What Certn does

Certn is a Victoria, British Columbia-based technology company founded in 2016 that operates an AI-powered background screening and identity verification platform. The platform connects to over 200,000 data sources across 195 countries and offers product categories spanning criminal record checks, international background checks, public records searches, social media screening, identity verification (biometric), credential/employment/education verification, credit checks, driver's abstracts, and reference checks. Certn serves a hybrid customer base ranging from individual consumers (via the MyCertn Wallet app and mycrc.ca personal background checks) to small and midsized businesses and large enterprises across industries including airlines, financial services, healthcare, gig economy, hospitality, property management, construction, transportation, and retail. Named enterprise customers include Tesla, WestJet, ATB Financial, MYOB, Fantuan, Bell Canada, and Saks Fifth Avenue, with the company stating 20,000+ customers globally.

The business runs a hybrid go-to-market: a self-serve, product-led growth motion with pay-per-check pricing of approximately $10-$18 per check and no setup fees or minimums for SMB; enterprise field sales for high-volume screening; and an API-first channel allowing partners and developers to embed checks directly into their products, supported by pre-built integrations with Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, and a partner marketplace. Revenue combines per-check usage-based fees with multi-year enterprise contracts; payments are processed via Stripe. The company maintains ISO 27001, SOC 2, SOC 3, FCRA, GDPR, PIPEDA, and CCPA compliance.

Certn has pursued an aggressive internationalization strategy, raising approximately $80 million across two Series B rounds in 2022 ($50M, B Capital-led) and 2023 ($30M, Export Development Canada-led), plus an additional $30 million round in February 2025 led by the Business Development Bank of Canada. In a roughly two-year window it acquired Credence (UK, January 2022) for EMEA entry, InterCheck (Australia, November 2022) for APAC entry, and Trustmatic (Europe, November 2023) for KYC and biometric verification capabilities. Headcount stands at 251-500 employees across offices in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Czech Republic, with operating reach extending to Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, and New Zealand.

Name

Certn

Legal name

Certn Holdings Inc.

Website

https://certn.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Certn is an AI-powered background screening and identity verification platform connecting to over 200,000 data sources across 195 countries, serving 20,000+ businesses via pay-per-check pricing, enterprise contracts, and ATS-integrated API products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Background Screening Software

NAICS

Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611), Credit Bureaus (561450)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381), Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Identity Verification (ID, SSN Trace, KYC-lite) (BPACALAD), Global / International Background Screening (BPACALAI), Social Media & Online Reputation Screening (BPACALAL), Credential, Education & Professional License Verification (BPAKAEAI), Data, Evidence & Document Verification (IDV) for KYC (FSAMAMAN)

Keywords

• Background screening software
• Identity verification platform
• AI screening technology
• Employment verification services
• Criminal record checks

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Per-check Background Screening: Pay-as-you-go model with per-check pricing ranging from approximately $10 to $18. No setup fees or minimums required. Charges for all checks including 'nothing to report' results.
2. Enterprise Contracts: Volume-based enterprise agreements for high-volume screening with global reach. Enterprise clients receive dedicated support and custom pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Certn operates an AI-powered background screening and identity verification platform that delivers criminal record checks, international background checks, biometric identity verification, employment/education/credential verification, credit checks, driver's abstracts, reference checks, and social media screening to businesses and recruiters across 195 countries. The platform connects to 200,000+ data sources, exposes a RESTful Background Screening API for embedding into customer workflows, and offers the MyCertn Wallet mobile app for individuals to store and share their verified credentials.

Product overview

Certn is a background screening technology platform providing AI-powered background checks and identity verification services. The core platform offers multiple screening products organized under Screen (Criminal Record Checks, International Background Checks, Public Records Search, Working with Children Check, Social Media Background Checks), Verify (Credential Verification, Employment Verification, Education Verification, Identity Verification with biometric authentication), and Check (Credit Checks, Driver's Abstract, Reference Checks) categories. Additional offerings include Personal Background Checks via MyCertn Wallet for individual users, a Background Screening API for developer integration, and industry-specific solutions across Construction, Financial Services, Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, Retail, Staffing, and Transportation sectors. The platform connects to over 200,000 global data sources across 195 countries with pay-per-check pricing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MyCertn Wallet: Mobile wallet application allowing users to store, share, and verify personal credentials on their terms.

Products and services

• Criminal Record Checks Fast, accurate criminal history verification checks that verify an individual's criminal history as part of the background screening process, available globally with real-time data source connections.
• International Background Checks Run background checks on candidates from 200+ countries and territories with global coverage for comprehensive international screening, supporting multi-jurisdiction hiring.
• Public Records Search (Softcheck) Scan global records in seconds to uncover potential risks through comprehensive public records database searches.
• Working with Children Check (WWCC) Verify clearance for child-related work to ensure individuals are cleared for positions involving children, supporting healthcare, education, and non-profit sector compliance.
• Social Media Background Checks Identify risk indicators in candidates' public posts and social media activity to assess potential behavioral risks before hiring.
• Credential Verification Confirm licenses and certifications are valid and current for professional qualification verification.
• Employment Verification Confirm job titles and employment dates with past employers through direct verification with previous workplaces.
• Education Verification Verify degrees and certifications with issuing institutions to confirm educational credentials.
• Identity Verification (OneID) Biometric ID verification against 13,500+ identity documents using facial recognition and computer-vision liveness detection for identity authentication.
• Credit Checks Review credit history, bankruptcies, and financial standing to assess financial responsibility, leveraging TransUnion and Equifax data partnerships.
• Driver's Abstract Check license status, infractions, and driving history for roles requiring vehicle operation, supporting transportation and logistics compliance.
• Reference Checks Get insight into work history and character from past employers through professional reference collection.
• Personal Background Checks Personal background check service allowing individuals to get verified Canadian criminal record checks online and share results with employers on their own terms.
• Background Screening API RESTful API enabling developers to embed background checks directly into their product or onboarding flow with clean documentation and straightforward implementation.
• MyCertn Wallet Mobile wallet application (iOS and Android) allowing individuals to store, share, and verify personal credentials and background check results with employers on their own terms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce time-to-hire by up to 80%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability9 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GreenhousecoreTechnology or IntegrationPre-built integration partner. Certn connects directly to Greenhouse ATS for seamless background check ordering and results delivery within hiring workflows.
• LevercoreTechnology or IntegrationPre-built integration partner. Certn integrates with Lever ATS enabling hiring teams to run background checks directly from the platform.
• WorkdaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPre-built integration partner. Certn works with Workday HRIS for background screening within enterprise HR workflows.
• TransUnioncoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit bureau partnership for credit checks in Canada and US. Certn uses TransUnion International UK Ltd. and TransUnion for credit reporting services.
• EquifaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationCredit bureau partnership for credit checks. Equifax Canada Co, Equifax Information Services LLC, and Equifax Workforce Solutions LLC provide credit and employment verification data.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HireRight: Global background screening provider offering criminal checks, employment verification, drug testing, and identity services. Directly comparable product portfolio with similar enterprise GTM motion and global footprint, competing with Certn for multinational employer accounts.
• Checkr: Leading US-based AI-powered background screening platform serving enterprise and gig economy customers (Uber, Lyft, Instacart). Directly comparable product offering with API-first architecture, similar ATS integrations, and pay-per-check pricing model that competes head-to-head with Certn in the same buyer segments.
• First Advantage: Global background screening and identity verification provider (NYSE: FA) serving enterprise HR and talent acquisition. Comparable product set spanning criminal, employment, education, and identity checks, with a strong enterprise sales motion that mirrors Certn's enterprise GTM strategy.
• Accurate Background: US-based background screening provider offering criminal, employment, education, and credential verification with ATS integrations. Comparable mid-market to enterprise focus with similar product breadth, competing with Certn for HR team customers.
• Sterling Check: Large US background screening incumbent (NASDAQ: STER) offering criminal, employment, education, and credential verification. Directly competes with Certn's core screening products, particularly for enterprise and regulated industry clients requiring FCRA-compliant reporting and global coverage.
• Dataflow (part of ADVENT Group): Global primary-source verification and background screening provider focused on professional credentialing and employment history across regulated industries. Directly comparable verification capabilities and international coverage, competing with Certn for healthcare, education, and professional services screening deals.

Emerging players

• Onfido: AI-based digital identity verification provider with biometric document and facial recognition. Directly overlaps with Certn's OneID identity verification product and KYC use cases following the Trustmatic acquisition, competing for similar financial services and platform customers.
• Veremark: UK-based digital background screening startup with global coverage and API-first product. Comparable technology approach and international screening focus, but smaller scale and earlier-stage than Certn, competing for similar tech-forward enterprise customers.
• Yello (formerly AIRS): Recruitment and talent acquisition software platform that has expanded into screening-adjacent functionality. Partially overlapping HR technology footprint and buyer base with Certn, though primarily a sourcing/CRM platform rather than direct screening competitor.

Regional players

• Pimlico (formerly SWBG): UK-based screening and identity verification platform with strong EMEA presence. Comparable product offering in international background screening but primarily serving European markets rather than competing head-to-head with Certn's North American customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/certn
• Facebookfacebook.com/certn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certn
• Instagraminstagram.com/certn

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors26 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Certn