Biometric user authentication startup Passage today launched out of stealth mode and announced that it has raised $4 million in new funding to help introduce its product to more developers.

The round was led by LiveOak Venture Partners with Next Coast Ventures, Tau Ventures, Secure Octane and various angel investors also participating.

Founded in 2021, Passage takes a developer- and biometric-first approach to passwordless authentication, enabling users to log in to web applications with Face ID, Touch ID, Windows Hello and other biometrics built into their devices.

Passage claims that biometrics offer improved security and a smoother login experience for users compared with other forms of user authentication. The company argues that unlike traditional passwords, biometrics allow businesses to reduce online shopping cart abandonment, user churn and password-related support costs by introducing quick logins with no context switching. By using biometrics versus passwords, users are also protected by eliminating phishing and account takeover attacks while protecting businesses from the risks associated with storing and managing passwords.

The company believes that consumers are increasingly comfortable using built-in biometrics to log in to mobile applications, particularly banking and other susceptible transactions. In parallel, biometrics are now becoming accessible to developers in the browser, a shift that it expects will create a “flurry of opportunity and innovation.”

Passage brings the consumer experience of biometric authentication to web applications. The product is pitched as easy to use, with developers needing to deploy only a few lines of code to enable their users to register and log into websites with only their face or fingerprint.

For security purposes, Passage does not store any face, fingerprint or other biometric data about users. The company claims that makes them the best solution for security and privacy-focused companies and users.

“After decades of passwords and multifactor requirements, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are excited to lead the way for developers wanting to implement better authentication for their users,” Anna Pobletts, co-founder and chief technology office of Passage, said in a statement.

The funding comes as Passage launches out of stealth mode. The company is making its public beta test available and invites developers to start building with Passage. With the funding, the company will be expanding the platform in the coming months to include support for additional authentication methods, extensibility features, mobile support and additional guides to help developers get up and running. It will also use the new capital to hire more people.

Image: Passage