 2169-575X. PMC 4356282. PMID 25745127.
  6. ^ a b "Verifying a Need: SimPrints wades into 'identification crisis' in health care, seeking global scale - NextBillion". NextBillion. 2014-10-15. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  7. ^ "Simprints- IdeaSpace". IdeaSpace. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  8. ^ "Profile". Gates Cambridge. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  9. ^ "Profile". Gates Cambridge. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  10. ^ a b "Simprints identifies cloud as foundation for biometrics-led healthcare". diginomica. 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
  11. ^ (GH/AA/GHI), Clune, Karen. "Round 4 Award Nominees: 30 Awards Announced | Saving Lives at Birth". savinglivesatbirth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ mandy (2015-03-09). "Recognition grows for SimPrints". Gates Cambridge. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  13. ^ a b c "Startup Simprints wins $250,000 from Gates Foundation for 'game-changing' invention". CJBS Insight. 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  14. ^ "ARM takes SimPrints cash haul to half a million | Business Weekly | Technology News | Business news | Cambridge and the East of England". www.businessweekly.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  15. ^ Storisteanu, Daniel M.L; Norman, Toby L; Grigore, Alexandra; Labrique, Alain B (2016-11-01). "Can biometrics beat the developing world's challenges?". Biometric Technology Today. 2016 (11): 5–9. doi:10.1016/S0969-4765(16)30193-X. ISSN 0969-4765.
  16. ^ "Biometric Solutions to Identification Challenges". BORGEN. 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  17. ^ a b "SimPrints wins £250,000 from Gates Foundation to develop fingerprint scanner". BiometricUpdate. 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  18. ^ alex.corr (2015-03-06). "Digital healthcare". Gates Cambridge. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  19. ^ mandy (2014-06-12). "SimPrints to pilot in Bangladesh". Gates Cambridge. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  20. ^ "Simprints Vero Scanner | therefore". therefore.com. Retrieved 2018-05-28.
  21. ^ "The Case For Better Privacy Standards" (PDF). Simprints.
  22. ^ "Simprints". Global Innovation Fund. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  23. ^ a b c Kapil, Vinesh. "Fifteen Innovators Get Funding from Saving Lives at Birth | Saving Lives at Birth". savinglivesatbirth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  24. ^ a b c "ARM backs Simprints $2.45m funding boost to prevent maternal and child deaths | Business Weekly | Technology News | Business news | Cambridge and the East of England". www.businessweekly.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  25. ^ "Toby Norman: Is Passion Enough for Simprints to Thrive? - Case - Faculty & Research - Harvard Business School".
  26. ^ "Our Partners". Simprints Technology. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  27. ^ "Simprints $2m funding win". Arm Community. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  28. ^ "Therefore- vero".
  29. ^ "COHESU.org | Home". COHESU.org | Home. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  30. ^ "Simprints | DRK Foundation | Supporting passionate, high impact social enterprises". www.drkfoundation.org. Retrieved 2018-05-21.
  31. ^ "Simprints - Global Innovation Fund". Global Innovation Fund. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  32. ^ "Identity in a digital age" (PDF). USAID.
  33. ^ cknowle. "Neonate Biometric Scanner for Frontline Health Workers | Saving Lives at Birth". savinglivesatbirth.net. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  34. ^ "The Power of Partnership". Impact Network. Retrieved 2018-05-21.

External links edit

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