Qonsent

High-Level Overview

Qonsent is a technology company that builds a consumer-first, low-code/no-code platform for dynamic consent management, enabling brands and marketing teams to capture, process, and manage first-party data compliantly.[1][2] It serves brands seeking transparent engagement with consumers amid privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, CPRA, HIPAA, and SOC II, solving the problem of collecting auditable consent and validated data across touchpoints such as websites, social media, connected TVs, and out-of-home marketing.[1][2] The platform features Smart Qontract for encrypted, ledger-based consent capture and Performance Privacy® for data validation, processing, graph building, and orchestration using anonymous IDs or encrypted PII.[2] Founded in 2021 in Westport, Connecticut, Qonsent raised $11M before merging with Valence in June 2024 to form Precise AI, marking strong early growth in the data privacy sector.[1][3]

Origin Story

Qonsent was founded in 2021 by visionaries from media, marketing, technology, legal, and security industries, aiming to empower consumers with direct control over their personal data while enabling compliant brand engagement.[1][4] Based initially in Westport, Connecticut (with some references to New York), the company emerged in response to rising consumer demand for data transparency—94% of consumers surveyed by Qonsent deemed control over shared information important, and 77% said it influences purchasing decisions.[2][5] Early traction included $11M in funding, a patent filing in areas like banking technology, data laws, and information privacy, and key hires like Head of Data Strategy Jason Chambers and CMO advisor Nadya Kohl in 2023.[1][3] A pivotal moment came with the June 2024 merger with Valence, creating Precise AI and signaling evolution toward broader AI-driven privacy solutions.[1]

Core Differentiators

• Patent-Pending Smart Qontract: Provides an encrypted, auditable ledger for real-time consent capture and ID validation, ensuring compliance across global regulations—unique for its low-friction, out-of-the-box forms deployable via QR codes, iframes, links, or APIs.[1][2]
• Performance Privacy® Infrastructure: Composable system for data collection/validation at any touchpoint, scalable processing with PII segregation, and secure orchestration using anonymous IDs, outperforming traditional CMPs in flexibility and consumer-centric design.[2]
• Consumer Wallet Model: First-of-its-kind platform for direct, consistent consumer-brand engagement, fostering trust with dynamic consent controls, unlike rigid tools from competitors like Didomi or Usercentrics.[1][3]
• Deployment Versatility and Low-Code Ease: No-code experiences for endless touchpoints, emphasizing developer-friendly speed, auditability, and community-driven insights into consumer behavior.[2][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Qonsent rides the wave of post-cookie privacy transformation, where phasing out third-party cookies and tightening regulations like GDPR/CCPA force brands to prioritize first-party data strategies.[1][2][5] Its timing aligns perfectly with 78% of marketers anticipating reduced personalization from privacy laws, positioning it to bridge consumer trust gaps—77% of consumers factor transparency into purchases.[5] Market forces like rising fines, consumer backlash against data misuse, and AI integration (evident in its Precise AI merger) favor composable, auditable platforms over legacy CMPs.[1] By enabling "diversity at scale" through community-powered first-party data, Qonsent influences the ecosystem, empowering media, retail, finance, and healthcare to sustain engagement compliantly.[1][2]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-merger into Precise AI, Qonsent's technology will likely scale toward AI-enhanced identity management, amplifying its ledger-based consent in a zero-party data era.[1] Trends like hyper-personalization via trusted first-party signals, global regulation harmonization, and connected TV/OOH growth will propel it, potentially expanding patents and partnerships.[2][4] Its influence may evolve from niche CMP innovator to ecosystem enabler, as brands race to rebuild data strategies with consumer permission at the core—echoing its founding mission to restore transparency in data-driven marketing.[5]