essCert
essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform, operated by ICE Digital Trade (a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Intercontinental Exchange), that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin and related trade documents to 60,000+ exporters and forwarders across 18 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersGalway, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What essCert does
essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform operated by ICE Digital Trade, a division of publicly traded Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE: ICE). The platform enables Chambers of Commerce, Government Authorities, exporters and freight forwarders to issue and receive electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade documents — including preferential and non-preferential eCOs, EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates, Arab Certificates and USP Form A — replacing paper-based workflows with electronic review, signing, stamping and return. Built on AWS infrastructure and launched in its current form in May 2018 following the consolidation of acquired platforms eCertify and TradeCert, essCert is natively integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain and multiple payment processors (Stripe, Beanstream/Bambora, Sagepay, Realex), and is rolling out Open APIs for ERP/TMS, chamber CRM/accounting, and Government Single Window integration.
The company serves two primary customer segments: (i) 350+ Chambers of Commerce and Governmental Authorities across 18 countries that adopt essCert as their digital certification system and connect it to their CRM and accounting platforms, and (ii) 60,000+ exporters and freight forwarders that apply for and receive trade documents either directly or through chamber referrals. A secondary ecosystem of ERP, TMS and CTRM software providers integrates with essCert APIs to embed CO submission into enterprise workflows. Distribution is channel-led through the chamber network, supplemented by enterprise field sales, live demos, free trials (essCert Express) and industry partnerships with ICC and the World Chambers Federation.
Revenue is generated through two streams: per-document processing fees charged to chambers and certifying bodies for the 75,000+ documents processed monthly (750,000+ annually), and subscription/platform fees from chambers and government authorities for access to the digital application, accounting modules, verification tools and multi-payment options. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with a freemium trial entry point for chambers. Office footprint spans Valletta (Malta, headquarters), Athens (global Customer Success and Marketing hub), Singapore (APAC regional office) and Kolkata (India representative office). The platform is supported by an upcoming ICE Certify product expected to broaden the addressable market beyond CO certification into a wider portfolio of digital trade services chambers can resell to their members.
essCert firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- essCert
- Legal name
- ICE Digital Trade
- Website
- https://esscert.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform, operated by ICE Digital Trade (a subsidiary of NYSE-listed Intercontinental Exchange), that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin and related trade documents to 60,000+ exporters and forwarders across 18 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
essCert industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trade Document Certification Software
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518210), Document Preparation Services (56141)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Export Customs Clearance (Export Declarations & AES/EEI) (TLACAFAB)
Keywords
Where essCert is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Galway
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
essCert business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Document Processing Fees: essCert charges Chambers and Certifying Bodies for document processing. The platform processes over 75,000 documents per month across its network of 350+ chambers in 18 countries, generating revenue per document processed.
- Subscription/Platform Fees: Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities adopt essCert as a digital application and certification solution. The platform offers various features including multi-payment options, accounting modules, and verification tools that chambers pay to access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Chamber/Government Trial |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
essCert product offering
Product offeringCore offering
essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade documents (EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates, Arab Certificates, USP Form A, Commercial Invoices) to Exporters and Freight Forwarders. The platform replaces manual, paper-based certification with electronic review, signing, stamping and return of certificates, and is natively integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain, multiple payment processors, and ERP/TMS/CTRM systems via Open APIs.
Product overview
essCert is a digital certification platform operated by ICE Digital Trade (a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.) that provides electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade document certification. The core product essCert digitizes origin, movement & trade document processing for Chambers of Commerce, Government Authorities, Exporters, and Freight Forwarders. The platform encompasses multiple document types including Certificates of Origin (various country-specific, Arab, EU/EC, GSP Form A), Movement Certificates (ATR.1, EUR-MED, EUR.1), and Free Trade Agreement certificates. essCert is supplemented by Open APIs for ERP/TMS integration and upcoming ICE Certify for enhanced user experience. The platform serves 350+ Chambers across 18 countries processing 75,000+ documents monthly.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ICE Certify: An upcoming platform to be launched that will offer Chambers of Commerce and other Certifiers the ability to generate revenue from offering other value-adding digital trade solutions, and will offer Exporters and Forwarders a modern, intuitive user experience.
Products and services
- essCert Platform Cloud-based digital certification platform for electronic governmental and quasi-governmental certification of trade documents, including Preferential and Non-Preferential electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs), EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates of Origin, Arab Certificates, USP Form A and supporting documents such as Commercial Invoices. Used by Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue certificates and by Exporters and Freight Forwarders to apply for and receive them online.
- essCert Open APIs Open API layer enabling exporters, forwarders, chambers, accounting systems, ERP/TMS/CTRM providers, and government authorities to integrate essCert certification workflows directly into their internal systems.
- essCert Express (Free Chamber/Government Trial) Free trial version of essCert offered to Chambers of Commerce and Certifying Bodies to evaluate the platform before committing to a paid license.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 50% reduction in processing costs
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use essCert
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
essCert technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
essCert partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- DigiChamberscorePartnership enables essDOCS exporter and freight forwarder customers to apply for electronic Certificates of Origin in Belgium and Luxembourg. essDOCS integrated with the DigiChambers solution to connect all Chambers of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg to the platform.
- ICC CO Accreditation ChaincoreessCert is fully integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain, enabling Customs Authorities, Counterparties and other trade stakeholders to verify the authenticity of COs issued using essCert.
- StripesupportingNative integration with Stripe payment processor for handling online payments from exporters and forwarders.
- Beanstream/BamborasupportingNative integration with Beanstream/Bambora payment processor for online payment processing.
- SagepaysupportingNative integration with Sagepay payment processor for handling chamber and exporter payments.
- RealexsupportingNative integration with Realex payment processor for online payment processing.
- Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)coreLCCI adopted essCert in May 2022 and reached 95% digital certification within 10 months. The chamber processes certificates for over 8,000 members representing Latvia's principal issuers of non-preferential Certificates of Origin.
- South Australian Business ChambercoreSouth Australian Business Chamber uses essCert for digital export documentation. The chamber has transitioned from 70% manual processing to predominantly digital operations.
- Lithuanian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (LCCIC)coreLCCIC went live with essCert covering all five nationwide chambers: Panevezys CCIC, Siauliai CCIC, Klaipeda CCIC, Kaunas CCIC, and Vilnius CCIC.
- Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (CCIS)coreCCIS achieved close to 80% electronic certification with essCert, covering the main chamber and 12 regional chambers in Slovenia.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights6 records
essCert competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Traydstream: Trade finance compliance and document checking platform using machine learning to automate scrutiny of trade documents including certificates of origin. Adjacent competitor addressing document validation workflow that complements essCert's issuance platform.
- Wave BL: Blockchain-based electronic bill of lading platform enabling paperless trade document transfer. Overlaps with essCert on digital trade documents but with a focus on bills of lading rather than certificates of origin; represents an emerging alternative technology stack.
- CargoX: Blockchain-based platform for transferring original electronic bills of lading. Competes with essCert in adjacent digital trade document space, using a blockchain-first architecture and targeting freight forwarders and shippers.
Direct peers
- Bolero International: UK-based electronic trade documentation platform enabling digital bills of lading, certificates of origin, and letters of credit. Operates as a multi-bank sponsored service for global trade digitization, overlapping directly with essCert's electronic certification mandate.
- Enigio: Swedish provider of digital trade document solutions including electronic bills of lading and origin certificates. Directly competes with essCert in digitizing trade documents for exporters, forwarders, and banks, using similar cloud-based SaaS delivery and API integration approaches.
- TradeTrust: Singapore government-backed (IMDA/Accredify) platform for electronic transferable records and trade documents. Directly competes with essCert in the digital Certificates of Origin and electronic bills of lading space, leveraging state endorsement for adoption.
Others
- Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA): Industry standards body developing interoperability standards for digital trade documents across major container carriers. Represents a potential standards-setter that could either compete with or enable essCert's platform positioning.
- ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Digital Standards Initiative: ICC runs the CO Accreditation Chain that essCert integrates with. ICC's broader Digital Standards Initiative shapes the regulatory and standards landscape for electronic trade documents, acting as both an enabling partner and a potential competitor in setting platform direction.
Broad incumbents
- Komgo: Trade finance digitization network founded by major commodity trading houses and banks (including Shell, BNP, ING). Addresses digital trade documents and trade finance workflows that overlap with essCert's broader ICE Digital Trade vision, though primarily trade finance-led.
- Contour (Voltron): Enterprise blockchain network for digitizing letters of credit and trade finance documents. Operates as a broader incumbent in trade document digitization, with overlapping capability in making paper-based trade instruments electronic.
Market position
Strengths1 record
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
essCert social profiles
Digital presenceessCert financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
essCert leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
essCert subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
essCert funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
essCert M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about essCert
What does essCert do?
essCert is a cloud-based digital certification platform that enables Chambers of Commerce and Government Authorities to issue electronic Certificates of Origin (eCOs) and related trade documents (EUR.1, ATR.1, EU/EC Certificates, Arab Certificates, USP Form A, Commercial Invoices) to Exporters and Freight Forwarders. The platform replaces manual, paper-based certification with electronic review, signing, stamping and return of certificates, and is natively integrated with the ICC CO Accreditation Chain, multiple payment processors, and ERP/TMS/CTRM systems via Open APIs.
Is essCert a public or private company?
essCert is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was essCert founded?
essCert was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is essCert based?
essCert is headquartered in Galway, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does essCert make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Document Processing Fees are the primary driver. The others are subscription/Platform Fees.
Who are essCert's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Traydstream, Wave BL and CargoX. Direct peers are Bolero International, Enigio and TradeTrust. Others are Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) and ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) Digital Standards Initiative. Broad incumbents are Komgo and Contour (Voltron).
Does essCert have an API?
Yes. essCert is launching a series of Open APIs for the following use cases: (1) Exporter or Forwarder submits CO directly from ERP/TMS systems, (2) Chamber integration with CRM systems, (3) Chamber integration with Accounting System, (4) Government Authority integration with Single Window. Contact us for comprehensive API guides & documentation.
What industry is essCert in?
essCert's product category is Trade Document Certification Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLACAFAB, Export Customs Clearance (Export Declarations & AES/EEI). Its NAICS code is 518210 and its SIC code is 7374.