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Based in Toronto, Canada, goConfirm develops digital identity verification software and artificial intelligence scam detection tools designed to secure peer-to-peer online transactions. The platform enables individual buyers and sellers to generate a verified digital profile, known as a ConfirmID, by submitting a headshot and government documentation. Users can subsequently share this verification link during exchanges across various consumer marketplaces to establish trust between unknown transacting parties. To support operations, the enterprise secured venture capital funding from notable institutional investors including Wittington Ventures, OMERS Ventures, and Round 13 Capital. Following a period of sluggish user growth, the startup officially shut down its application on October 1, 2025, resulting in the termination of its seven employees. goConfirm was originally founded under the name Qui Identity in 2022 by former Wave chief executive officer Kirk Simpson alongside Peter Carrescia.
goConfirm has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round.
goConfirm has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
goConfirm has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in August 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2022 | $5M Seed | — | Accomplice VC, BDC Venture Capital, Brightspark Ventures, OMERS Ventures | Announced |
goConfirm has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
goConfirm's investors include Accomplice VC, BDC Venture Capital, Brightspark Ventures, OMERS Ventures.
# goConfirm: A Digital Identity Verification Platform
goConfirm was a portable digital identity company designed to enable trust in online interactions by verifying people's identity in digital transactions[1]. The platform addressed a fundamental problem: proving who you are online in a secure and reliable manner[5]. However, the company ceased operations in October 2024, shutting down its app and laying off seven employees after experiencing sluggish growth[3].
The company's core mission centered on solving identity verification challenges in the digital economy. Rather than building yet another authentication tool, goConfirm positioned itself as a trust layer for everyday online interactions, recognizing that identity verification was a critical but underserved need[5].
goConfirm emerged from the vision of its founder Peter Carrescia, who built the company through fast prototyping, deliberate hiring, and a relentless focus on user trust[2]. The company's origins trace back to an earlier venture called Qui, where the founding team first encountered the challenge of proving identity online[5]. This experience informed goConfirm's strategic direction—the founders recognized from past work that verifying identity data was a key friction point in digital interactions and set out to create a solution.
The company's development strategy emphasized iterative product refinement and careful team composition, reflecting a thoughtful approach to startup building. However, despite these foundational strengths, the company struggled to achieve sustainable growth momentum.
goConfirm's positioning centered on several key attributes:
goConfirm operated within the broader identity verification and digital trust ecosystem, a sector addressing the fundamental challenge of secure online authentication. As digital transactions proliferated across e-commerce, financial services, and peer-to-peer platforms, the need for reliable identity verification became increasingly critical. The company's timing aligned with growing awareness of identity fraud and the limitations of traditional password-based authentication.
However, the identity verification market proved more competitive and capital-intensive than anticipated, with established players and well-funded competitors already entrenched in key verticals.
goConfirm's shutdown in October 2024 reflects the challenges facing identity verification startups in a crowded market dominated by larger, better-capitalized competitors. While the company demonstrated thoughtful product development and clear problem identification, it ultimately could not sustain growth sufficient to justify continued operations[3]. The closure underscores that identifying a real problem and building with user trust in mind are necessary but insufficient conditions for startup success—market timing, competitive positioning, and capital efficiency remain equally critical factors in the identity verification space.
