Startup
Handwave
Startup · Riga, Latvia
Handwave is a Riga-based biometrics-as-a-service startup founded in 2021 by Janis Stirna and Sandis Osmanis-Usmanis that replaces cards, phones, and apps with a palm scan for payments, age verification, loyalty activation, and access control. The platform captures both surface palm lines and subdermal vein structures to build a unique encrypted biometric ID backed by two-factor authentication. Handwave has raised €4.3 million in total funding, including a €3.6 million seed round in 2025 led by Practica Capital with participation from FirstPick and Inovo.vc, and is piloting with live retailers across Europe and the US.
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