Identity verification company AuthenticID has opened a new headquarters on the shores of Lake Washington in Kirkland.
The new space is in Waterfront Place on Yarrow Bay near Carillon Point, which is regarded as the Eastside's top office address. AuthenticID makes the move from one Kirkland location to another as it plans to grow its team following a $100 million raise last July from Long Ridge Equity Partners.
"We feel that it gives a bit of a competitive edge recruiting-wise that it's a really cool office," AuthenticID CEO Jeff Jani said. "People want to come into this office and as we're trying to bring people back from the pandemic."
Right now the company has about 155 total employees, Jani said, with about one-third based in the Seattle area and the rest working remotely. He added that the company would like to hit 200 employees by the end of the year, and although AuthenticID will likely keep its current geographic ratio, it could become more concentrated in the Seattle area.
AuthenticID is leasing 20,000 square feet at Waterfront Place. The 52,828-square-foot, 12-year-old building is also home to Bluetooth and last sold in 2020 to Progeny 3 for $45 million.
In addition to the office itself, Jani said being close to the amenities of Carillon Point was appealing. The office park features restaurants, lodging, a salon, a spa and a club for dogs.
AuthenticID, founded in 2001, moved its headquarters to the Pacific Northwest from New Hampshire in 2019. The company offers know-your-customer compliance, age verification, account onboarding and biometric authentication. Jani didn't name specific customers but said AuthenticID works with telecommunications companies, banks and fintech companies.
Around the time of the $100 million raise last year, Jani told the Business Journal AuthenticID tries to stay under the radar because its business focus is fighting cybercriminals.
AuthenticID is transitioning out of its former Kirkland office as the company is in the process of building a more secure inner office within its space at Waterfront Place. Because the company is dealing with sensitive identity data, AuthenticID doesn't store any information on-site. Anyone accessing the secure inner office can only bring a company-issued phone without a camera. They can't write anything down or store anything with a USB, plus the office has added security personnel.
Analysts at AuthenticID who access this information can only work at the office, and they do so in two shifts from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. These analysts came in throughout the pandemic, wearing masks and spreading out more than usual, as the company had to provide its essential services to clients. For these employees, Jani said, it's a major morale boost to see their coworkers start to return to the office.
"They were kind of isolated from everybody else. Nobody else could go in that facility," Jani said. "For them, it's like they're coming home. They get to be back part of the overall organization."
