Over the past six months, the Ready2Scale Acceleration Program has supported 15 innovative digital and deep-tech startups by providing mentorship, resources, and a €60,000 grant to accelerate their growth. Among them is Handwave, an innovative company transforming biometric identification with its contactless palm scan technology. Let’s take a closer look at their story.
Handwave develops a product that allows contactless palm scan technology to identify or authenticate individuals in everyday services. From replacing QR codes, plastic cards, mobile apps, or tickets, Handwave offers a seamless solution with just a wave of a hand. The company provides an end-to-end solution, including both the technical implementation and BAAS (Biometrics as a Service), enabling integration across multiple industries with just one-time registration for access to all services. The startup was co-founded by Jānis Stirna and Sandis Osmanis-Usmanis.
How did you come up with the idea to create a startup?
We wanted to enhance the user journey for everyday services and improve security. This solution of palm vein scanning can achieve this goal.
What have been the biggest challenges/failures and the biggest wins so far?
Handwave has visited all continents to validate our product. We see massive traction, and people like both the technology and our business model.
What sets your startup apart from competitors?
We are the first to introduce an end-to-end solution for biometric technology like palm scanning. Our business model can generate more revenue than competitors because we use our own proprietary technology solution.
Why would you recommend the Ready2Scale Acceleration Program to other startups?
Ready2Scale is a great opportunity to understand other EU markets and attract mentors that might otherwise be difficult to access. We are happy to be part of this journey and learn valuable details that are useful for our company and product.
Where do you see your startup in 1 year? And where in 5 years?
That is one of the best things about startups—you can only try to guess where you will be after a few years. However, we envision launching Payments with Palm within one year. In five years, we aim to connect our entire BAAS platform across various industries, making palm scanning one of the preferred authentication and identification methods worldwide.
Which books/podcasts/publications and influencers in your field do you follow and would recommend to other aspiring entrepreneurs?
Our team is passionate about improving personal skills by learning from security, payment, and technology industries. We also enjoy reading business success stories, although we cannot pinpoint a specific book, podcast, or publication.
If you’d get a chance to meet with Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, what would you ask them?
What are the most crucial strategies or decisions that contributed to their companies scaling successfully? Additionally, I’d ask each how they balance innovation with security, particularly in technologies that touch millions of lives daily. Finally, I’d be curious to learn their thoughts on building public trust in new technology—especially tech with sensitive implications like biometrics.
If you’re inspired by Handwave’s mission and want to contribute to the company’s success, send a short introduction about yourself Info@handwave.eu. For more information, visit https://www.handwave.eu