San Francisco-based startup IndyKite has unveiled an enterprise data platform that leverages identity to ensure trust and accuracy in AI and analytics applications. Powered by the identity knowledge graph, IndyKite provides a unified data layer that merges isolated sources of identity and business data into a single validated data asset.
This enables organizations to improve security, build trust in data, increase revenue through intelligence products and subscriptions, and streamline compliance across the entire enterprise data estate. IndyKite was founded by Lasse Andresen, who previously founded ForgeRock and pioneered the identity access management (IAM) category. The company is backed by leading VCs and aims to define a new segment around identity-driven data platforms.
Business data challenges today
As businesses undergo digital transformation, the adoption of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics has exploded. However, these initiatives require access to quality, reliable data sets. Most organizations struggle with fragmented identity data locked in IAM and access systems, along with fragmented business data spread across CRM, ERP and other business systems. This leads to security flaws, compliance issues, lack of data governance and the inability to build reliable models.
According to Lasse Andresen, CEO of IndyKite, “As a new category creator, IndyKite offers the next generation of identity-based services to enable better applications and products. Our customers are already feeling the difference in being able to deliver more customer-centric experiences, faster time to valuing and increasing efficiency without jeopardizing their security position.”
How IndyKite provides a layer of trusted identity data
IndyKite solves these problems with an innovative identity knowledge graph that connects identities with business data relationship edges to provide context and intelligence. Each node and edge has extensive metadata such as timestamps, origins, and credibility scores. Identities can represent people, devices, APIs or analytical models, while business data can include CRM, ERP, streaming, transactional and observational data.
Advanced authentication establishes credible verified attributes that spread trust across a unified graph data model even as it spreads across the enterprise. IndyKite also leverages knowledge-based access control (KBAC) techniques pioneered by Andresen to implement fine-grained, risk-aware authorization policies. KBAC enables dynamic decisions based on contextual factors such as user, action, resource, and environment attributes.
According to Andresen, “The Identity Knowledge Graph allows information to be referenced or ingested depending on the use case, with attributes and metadata assigned to the data to enable appropriate classification and handling of the data.”
Real-world use cases and benefits
IndyKite presents significant opportunities for revenue, customer intimacy, efficiency and innovation built on reliable data. For example, one automaker is using IndyKite to build a data marketplace and subscription model for dealers, partners and vehicle owners. Authenticated APIs provide granular access to real-time telemetry, maintenance logs, and location data based on identity and context.
IndyKite aligns compliance with regulations such as GDPR while unlocking rich longitudinal profiles for personalized service. Security, IT, marketing, analytics and product teams can self-serve trusted data sets. Andresen explains that “chart technology provides flexibility, speed and context—making it easy to start small and grow over time.”
What’s next for IndyKite
On the horizon, IndyKite plans to enhance AI and ML capabilities for risk scoring, fraud detection, insight discovery and other use cases. This will be of great interest to financial service providers. The firm prides itself on providing education and thoughtful guidance to clients exploring new identity-based paradigms.
Andresen believes that “the key things developers need to know are that identity should not be an afterthought, that trust in data is paramount, so visibility must be built in, and graph databases allow for flexibility and context.”
Backed by top investors and rapidly building interest, IndyKite appears poised to make big waves as a pioneer in leveraging identity to change the way businesses manage and use data. Organizations seeking reliable information to support digital initiatives would be wise to evaluate whether IndyKite’s unique approach can accelerate their data-driven ambitions.