Peter Gallic acknowledges the ebb and flow he expects his new company to go through as it gets off the ground. It's to be expected when creating a virtual vaccine passport platform that also serves as a catch-all for those who prefer to be tested instead.
"The whole field is pretty new; it's all coming out now, which is why we’re working in a changing environment," he said of St. Pete's PROVEN, which was launched in May. "We made the decision to push the thing live right now and will update qualifications as they come out. It's all changing constantly and you just have to be able to be nimble."
The company spun out of Gallic's medical health care management company, NAHA Health. After Covid-19 began to sweep the nation in March 2020, Gallic teamed up with medical lab testing company Access DX and ID verification company Certify Global to launch what was then called U.S. Health Pass.
The company goes beyond a typical "vaccine passport" allowing customers to access their vaccine card on a smartphone. The company verifies the card to ensure it is not fraudulent, a growing concern among entities that require proof of a vaccine. For those without the vaccine, there is an option to show a business owner they have a negative Covid-19 test. Lastly, PROVEN can incorporate if a user has previously had Covid-19, and therefore potential antibodies.
"It appeals to a lot more people because of fearmongering and rumors of vaccines and Covid," Gallic said. "What we found is rather than try and change someone’s minds or dispel a rumor, it's easier just to appeal to all the groups by giving three different options, saying, 'Whatever your belief is, we will get you into the restaurant in a safe way.'"
PROVEN caught the attention of Visit Mexico, Mexico's tourism entity.
"They originally asked me to be a health care adviser to the Visit Mexico board, and one of the things that needed to be addressed was the Covid tourism in Mexico," Gallic said. "Then we thought, 'We have this program, why don't we use it?'"
The company plans to expand to two more countries in the coming months and is in talks with airlines, restaurants, entertainment venues and more.
"You're asking people to do something that you're just not empowered to do," Gallic said of having businesses authenticate Covid-19 tests or vaccine cards. "If you walk up to an airline counter and hand them a test, they're not calling to see if the test is real. It's just not fair to the airlines or restaurant owners or anyone else."
In order to help expansion, PROVEN, which is currently entirely bootstrapped, is raising a Series A for an undisclosed amount. It expects to close it in the next 60 days.
