Proxy Raises $13.6M to Build a Bluetooth Identity Layer
Proxy emerges from stealth with a $13.6 million Series A to replace office badges with a privacy-focused Bluetooth identity system. The startup aims to let users seamlessly unlock doors and customize devices without extracting their phones.
Proxy emerges from stealth to replace traditional office badges with a seamless Bluetooth Low Energy system that unlocks doors and reserves meeting rooms automatically. The startup raises a $13.6 million Series A round led by Kleiner Perkins after successfully piloting its keyless entry technology with 50 different companies. Users simply walk up to a door or device without ever needing to pull out their phone or open an application.
The company views the office door as a forcing function to solve difficult technical challenges related to safety, reliability, and user experience. Rather than stopping at entryways, Proxy plans to build an entire Bluetooth identity layer that allows surrounding devices to instantly recognize user credentials and preferences. This invisible signal could eventually sign users into teleconferences, pay for public transit, or order a usual coffee from a local cafe.
Privacy remains a core focus for the founders, who intentionally design the system so users own and control their own data. Every interaction relies on an encrypted one-time token to prevent unprotected information from broadcasting into the surrounding environment. By building this technology themselves, the Australian co-founders hope to provide a secure alternative to the invasive tracking methods commonly found across the modern internet.