Airport security technology provider Clear, which counts aviation company Delta Air Lines as a backer, has received $15m in funding from investment firm T. Rowe Price, TechCrunch has reported.
Clear began life as technology developed by a company called Verified Identity Pass which went bankrupt in 2009. The Clear technology was acquired by a holding vehicle called Alclear for $5.9m and was used as the basis for a new company that began operating in 2010.
Clear operates a service that enables members to pass quickly through airport security by providing a fingerprint or blinking their eye. Its biometric terminals are installed in 21 airports as well as six baseball stadiums and an NBA arena.
Delta paid an undisclosed amount to acquire a 5% stake in Clear in May 2016, after the company has raised $20m in an October 2015 round led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price that included Sterling VC and assorted angel investors.
Caryn Seidman-Becker, chief executive of Clear, told TechCrunch: “We lead the industry in secure biometric-powered customer experiences and the opportunities to expand into new verticals are endless.
“Clearis just scratching the surface of its growth potential, and we’re proud to have wonderful, long-term partners in T. Rowe Price to help us get there.”
– Image courtesy of Secure Identity, LLC.