Hard Yaka

Hard Yaka, Inc. is a private equity and venture capital firm established in 2010 and located in Crystal Bay, Nevada. The firm focuses on making early-stage investments in startups within the exchange space, particularly those that operate in specific market verticals or provide essential services across various exchange sectors, such as messaging and payments. Hard Yaka specializes in buyout and distressed investments, aiming to acquire majority stakes in companies involved in portable identity, payments, marketplaces for digital transformation, and regulatory technology. Through its investment strategy, Hard Yaka seeks to support the growth and development of innovative technologies and businesses.

Jun Hiraga

Partner

Greg Kidd

Co-Founder, Partner

Kevin Leiske

Partner

Katie Sullivan

Partner

Chris Lewis Ph.D

Partner

Past deals in Fraud Detection

Indicio

Seed Round in 2022
Indicio is a developer of a decentralized identity technology platform aimed at assisting companies in creating and sharing verifiable data while fostering secure relationships. The company provides comprehensive professional services to support clients in transitioning from outdated legacy identity systems to more efficient, decentralized solutions. Indicio's technology is applicable across various industries, including travel, hospitality, government, financial services, agriculture, and education, among others. By offering effective data verification systems, Indicio enables organizations to streamline operations, save time, and reduce reliance on cumbersome paper-based processes.

Aeldra

Series A in 2022
Aeldra - the world's first truly global consumer bank. Aeldra’s vision is provide access to global financial opportunities to customers all over the globe. Through a single App, customers will be able to seamlessly access all the financial products they need – interest bearing insured bank account, debit card, saving account, investment platform, credit card, home loans and other loans, insurance financial advice, and a lot more. Aeldra launched in 2020 with a focus on bridge banking between India and the U.S. Indians can now open an FDIC-insured U.S. bank account with a Mastercard Debit Card from India on their mobile. All customers needs to apply is a valid Indian Passport and Aadhaar number. Account opening takes less than 10 minutes through the mobile. Money can be transferred into the Aeldra account from India through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme of the Government of India, as to any other U.S. bank. In addition to transacting with the global Mastercard Debit Card, customers can do account-to-account transfers, real-time Peer-to-peer transfers, deposit checks, lock/unlock the Debit Card with one click, review transactions, and a lot more through the Aeldra mobile banking App. Within the next three years, we will offer universal banking services in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia to overseas customers and residents. Aeldra offers unmatched safety and security: • Customers’ funds are FDIC-insured up to USD $250,000 per customer • Mastercard Zero Liability against “unauthorized transactions.” • Mastercard Identity Check: EMV® 3-D Secure (replacing 3DS 1.0) TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST: The Aeldra Founders have more than 2 decades of experience in leading banks and global companies such as Goldman Sachs, ANZ Bank, Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Co. and Booz & Co. They bring deep expertise in regulatory and compliance. Their motivation for starting Aeldra is to make financial services ethical, easy and accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world.

AnChain.AI

Series A in 2021
AnChain.ai Inc. specializes in blockchain data analytics and cryptocurrency transaction monitoring, providing solutions for public and private blockchain networks. Its offerings include Blockchain Ecosystem Intelligence, which connects wallet addresses and transactions to real-world entities, ensuring compliance with KYC and AML regulations while quantifying risk. The Transaction Analytics Platform delivers insights for day-to-day operations, featuring automated alerts, anomaly detection, and user profiling. Additionally, the company offers a Smart Contract Auditing Sandbox to assess the security of Solidity-based contracts and a Crypto Ransom Response service to track adversaries and mitigate financial losses from theft. AnChain.ai caters to a diverse clientele, including blockchain exchanges, custodians, financial institutions, and enterprises involved in cybersecurity and innovation. Founded in 2018, the company is headquartered in Milpitas, California, and is recognized by leading blockchain firms and industry committees for its contributions to security and trust in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Aeldra

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Aeldra - the world's first truly global consumer bank. Aeldra’s vision is provide access to global financial opportunities to customers all over the globe. Through a single App, customers will be able to seamlessly access all the financial products they need – interest bearing insured bank account, debit card, saving account, investment platform, credit card, home loans and other loans, insurance financial advice, and a lot more. Aeldra launched in 2020 with a focus on bridge banking between India and the U.S. Indians can now open an FDIC-insured U.S. bank account with a Mastercard Debit Card from India on their mobile. All customers needs to apply is a valid Indian Passport and Aadhaar number. Account opening takes less than 10 minutes through the mobile. Money can be transferred into the Aeldra account from India through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme of the Government of India, as to any other U.S. bank. In addition to transacting with the global Mastercard Debit Card, customers can do account-to-account transfers, real-time Peer-to-peer transfers, deposit checks, lock/unlock the Debit Card with one click, review transactions, and a lot more through the Aeldra mobile banking App. Within the next three years, we will offer universal banking services in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia to overseas customers and residents. Aeldra offers unmatched safety and security: • Customers’ funds are FDIC-insured up to USD $250,000 per customer • Mastercard Zero Liability against “unauthorized transactions.” • Mastercard Identity Check: EMV® 3-D Secure (replacing 3DS 1.0) TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST: The Aeldra Founders have more than 2 decades of experience in leading banks and global companies such as Goldman Sachs, ANZ Bank, Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Co. and Booz & Co. They bring deep expertise in regulatory and compliance. Their motivation for starting Aeldra is to make financial services ethical, easy and accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world.

Verified

Seed Round in 2020
Unum ID, Inc. offers a shared and verified identity solution that consolidates multiple verifications about a user into a single identity accessible across different companies. Their software employs cryptography to link a user’s mobile device to their online identities, enabling multi-factor authentication and enhancing security by eliminating the need for passwords. The company provides a virtual ID card, Unum ID, which displays appropriate information for various situations and is usable across all devices and environments, both online and offline. With a focus on user privacy, all personal data is stored solely on the user's mobile device, ensuring consent and security are prioritized. This innovative approach streamlines the onboarding process, allowing companies to verify users rapidly, transforming identity management into a strategic asset while reducing the risk of behavioral fraud.

StandardC

Pre Seed Round in 2020
FOR BUSINESS CLIENTS - Access to depository accounts, insurance, and credit facilities - StandardC certification simplifies and streamlines the account application process - Electronic vendor and tax payments - Our platform allows businesses to stage B2B payments and taxes for online payments - Built-in compliance and fraud protection - StandardC protects companies from unlicensed grey market transactions. HOW WE HELP FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS - Lifecycle management for compliance intensive customers opens new markets - StandardC opens new markets to financial institutions and insurers by providing an integrated, scalable, and cost-effective way to conduct initial and ongoing due diligence - Qualified prospects delivered - Comprehensive pre-populated customer profiles, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) pre-qualify applicants for business development and compliance assessment - Ongoing pre-transaction, KYC, Know Your Customer’s Customer (KYCC), CDD, Anti Money Laundering (AML) testing, and alerts protect financial institutions before a transaction occurs - Fraud Prevention - We find the bad actors before they find you - Burner phone identification, sanctioned IP addresses, foreign intermediaries, and blacklist entity testing are just a few of the measures that stop bad actors at the StandardC border - Streamlined Loan Processing - Simplified loan processing streamlines operations - Credit applications and credit memos are built into our platform for easy use by your clients and underwriting teams - Exam Analytics- CDD and transaction analytics streamline exam and audit prep - Our Blockchain Distributed Ledger assures data integrity and privacy. Compliance and transaction histories are encrypted in a fully auditable and searchable format to facilitate audit prep.

Trim

Series A in 2018
Trim is a personal finance assistant that aims to enhance the financial health of Americans through its automated services. The application analyzes users' spending habits, negotiates bills for services such as cable and internet, cancels unwanted subscriptions, and provides spending insights and recommendations. By leveraging these features, Trim has successfully saved its users over $60 million. The company is supported by a team with extensive experience from renowned organizations and backed by notable venture investors. As Trim continues to expand its offerings, it remains focused on helping individuals manage their finances more effectively and achieve greater financial stability.

Shieldpay

Seed Round in 2017
ShieldPay Limited is a FinTech company based in Shoreditch, United Kingdom, founded in 2016. It operates an online escrow platform and payments engine that facilitates secure peer-to-peer transactions between consumers and businesses. The platform allows any classified site to function as a transactional marketplace, offering users a reliable method for conducting transactions. ShieldPay is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and its mission is to eliminate fraud in peer-to-peer payments, ensuring that users can transact with confidence. The platform features a digital escrow facility that incurs no setup costs, protecting both payers and payees by verifying their identities and holding funds securely in the ShieldPay Vault until both parties agree to release them. This approach addresses shortcomings in traditional payment systems, providing a safer alternative for buying and selling goods and services. The company comprises a team of technologists, designers, marketers, and compliance experts dedicated to enhancing the security of the payments ecosystem.

Castle

Seed Round in 2016
Castle provides advanced fraud detection and prevention solutions tailored for online businesses of all sizes. By offering technology that was once exclusive to banks and large financial institutions, Castle enables various customer-facing applications—including e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, and cryptocurrency services—to safeguard user accounts against unauthorized access. The company's APIs facilitate account hijack protection by monitoring user behavior through device fingerprinting, keystroke analysis, browsing history, and numerous other indicators. In the event of suspicious activity, both administrators and account owners receive immediate alerts, empowering them to respond swiftly and effectively to potential threats.

Trim

Seed Round in 2015
Trim is a personal finance assistant that aims to enhance the financial health of Americans through its automated services. The application analyzes users' spending habits, negotiates bills for services such as cable and internet, cancels unwanted subscriptions, and provides spending insights and recommendations. By leveraging these features, Trim has successfully saved its users over $60 million. The company is supported by a team with extensive experience from renowned organizations and backed by notable venture investors. As Trim continues to expand its offerings, it remains focused on helping individuals manage their finances more effectively and achieve greater financial stability.

ID DataWeb

Series A in 2015
ID Dataweb, Inc. is a provider of cloud broker services focused on identity security, catering to various sectors including education, energy, entertainment, finance, healthcare, government, retail, and transportation. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Vienna, Virginia, the company operates the Attribute Exchange Network (AXN), which serves as a gateway for organizations to access verified online identity credentials and attributes from third-party identity providers. This platform facilitates real-time identity proofing by continuously authenticating and updating individual identities, thereby addressing the needs of underserved online markets. The AXN supports various trust-elevation methods, including interoperability with OpenID credentials and government-issued identification, enhancing the security and reliability of online identity verification.

DigitalPay

Seed Round in 2015
DigitalPay, a cloud-based service company, specializes in enhancing the speed, security, and convenience of digital payments for customers and vendors. By connecting Global 2000 companies and governments to alternative payment networks, DigitalPay offers integrations, business rule logic, and payment accessories that facilitate seamless transactions. The company also features an eOD payment service designed to replace traditional payment methods such as credit card prepayments, cash on delivery, checks, and money orders for shipments. Founded in 2011, DigitalPay is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an additional office located in Washington, D.C.

AppZen

Venture Round in 2015
AppZen Inc. is an artificial intelligence company that focuses on automating back office functions, particularly in the areas of expense reporting and compliance auditing. Established in 2012 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with an office in Pune, India, AppZen's platform utilizes advanced technologies such as deep learning, computer vision, and semantic analysis. It reviews expense report data in real-time, cross-referencing it with external sources and social media to identify compliance issues and potential fraud. By offering automated solutions, AppZen helps enterprises, including a significant portion of the Fortune 500, to reduce expenses, ensure compliance with regulations, and streamline financial processes. The technology is designed to detect both accidental and intentional fraud while adhering to IRS rules and company policies.

Authy

Venture Round in 2014
Authy specializes in two-factor authentication solutions, offering a smartphone application for consumers, a REST API for developers, and a comprehensive authentication platform for enterprises. The service allows users and organizations to customize their security settings and rules, ensuring robust protection against unauthorized access. Authy supports a wide range of applications, including popular platforms like Facebook, Gmail, and Dropbox, and provides various login verification methods, such as unique verification codes, text messages, and security questions. The company adheres to stringent compliance standards, including PCI, HIPAA, and FIPS 140, ensuring its services meet regulatory requirements across different regions. By integrating two-factor authentication into websites and applications, Authy helps organizations reduce security risks while improving user experience.
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