ShareID: The Sword Startup Challenge finalist revolutionizing digital identity verification

12.05.2025 10:00, Rita Longobardi

Meet Sara Sebti, Co-Founder and CEO of ShareID. The ICT startup is transforming online authentication with AI-driven, privacy-first solutions. Sara is one of the 5 finalists of the Sword Startup Challenge, competing for 500 hours of consulting services, tailored development support from Sword’s Swiss and international IT specialists, and a 12-month commercial follow-up.

Sword Group, a global technology transformation company, has partnered with Venturelab to launch the Sword Startup Challenge, an annual program designed to support startups in developing innovative technologies. The initiative reflects a shared dedication to helping startups grow and succeed in Switzerland’s competitive ecosystem.

Name: Sara Sebti
Location: Paris, France
Nationality: French
Graduated from: University of Paris Dauphine (France)
Job title: Co-Founder & CEO
Number of employees: 17
Funding raised to date: €3,900,000

Who benefits from your product or solution, and in what way?
ShareID serves both businesses and their end-users. For businesses, we provide a real-time authentication solution that ties digital identity verification to government-issued IDs—delivering a level of trust comparable to a border control check. Importantly, we do this without requiring businesses to store personally identifiable information (PII) or biometric data. This allows businesses to strengthen security, reduce costs, and improve user experience while ensuring regulatory compliance. End-users benefit from a secure and convenient authentication process that protects their privacy without adding friction.

What market are you targeting, and what opportunities do you see for your startup in that space?
We focus on financially regulated entities like banks, fintechs, insurers, and their trust service providers, who face pressure to improve fraud prevention, meet compliance standards, and deliver seamless digital experiences. ShareID addresses these challenges with authentication-as-a-service, offering real-time ID verification without storing sensitive data, reducing operational risks, ensuring compliance, and building user trust. With growing demand for secure, privacy-first solutions, ShareID is well-positioned to become a trusted partner in regulated industries.

What are some key milestones or accomplishments your team has reached so far?
> We've reached several major milestones, particularly in partnership with the French government to support the security framework for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games (JOP 2024):

> ShareID equipped all terminals of the French Ministry of the Interior—including those used by the Gendarmerie Nationale and Police—with its authentication technology. This enabled secure verification of 12 million visitors, in full compliance with privacy regulations.

> Since 2021, we’ve worked closely with the Gendarmerie Nationale to co-develop advanced identity document authentication tools. This collaboration has led to improved fraud detection algorithms and GDPR-compliant solutions by design.

What do you expect from Sword Startup Challenge, and how do you see it contributing to your company’s development?
We view the Sword Startup Challenge as a valuable opportunity to accelerate our growth and deepen our expertise in the digital trust market. Support from Sword experts and Venturelab would help us refine our strategic roadmap and strengthen the technical foundation of our solution. Winning the challenge would also provide vital commercial contacts, particularly in the financial and public sectors—helping us scale more effectively.

In what ways does Switzerland present an opportunity for your business?
Switzerland offers a unique opportunity for ShareID. The country combines a strong legal framework with a cultural emphasis on privacy and trust—values that align closely with our mission. As a major financial hub, Switzerland hosts a high concentration of banks, insurers, and global corporations, all of which require robust and secure digital onboarding solutions.
Its innovation-friendly environment, vibrant startup ecosystem, and openness to new technologies make it an ideal setting for long-term growth and collaboration.