Persona
Category: AI Infrastructure
An identity infrastructure platform that helps businesses securely collect, verify, and manage personal information through configurable workflows and robust APIs. Persona was founded in 2018. The company is led by Rick Song. Based in San Francisco, CA, USA. Team size: 201-500. Total funding raised: $217.5 Million. Latest round: Series D ($200.0M, 2025-04) - Persona. Key investors include Index Ventures, Coatue, Founders Fund, First Round Capital, Uncork Capital.
- Founded
- 2018
- Headquarters
- San Francisco, CA, USA
- Team size
- 201-500
- Total funding
- $217.5 Million
Value proposition
Provides a unified platform to automate identity verification processes, reduce fraud, ensure compliance, and customize user flows with an optimal balance of security and user experience.
Products and solutions
Verifications (Government ID, Document, Selfie, Database, Reverse Phone Lookup), Workflows (No-code customizable verification flows), Cases (Manual review tooling), Graph (Link analysis for fraud detection), Reports (Ongoing monitoring and reporting)
Unique value
Highly customizable, developer-friendly platform combining automated verification with robust manual review tools ('human-in-the-loop'), comprehensive global coverage, and configurable workflows.
Target customer
Businesses requiring identity verification and KYC/AML compliance, including fintech, marketplaces, crypto exchanges, e-commerce, healthcare, and education.
Industries served
Financial Services, Marketplaces & Communities, Crypto & Web3, Trust & Safety, Travel & Hospitality, Education, Healthcare
Technology advantage
Proprietary AI models for document verification and fraud detection, adaptive risk engine, extensive API integrations, and a focus on both security and conversion.
How they differentiate
Combines a highly flexible, customizable 'Workflows' engine and developer-centric APIs with a hybrid approach of automated and manual review tools, delivering a balance between user experience and security.
Main competitors
Onfido, Socure, Jumio
Key partnerships
Integration partners like Plaid, Stripe, Chainalysis, ComplyAdvantage, Platform partners providing complementary services
Notable customers
Square (Block), Brex, Coursera, Udemy, Sonder, Kayak, Toast
Major milestones
Achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance Launched key products like Workflows and Graph Secured significant Series C funding Expanded global document coverage and verification capabilities Forged partnerships with major financial and compliance platforms
Growth metrics
Processes millions of verifications monthly; significant reductions in manual review time (up to 80-90%) and improved fraud detection rates.
Market positioning
Comprehensive identity infrastructure provider with strong traction among tech companies and enterprises needing adaptable, risk-based verification flows globally.
Geographic focus
Global, with a significant presence in North America and support for verification across over 200 countries and territories.
Patents and IP
No public information on held patents
About Rick Song
Rick Song is the Co-founder and CEO of Persona, an identity infrastructure company. Before starting Persona in 2018, he was an engineer at Square for five years, where he worked on identity fraud and risk products. He was also an early team member at Square Capital. His work at Square laid the groundwork for Persona's technology. He has a background in computer science from Rice University.
Official website: https://withpersona.com/