Tools For Humanity
Tools For Humanity builds biometric iris-scanning infrastructure (the Orb device) and the open-source World ID protocol to verify unique humans for AI-era applications. It serves enterprise platforms (Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, Okta), consumers via the World App mobile super app, and partners deploying Orbs globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Tools For Humanity does
Tools For Humanity is a 2019-founded technology company headquartered in San Francisco and Munich that builds biometric proof-of-humanity infrastructure for the AI era. Its core product, the Orb, is a spherical hardware device using a custom optical telephoto lens, NVIDIA Ampere silicon, and multi-spectral imaging (visible, infrared, 3D depth) to capture iris photographs, encode them into 12,800-bit anonymous IrisCodes, and run neural networks that distinguish living humans from photographs, masks, and deepfakes. Verified users receive a World ID credential—delivered through the World App mobile super app—that enables anonymous proof-of-uniqueness across third-party platforms via zero-knowledge proofs and Anonymous Multi Party Computation (AMPC) homomorphic encryption.
The product portfolio spans the World protocol (open-source proof-of-humanity network), the Orb and forthcoming Orb Mini handheld verifier, the World App mobile super app (digital wallet, World Chat encrypted messaging via XMTP, 400+ Mini Apps, Bridge-powered virtual USD accounts), and World Spaces retail verification locations across 21 countries. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales to platforms such as Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder/Match Group, Okta, Shopify, and Reddit; a Partner Markets program deploying Orbs through third-party operators including MEDIROM (Japan, 3,000-location master agreement) and Gap (US retail); and self-serve mobile adoption at approximately one new signup every 1.7 seconds, totaling 18+ million verified humans across 160+ countries and 450+ million authentications since 2023.
The business model is in transition. Consumer World ID verification is free, while revenue is being rebuilt around four streams: enterprise authentication fees for platforms integrating World ID (recurring subscription, recently introduced); Orb hardware sales and Partner Markets deployment revenue (MEDIROM projected at up to $39M over two years); the WLD token ecosystem; and a co-developed Visa payment card for verified spending of digital assets. The company has raised approximately $484 million across five disclosed rounds at a $2.5 billion valuation and employs 500+ people, but revenue remains unproven at scale and the company faces active regulatory investigations or operational restrictions in at least ten jurisdictions.
Tools For Humanity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tools For Humanity
- Legal name
- Tools For Humanity Corporation
- Website
- https://toolsforhumanity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Tools For Humanity builds biometric iris-scanning infrastructure (the Orb device) and the open-source World ID protocol to verify unique humans for AI-era applications. It serves enterprise platforms (Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, Okta), consumers via the World App mobile super app, and partners deploying Orbs globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tools For Humanity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Identity Verification
- NAICS
- Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (33411), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Computer Peripheral Equipment, Nec (3577), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biometric Input Devices (Fingerprint/Face/Iris Scanners) (HDACAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data, Evidence & Document Verification (IDV) for KYC (FSAMAMAN), Responsible AI, Security & Privacy Platforms (Safety, Guardrails, PII) (HDAEANAG)
Keywords
Where Tools For Humanity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Tools For Humanity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Enterprise Authentication Fees: The company is shifting from cryptocurrency roots toward enterprise security, introducing fees for enterprise applications while keeping the service free for end users. Revenue generated from charging enterprises for World ID verification integration.
- Worldcoin (WLD) Token: The native cryptocurrency token of the Worldcoin ecosystem, distributed to verified users. Token value and trading fees provide revenue exposure. Token remains down over 95% from all-time high.
- Hardware Sales/Deployment: Manufacturing and deploying Orb devices for verification. Partner Markets program allows community operators to deploy Orbs. MEDIROM partnership projects up to $39 million income from Orb deployment across Japan.
- Payment Card Partnership: Joint development of payment card with Visa enabling World ID holders to spend digital assets including Worldcoin. Initial plans for 2025 release.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Consumer tier - Free for verified humans |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Tools For Humanity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tools For Humanity builds and operates a biometric proof-of-humanity system consisting of the Orb hardware device (iris-scanning terminal), the World ID open-source identity protocol, and the World App mobile super app with digital wallet and Mini Apps ecosystem. The company sells Orb hardware to operators and partners, licenses World ID authentication to enterprise platforms such as Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, and Okta, and distributes verification services to consumers free of charge through World App across approximately 160–191 countries.
Product overview
Tools for Humanity builds a unified product portfolio centered on human verification in the AI era. The core offerings consist of World (open-source protocol for proof-of-human), Orb (biometric hardware device using iris scanning), and World App (mobile super app with wallet, encrypted chat, and Mini Apps). These integrate with World ID 4.0 for identity verification, Orb Mini/Diamond for hardware variants, AgentKit for AI agent verification, and Concert Kit for ticketing. The company pivoted from cryptocurrency roots toward enterprise security services while maintaining World App as a consumer-facing super app with financial tools and encrypted messaging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Orb: Biometric iris-scanning hardware device that verifies unique human identity through iris imaging technology. Open-source hardware and software. Orb Mini is a handheld version under development.
- World App
- World ID
- World Spaces
Products and services
- World (Protocol) Open-source protocol for universal proof of human, finance, and connection enabling verified humans to prove uniqueness through World ID without revealing personal identity. Targets consumers, developers, and enterprise platforms.
- Orb (Iris Verification Device) Custom spherical hardware device using iris imaging technology, NVIDIA GPU-powered AI, and infrared/thermal/3D sensors to convert iris photographs into encrypted, anonymous IrisCodes. Targets verification operators, partner markets, and retail deployments.
- World App Mobile super app providing access to World ID, a digital wallet for crypto assets, encrypted messaging (World Chat), and a Mini Apps ecosystem of 400+ apps spanning gaming, finance, AI assistance, and payments. Targets individual consumers worldwide.
- World Spaces Physical retail locations in 21 countries staffed by human operators providing World ID verification, community programming, and events. Targets walk-in individual consumers and local community-building for the World ecosystem.
- Orb Mini Handheld verification hardware and software variant of the Orb designed to reduce friction in the biometric verification process and broaden deployment beyond the spherical full-size Orb.
- Orb Diamond Premium Orb hardware variant with enhanced specifications released to the US market, continuing the iris-imaging verification capability of the standard Orb with upgraded industrial design.
- World ID 4.0 Updated World ID protocol featuring account-based architecture, key rotation, multi-key support, enhanced privacy protections through one-time-use nullifiers, tiered verification (Selfie Check), Deep Face deepfake protection, agent delegation, and an open-source SDK for developer integration. Targets enterprise platforms and developers building authentication workflows.
- AgentKit Developer toolkit that lets verified humans delegate their World ID to AI agents so human-backed agents can prove legitimacy during web interactions and transactions; integrates with the Coinbase/Cloudflare x402 payment protocol. Targets enterprise platforms, AI developers, and merchant websites.
- Concert Kit Ticketing product and integration with Ticketmaster and Eventbrite enabling artists to reserve tickets exclusively for verified humans using eye-scan verification, blocking automated scalper bots from purchasing seats. Targets artists, event promoters, and ticketing platforms.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18+ million verified humans across 160 countries
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Tools For Humanity
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tools For Humanity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability7 records
Feature8 records
Tools For Humanity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- ZoomflagshipPartnership to integrate World ID Deep Face biometric verification into Zoom Meetings, enabling a 'Verified Human' badge system to combat deepfake fraud in video calls. Uses three-way matching: Orb image, live device scan, and actual video frame.
- DocuSignflagshipIntegration of World ID for identity signing to help businesses confirm actual humans are signing documents and prevent AI-generated impersonation.
- Tinder (Match Group)flagshipGlobal adoption of World ID scanning technology following successful pilot in Japan. Aims to verify users are human and not bots on the dating platform, addressing AI-enhanced romance scams costing users hundreds of millions. Verification reduced from 30 minutes to 2 minutes.
- OktacorePartnership to enable human verification for AI agents operating on behalf of individuals in enterprise environments, with World ID qualifying as valid enterprise authentication layer.
- VercelcoreIntegration to enable human verification for AI agents deployed on Vercel's platform.
- Coinbase/CloudflarecoreAgentKit integrates World ID biometric credentials with the x402 payment protocol developed jointly by Coinbase and Cloudflare to enable websites to verify and trust AI agent transactions.
- VisacoreJoint development of payment card enabling World ID holders to spend digital assets including Worldcoin. Initial plans for 2025 release.
- GapminorPartnership to install Orb devices at San Francisco Gap store, allowing visitors to obtain World IDs - a new distribution channel through retail partnerships with household brands.
- MEDIROM Healthcare TechnologiescoreMaster Service Agreement to deploy Orb authentication terminals across approximately 3,000 locations in Japan. Currently installed at over 150 Re.Ra.Ku wellness studios with cumulative authentications surpassing 20,000. Projected up to $39 million income over two years if targets achieved.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tools For Humanity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jumio: Established KYC/AML and biometric identity verification incumbent serving banks and enterprises. Comparable as an identity-verification infrastructure layer, but with a document/selfie-centric rather than iris-centric approach and a more traditional enterprise focus.
- Onfido (Entrust): AI-based digital identity verification (document + biometric) owned by Entrust, serving global financial institutions and platforms. Overlap with World ID's enterprise verification thesis, though without the decentralized/crypto-economic model.
- Microsoft Entra Verified ID: Microsoft's decentralized identity service built on open standards, integrated into the Entra/Azure ecosystem. Incumbent peer in workforce and consumer verifiable credentials that Tools for Humanity competes with for enterprise authentication deals.
- ID.me: Digital identity network for government and enterprise (NIST-compliant). Comparable as a high-trust identity verification layer, though serving a more compliance/government use case mix.
Direct peers
- Civic: Decentralized identity and KYC platform with on-chain identity attestations and a token (CVC). Direct peer on the blockchain-based identity primitive side of Tools for Humanity's offering.
- Privado ID (formerly Polygon ID): Decentralized identity infrastructure using zero-knowledge proofs for privacy-preserving credentials. Closest peer on the open-source, ZK-based identity stack that World ID also relies upon.
- Humanity Protocol: Proof-of-humanity network using palm-recognition biometrics rather than iris, with a crypto-economic model. Most direct emerging competitor to the World ID/Orb thesis for human verification in Web3.
- Persona: Identity verification platform offering KYC, document, and biometric verification APIs to enterprises. Closest pure-software peer in delivering identity verification (including selfie/biometric matching) to enterprise platforms like Zoom, DocuSign, and Tinder.
Emerging players
- Anonybit: Decentralized biometric infrastructure that shards biometric data across nodes to prevent honeypot risk. Closely aligned with Tools for Humanity's AMPC/Shamir Secret Sharing privacy thesis for iris codes.
- BrightID: Open-source proof-of-personhood protocol using social-graph attestation rather than biometrics. Thematic peer in the proof-of-humanity / Sybil-resistance category that underpins World ID's value proposition.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tools For Humanity social profiles
Digital presenceTools For Humanity compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Tools For Humanity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tools For Humanity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Tools For Humanity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors26 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tools For Humanity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tools For Humanity
What does Tools For Humanity do?
Tools For Humanity builds and operates a biometric proof-of-humanity system consisting of the Orb hardware device (iris-scanning terminal), the World ID open-source identity protocol, and the World App mobile super app with digital wallet and Mini Apps ecosystem. The company sells Orb hardware to operators and partners, licenses World ID authentication to enterprise platforms such as Zoom, DocuSign, Tinder, and Okta, and distributes verification services to consumers free of charge through World App across approximately 160–191 countries.
Is Tools For Humanity a public or private company?
Tools For Humanity is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Tools For Humanity founded?
Tools For Humanity was founded in 2019. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Tools For Humanity based?
Tools For Humanity is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tools For Humanity make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Enterprise Authentication Fees are the primary driver. The others are worldcoin (WLD) Token, hardware Sales/Deployment and payment Card Partnership.
Who are Tools For Humanity's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Jumio, Onfido (Entrust), Microsoft Entra Verified ID and ID.me. Direct peers are Civic, Privado ID (formerly Polygon ID), Humanity Protocol and Persona. Emerging players are Anonybit and BrightID.
Does Tools For Humanity have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tools For Humanity.
What industry is Tools For Humanity in?
Tools For Humanity's product category is Digital Identity Verification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAFAI, Biometric Input Devices (Fingerprint/Face/Iris Scanners), with a secondary code of FSAMAMAN, Data, Evidence & Document Verification (IDV) for KYC. Its NAICS code is 33411 and its SIC code is 3577.