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Semafone

Full company profile

uuid0009q91

Namestring
Semafone
Websiteurl
semafone.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
2009
Short descriptiontext

Semafone is a UK-based data security software provider, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Guildford, that helps contact centres securely capture card payments while maintaining PCI DSS compliance across voice and digital channels.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
51–100
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersGuildford, United Kingdom
HQ citystring
Guildford
HQ countrystring
United Kingdom
HQ regionstring
Europe
Markets served

Serves global market

Keyword5 values
secure card payments, PCI DSS compliance, contact centre security, payment data security, card-not-present software
Industry1 code
1Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout)
CodeFSAMACAAPrimaryYes
NAICS code1 code
  • Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities52232
Product category
Contact Centre Payment Security Software
Cost components5 values
Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeSoftware
Software
Core offering1 text field

Semafone provides software to contact centres that allows agents to take secure card payments over the phone while staying compliant with PCI DSS. The solution captures sensitive payment data directly from the customer and prevents card numbers from being exposed to the agent, recorded on calls, or stored within the contact centre environment, reducing the scope of PCI DSS compliance for buyers.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product and service1 record
1Secure Card Payment Software for Contact Centres
CategoryContact Centre Payment Security Software
Description

Software that enables contact centres to take PCI DSS-compliant card payments over the phone by capturing sensitive card data directly from the customer, preventing agents, call recordings, and IT systems from seeing or storing card numbers. Designed for organisations operating contact centres that need to secure card-not-present voice payments.

No data
Peers10 records
1Genesys
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Genesys is a global CCaaS platform serving large enterprise contact centers; its expanding payment and compliance integrations represent an indirect competitive threat to specialist PCI vendors like Semafone.

2Cybersource (Visa)
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Cybersource, a Visa-owned payment management platform, offers fraud, tokenization, and PCI scope-reduction tools that overlap with Semafone's compliance and payment-security value proposition.

3Trustwave
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Trustwave is a broader cybersecurity and PCI compliance services/QSA provider whose portfolio overlaps with Semafone at the enterprise PCI compliance and managed security layer.

4PCI Pal
TypeDirect peer
Description

PCI Pal provides secure card payment solutions for contact centers, including DTMF masking and PCI DSS compliance tools — a directly comparable offering to Semafone's voice-based card capture product.

5Bluefin Payment Systems
TypeEmerging player
Description

Bluefin specializes in PCI-validated point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization solutions, addressing the same PCI compliance buyer as Semafone via an alternative technical approach.

6NICE inContact
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

NICE inContact is a major cloud contact center platform that increasingly bundles payment and compliance capabilities into its CCaaS offering, competing for the same enterprise buyers as Semafone.

7Verint
TypeBroad incumbent
Description

Verint provides contact center analytics, workforce engagement, and security/compliance tooling that can substitute for or bundle capabilities offered by specialist vendors like Semafone.

8Eckoh
TypeDirect peer
Description

Eckoh is a UK-listed specialist in secure payments and customer engagement for contact centers, offering PCI-compliant card capture solutions that overlap directly with Semafone's core product.

9Syntec (CardEasy)
TypeDirect peer
Description

Syntec's CardEasy product provides PCI DSS-compliant secure card payment capture over the phone, making it a head-to-head competitor to Semafone in the contact center card-not-present security market.

10TokenEx (a Visa solution)
TypeEmerging player
Description

TokenEx provides cloud-based tokenization to remove sensitive card data from customer environments — a competing approach to PCI DSS compliance that addresses similar buyer needs to Semafone.

Market position
Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Ideal customer profile1 record

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
Yes
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles6 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds4 records

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors4 records

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

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

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

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

Semafone

Contact Centre Payment Security Softwaresemafone.com

Semafone is a UK-based data security software provider, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Guildford, that helps contact centres securely capture card payments while maintaining PCI DSS compliance across voice and digital channels.

Semafone firmographics

Firmographics
Name
Semafone
Website
https://semafone.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
2009
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
51–100 employees
Short description
Semafone is a UK-based data security software provider, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Guildford, that helps contact centres securely capture card payments while maintaining PCI DSS compliance across voice and digital channels.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Semafone industry classification

Industry
Product category
Contact Centre Payment Security Software
NAICS
Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (52232)
akta.pro primary industry
Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout) (FSAMACAA)

Keywords

  • Secure card payments
  • PCI DSS compliance
  • Contact centre security
  • Payment data security
  • Card-not-present software

Where Semafone is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Guildford
HQ country
United Kingdom
HQ region
Europe

Markets served

Semafone business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Software
Cost components
Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Semafone product offering

Product offering

Core offering

Semafone provides software to contact centres that allows agents to take secure card payments over the phone while staying compliant with PCI DSS. The solution captures sensitive payment data directly from the customer and prevents card numbers from being exposed to the agent, recorded on calls, or stored within the contact centre environment, reducing the scope of PCI DSS compliance for buyers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Secure Card Payment Software for Contact Centres Software that enables contact centres to take PCI DSS-compliant card payments over the phone by capturing sensitive card data directly from the customer, preventing agents, call recordings, and IT systems from seeing or storing card numbers. Designed for organisations operating contact centres that need to secure card-not-present voice payments.

Companies that use Semafone

Customer profile

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Semafone technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Semafone competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

  • Genesys: Genesys is a global CCaaS platform serving large enterprise contact centers; its expanding payment and compliance integrations represent an indirect competitive threat to specialist PCI vendors like Semafone.
  • Cybersource (Visa): Cybersource, a Visa-owned payment management platform, offers fraud, tokenization, and PCI scope-reduction tools that overlap with Semafone's compliance and payment-security value proposition.
  • Trustwave: Trustwave is a broader cybersecurity and PCI compliance services/QSA provider whose portfolio overlaps with Semafone at the enterprise PCI compliance and managed security layer.
  • NICE inContact: NICE inContact is a major cloud contact center platform that increasingly bundles payment and compliance capabilities into its CCaaS offering, competing for the same enterprise buyers as Semafone.
  • Verint: Verint provides contact center analytics, workforce engagement, and security/compliance tooling that can substitute for or bundle capabilities offered by specialist vendors like Semafone.

Direct peers

  • PCI Pal: PCI Pal provides secure card payment solutions for contact centers, including DTMF masking and PCI DSS compliance tools — a directly comparable offering to Semafone's voice-based card capture product.
  • Eckoh: Eckoh is a UK-listed specialist in secure payments and customer engagement for contact centers, offering PCI-compliant card capture solutions that overlap directly with Semafone's core product.
  • Syntec (CardEasy): Syntec's CardEasy product provides PCI DSS-compliant secure card payment capture over the phone, making it a head-to-head competitor to Semafone in the contact center card-not-present security market.

Emerging players

  • Bluefin Payment Systems: Bluefin specializes in PCI-validated point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization solutions, addressing the same PCI compliance buyer as Semafone via an alternative technical approach.
  • TokenEx (a Visa solution): TokenEx provides cloud-based tokenization to remove sensitive card data from customer environments — a competing approach to PCI DSS compliance that addresses similar buyer needs to Semafone.

Market position

Customer concentration

Semafone social profiles

Digital presence

Semafone financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Semafone leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Semafone funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors4 records

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

Semafone M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Semafone

What does Semafone do?

Semafone provides software to contact centres that allows agents to take secure card payments over the phone while staying compliant with PCI DSS. The solution captures sensitive payment data directly from the customer and prevents card numbers from being exposed to the agent, recorded on calls, or stored within the contact centre environment, reducing the scope of PCI DSS compliance for buyers.

Is Semafone a public or private company?

Semafone is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.

When was Semafone founded?

Semafone was founded in 2009. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Semafone based?

Semafone is headquartered in Guildford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.

Who are Semafone's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Genesys, Cybersource (Visa), Trustwave, NICE inContact and Verint. Direct peers are PCI Pal, Eckoh and Syntec (CardEasy). Emerging players are Bluefin Payment Systems and TokenEx (a Visa solution).

Does Semafone have an API?

No public API is recorded for Semafone.

What industry is Semafone in?

Semafone's product category is Contact Centre Payment Security Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAMACAA, Merchant Payment Gateways (API/Hosted Checkout). Its NAICS code is 52232.

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Live signals
PR NewswireNew Semafone and Talkdesk Partnership Aims to Enhance Global Omnichannel Customer ExperiencesSemafone, a provider of data security and compliance solutions for call and contact centers, announced a reseller partnership with Talkdesk to offer its Cardprotect Voice+ solution on the Talkdesk AppConnect marketplace. The partnership enables Talkdesk's extensive network of cloud, reseller, and business outsource partners to integrate Semafone's payment security technology, helping organizations achieve PCI DSS compliance while reducing data breach and fraud risks. Semafone indicated the partnership will support its expansion across the North American market by providing customers with more deployment options.BusinessCloudNew chair at call centre RegTech SemafoneSemafone appointed Carlos Sartorius as chairman and Denise Parker and Michael Sterl as non-executive directors. The appointments aim to support strategic direction, new partnerships, and customer expansion. Sartorius previously led sales at Citrix, while Parker and Sterl hold senior roles at Finastra and Intelisys.GlobeNewswireDisposal of stake in Semafone LtdSemafone Ltd was acquired by Livingbridge, with Octopus Titan VCT plc's initial investment returning 8.5x. Titan had invested £3.59m cumulatively, and the exit represents a 25% IRR. The cash proceeds are not materially different from Titan's current holding value.Dark ReadingSemafone Announces Majority Investment from LivingbridgeSemafone has secured a majority investment from private equity firm Livingbridge to accelerate its go-to-market strategy and drive global expansion. The capital injection aims to capitalize on the growing demand for data security solutions, with the global information security market forecast to reach $150.4 billion in 2021.PR NewswireSemafone Provides Unmatched Call and Contact Center Payment Security with PA-DSS CertificationSemafone announced that its flagship Cardprotect solution (version 4) has been validated by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council against the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS), making it one of only a few call and contact center payment security solutions with this certification. The company claims to be the only software vendor to hold all four major security certifications: ISO 27001, PA-DSS, PCI DSS Level 1 Service Provider, and Level 1 Visa Merchant Agent. Semafone noted that PA-DSS certification helps payment application partners save time and costs while providing customers assurance of protection against data breaches.PR NewswireSemafone Integrates With InstaMed to Deliver Fully Secure Telephone Payment Solution For Healthcare IndustrySemafone, a provider of data security solutions for contact centers, has partnered with InstaMed, a healthcare payments network, to deliver a secure telephone payment solution called InstaMed VoIP Protection. The solution uses Semafone's patented DTMF masking technology to allow patients to enter credit card numbers directly on their telephone keypad, preventing sensitive data from entering the contact center or being heard by agents. The partnership aims to reduce PCI DSS compliance scope and costs for healthcare providers and payers while improving security and customer experience.FinSMEsSemafone Secures £4M Growth CapitalSemafone, a UK fraud prevention software firm, secured a £4m growth capital investment from Business Growth Fund, Octopus Investments, and existing shareholders. The company will use the funds to expand in overseas markets. It employs 38 people with a £5m turnover and partners with BT.FinSMEsSemafone Raises £1.9MSemafone, a UK-based fraud prevention software for call centres, raised £1.9M in funding. The capital will accelerate growth through expanded sales and marketing efforts. Founded in 2009, the company secures sensitive data like bank details and card transactions without interrupting dialogue.