Singapore start-up k-ID, known for its innovative tools that help game publishers and parents protect children and teenagers from online risks, has secured US$45 million (S$61 million) in venture capital funding. This substantial investment aims to enhance their technology to ensure young gamers' safety.
Major investment for k-ID
This latest round of funding was led by US-based venture capital firms Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed Venture Partners. It follows an initial investment of US$5 million from Andreessen Horowitz's gaming accelerator a16z Speedrun and US-based venture firms Konvoy and Tirta in late 2023.
k-ID has developed pioneering software that offers detailed parental controls and verifications, compliant with varying regulations across different regions. Parents can tailor the online experience to their child's digital maturity by adjusting access to features like chats, private messages, and in-app purchases. This technology also allows developers to determine when a child should not receive advertisements for inappropriate content based on local regulations.
In certain areas, game publishers can even verify the age of every user against government-issued identification, a significant step in preventing online harm.
The drive behind k-ID's mission
Kieran Donovan, k-ID's co-founder and CEO, has been deeply affected by the complexities game publishers face in protecting young gamers over the past decade. His personal dedication to online safety, stemming from his childhood trauma involving sexual abuse and his role as a father, is a driving force behind k-ID's mission.
In 2022, he testified as a victim-survivor in an Australian trial on childhood sexual abuse, an ordeal he carried for 20 years. Donovan's personal experience fuels his commitment to safeguarding young people online.
With increasing pressure on platform operators to identify account holders and encourage responsible interactions amid issues like trolling, cyberbullying, grooming, and scams, there is a critical need for protective measures. k-ID addresses this need by providing technology that many of the biggest game publishers have adopted, although they remain unnamed.
Prospects and tech capabilities
k-ID's technology, set to launch in August, will support multiple titles on platforms like PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox, and the Epic Games Store. The latest funding will help k-ID further develop and market its compliance software to more online gaming platforms, opening up a world of possibilities for the future of online gaming safety.
The company uses a manually compiled database to aggregate user access to gaming websites. This database includes identity verification procedures, parental consent acquisition, and legal compliance standards that differ globally. The system updates daily to ensure developers and users navigate age-appropriate features accurately.
k-ID's engine customises each child's gaming experience based on age, location, and previous logins (such as on Google, Xbox, and Apple). Parents can further personalise these settings, for instance, by turning off global chat functions and online gambling features to ensure their children have only age-appropriate access.
Balancing safety and accessibility for children in gaming is challenging. Donovan acknowledges the difficulty of creating safer technologies without restricting children's access to the online communities they enjoy.
k-ID also aims to simplify regulatory compliance for game developers and publishers, who often face complex laws varying from country to country. For example, Spain recently approved a law banning minors from accessing “loot boxes” in video games. At the same time, Australia restricts games with loot boxes to users aged 15 and above and those with simulated gambling to users aged 18 and above.
Using k-ID, game-makers and publishers can focus on game development instead of regulatory compliance.
On June 25, k-ID will unveil its first publicly announced title, Gorilla Tag, a virtual reality game by developer Another Axiom.
“We want a paradigm shift around the ‘confirm that I'm over 13' pop-up, which is huge because the whole internet is predicated on that and has been for 30 years,” said Donovan.
k-ID was founded by former executives from Meta, Tencent, Google, Take-Two, and Electronic Arts. They bring extensive industry experience to their mission of protecting young gamers.
