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Based in Eindhoven, Netherlands, Crayonic develops passwordless authentication and digital identity solutions utilizing hardware wearables that combine behavioral biometrics, cryptography, and embedded machine learning. The organization provides enterprise cybersecurity systems, including its keychain-sized KeyVault authenticator and a FIDO2-ready identity and access management platform built on Red Hat Keycloak. These business-to-business solutions are deployed across healthcare IT infrastructure, hospitals, government agencies, and critical infrastructure facilities to secure access to digital systems, physical spaces, and e-signing protocols. Operating with a workforce of approximately 10 employees across its Dutch headquarters and Slovakian manufacturing facilities, the enterprise generates an estimated $4 million in annual revenue. The hardware manufacturer has secured financial backing from international investors including EMURGO to support ongoing research and development initiatives. Crayonic was founded in 2017 by Peter Kolarov, Michal Varchola, and Juraj Kacur.
Crayonic has raised $1.3M across 2 funding rounds.
Crayonic has raised $1.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Crayonic has raised $1.3M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Crayonic's investors include NCT Ventures, SOSV.
Crayonic is a Netherlands-based security hardware and digital identity company that builds compact, user-friendly devices and software for strong authentication, secure digital asset storage, and electronic signatures—positioning itself at the intersection of cryptography, behavioral biometrics, and embedded hardware for enterprises, healthcare providers, and governments[2][1].
High‑Level Overview
Crayonic’s offering centers on a keychain‑sized hardware product called KeyVault plus accompanying software that combines cryptography, behavioral biometrics, and machine‑learning to provide secure authentication, signature and digital‑asset protection with an emphasis on usability and privacy‑by‑design[1][2]. The company targets enterprises, healthcare organizations and government customers that need high-assurance identity, credential and key management while minimizing friction for end users[2][1]. As a portfolio company (backers listed include EmurgoHK and HighTechXL), Crayonic’s presence strengthens secure‑auth and identity tooling available to the startup and enterprise ecosystems by offering turnkey hardware + software solutions that can be integrated into regulated and high‑risk deployments[1][2].
Origin Story
Crayonic was founded in Eindhoven (Netherlands) and has been developing secure digital identity products since about 2015, with a formal company presence listed as founded in 2017 on public startup profiles[2][1]. Founding and core team members include Peter Kolarov (CEO; cybersecurity professional and entrepreneur), Juraj Kacur (biometrics signal processing researcher) and Michal Varchola (CTO; entropy and security specialist), reflecting a mix of applied cryptography, biometrics research and hardware engineering that drove the product direction[1]. The idea evolved from combining strong cryptographic key management with biometric and behavioral signals to make secure identity and signatures both resilient and easy to use; early traction includes participation in hardware startup programs and investment/support from parties such as HighTechXL and EmurgoHK[1][2].
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Crayonic rides multiple converging trends: demand for stronger, phishing‑resistant authentication and hardware key custody (post‑password era), growing regulatory pressure around identity/privacy in healthcare and government, and rising interest in usable cryptographic wallets for digital assets and signatures[2][1]. Timing matters because organizations are moving away from SMS/OTP and password systems toward hardware-backed keys and biometric assurance, and because sectors like healthcare and public services need both usability and compliance. Market forces in their favor include increased cyber threats to identity credentials, regulatory emphasis on secure signatures/consent, and enterprise appetite for off‑device key custody. By packaging hardware, biometrics and crypto into an integrable product, Crayonic can influence adoption of higher‑assurance authentication patterns among enterprises and verticals that require both security and usability[2][1].
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Next moves likely include further enterprise and government pilots, expanded integrations (identity providers, EHR systems, signature and PKI platforms), and broader commercialization of KeyVault in regulated verticals where hardware key custody and verifiable signatures matter[2][1]. Trends that will shape Crayonic’s trajectory include broader adoption of hardware keys as organizations deprecate password+OTP, regulatory attention to digital signatures and identity verification in healthcare and government, and competitive pressure from both established security vendors and emerging cryptographic wallet makers. If Crayonic scales partnerships (channel and systems integrators) and proves large‑customer deployments, it can become a notable supplier for high‑assurance identity and signature use cases; conversely, success will depend on demonstrating clear interoperability, certification (where required), and cost/UX advantages versus alternatives[1][2].
Sources: Crayonic company site and public profile (Crayonic.com; F6S company listing) for product description, founding details, team and investor/accelerator participation[2][1].
Crayonic has raised $1.3M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in November 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2020 | $1.0M Seed | NCT Ventures, SOSV | |
| Sep 1, 2019 | $300K Seed | NCT Ventures, SOSV |
