Tag: cybersecurity

Voatz @ AfricaTech Fest’24

Posted on by itops

Voatz is showcased at the US DTA Pavilion during the 2024 Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town.

Cape Town, South Africa – Voatz was honored to be part of the U.S. Commercial Service pavilion at the Africa Tech Festival 2024, taking place from November 12-14 in Cape Town. This event is a key part of the Digital Transformation with Africa (DTA) initiative, aimed at fostering digital partnerships between the U.S. and African nations. The U.S. pavilion, opened by prominent U.S. government officials, showcases ten leading American tech companies, including us, to support digital innovation in Africa through connectivity, cybersecurity, and mobile solutions.

Our participation highlights our commitment to utilizing the power of digital transformation to facilitate secure, accessible elections. Our award-winning elections platform was introduced as part of the broader DTA effort to bring U.S. technology to African markets. Such initiatives allow us to engage with local stakeholders, share our experiences in building modern election technology, and explore how our solutions can adapt to the unique challenges faced by African nations. By supporting inclusive, secure, and verifiable election processes, we aim to empower communities and strengthen democratic participation.

Our cutting-edge voting system leverages biometrics and blockchain technology to ensure the security, transparency, and integrity of the electoral process. One of the key benefits of our platform is its ability to help the African diaspora participate in elections remotely, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of where they are located, has the opportunity to have their voice heard. By using our mobile-first voting system, diaspora communities can easily and securely cast their votes, contributing to the democratic process without the logistical challenges of traditional voting methods. This kind of accessibility is crucial for maintaining strong democratic ties and empowering those living abroad to remain engaged in their home country’s future.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the pavilion featured U.S. government leaders like Thomas Bruns from the Department of Commerce and Joy Basu from the Department of State, underscoring the importance of collaboration in advancing Africa’s digital goals. Companies like Astranis Space Technologies, Connectivity Capital, Resecurity, A10 Networks, Netstratum and others are joining us to bring cutting-edge solutions in connectivity, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure. The presence of such a diverse group of technology innovators showcases the collective effort to build resilient digital systems that can meet the growing needs of the continent.

(Photo courtesy of US Commercial Service Sub-Saharan Africa)

Our involvement in the Africa Tech Festival aligns perfectly with our mission to leverage technology to create secure and inclusive digital experiences, especially in the context of elections. We believe in the transformative power of digital tools not only to secure electoral processes but also to bridge the technological divide. As Africa continues its journey towards greater digital empowerment, we are proud to contribute innovative solutions that can foster transparency, increase voter participation, and ultimately strengthen the democratic fabric of nations. We look forward to forging new partnerships, sharing knowledge, and learning from our African counterparts as we work towards a future where technology empowers every citizen.

We are grateful to the US Commercial Service (Sub-Saharan Africa) team and the Prosper Africa team for their kind assistance during this showcase.

Voatz Rated as a Trusted Blockchain Solution for Elections

Posted on by itops

For Immediate Release

Washington DC – September 14, 2023: The Government Blockchain Association today announced that Voatz, a blockchain-based voting technology, has earned the designation of a Trusted Blockchain Solution after undergoing an independent assessment using the Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM).

Voatz’s Remote Accessible Ballot Delivery, Marking, and Return (RABDMR) blockchain solution has been a game-changer in election implementations worldwide, successfully supporting diverse elections, including political party and presidential elections in the United States and internationally.

The assessment of Voatz’s RABDMR solution was conducted using the Blockchain Maturity Model (BMM), a framework developed by the Government Blockchain Association and recognized by the United Nations Internet Governance Forum Dynamic Coalition on Blockchain Assurance & Standardization.

Voatz specializes in providing highly secure and accessible voting solutions for overseas citizens, military personnel, diplomats, first responders and citizens with disabilities. The solution leverages mobile devices, biometrics, hardware-based security and blockchain technology to create a private and convenient voting experience for these critical demographics.

Gerard Dache, Executive Director of GBA, lauded Voatz, stating, “Voatz has earned the designation as a trusted blockchain solution because of their steadfast commitment to secure and accessible elections”. He added, “Voatz has now joined the ranks of globally recognized trusted blockchain solutions featured on the United Nations Blockchain Assurance & Standardization Dynamic Coalition website”.

Nimit Sawhney, Co-Founder/CEO of Voatz stated, “The Voatz team is thrilled to be the first election solution to complete this BMM assessment and achieve a trusted blockchain solution designation. We look forward to serving more governments/election officials globally and bringing more accessibility, transparency, and security to the electoral and e-governance infrastructure”.

The assessment was carried out by a team of GBA-qualified senior-level experts specializing in blockchain technology, legal matters, regulatory compliance, and election processes. This team employed a comprehensive framework and a rigorous assessment methodology that evaluates the voting solution from eleven distinct perspectives, including Distribution, Governance, Identity Management, Interoperability, Performance, Privacy, Reliability, Resilience, Security, Infrastructure Sustainability, and Synchronization.

Voatz’s dedication to providing secure and inclusive voting solutions has received further validation with this recognition. At a time when election security and accessibility are paramount concerns, Voatz’s RABDMR solution shines as a beacon of trustworthiness and innovation in the blockchain-based voting landscape.

— For more information about Voatz and its groundbreaking solutions, please visit https://voatz.com.

— To learn more about the Blockchain Maturity Model and its applications, visit https://www.gbaglobal.org/blockchain-maturity-model.

— For additional insights into the United Nations Internet Governance Forum Dynamic Coalition on Blockchain Assurance & Standardization, please visit https://intgovforum.org/en/content/dynamic-coalition-on-blockchain-assurance-and-standardization-dc-bas.

About Voatz:

Voatz is an award winning mobile-first elections platform backed by cutting-edge security, biometrics and a blockchain-backed infrastructure. Since its inception, Voatz has successfully served more than 2.3 million voters across 125 elections in 6 countries. In 2018, Voatz ran the first mobile vote in US Federal Election history, and, in 2020, Voatz became the first smartphone app based system to be used for voting in the US Presidential Elections. Voatz was recently selected by 15 cities in Canada for the 2022 Ontario Municipal Elections.

About the Government Blockchain Association (GBA):

The Government Blockchain Association (GBA) is a global nonprofit organization that facilitates the adoption of blockchain technology in government and public sector organizations. GBA’s mission is to educate and empower public sector professionals to understand, adopt, and utilize blockchain technology for more efficient, secure, and transparent government services.

Voatz Successfully Completes Its 2022 Elections in the US & Canada

Posted on by itops

For Immediate Release

Boston, MA / North Bay, ON – November 11, 2022: Voatz announces the successful completion of its elections in the US and Canada as part of the 2022 election cycle. Nearly half a million voters were eligible to use the Voatz system during this election cycle across multiple jurisdictions.

Voatz Track Record

As of this release, Voatz has successfully completed 115 elections and enabled more than 2.1 million voters to cast their ballots in a secure, accessible manner using the convenience of their personal devices. The Voatz team is extremely grateful for the trust and support it has received from various election officials, administrators and voters globally.

“Our team has been working tirelessly to expand access and security in elections.” said a Voatz spokesperson. “We strongly believe that technologies such as ours can play a significant role in rebuilding trust and making the electoral process safer and truly accessible for all. The groundwork to conduct large scale online elections has now been laid and we are super excited to embrace the opportunities ahead.”

Voatz is at the forefront of providing accessible, secure remote voting for all citizens and has established itself as a global leader in delivering successful elections especially in high threat scenarios. Its award winning mobile first election system continues to receive high praise from citizens and administrators alike.

Voatz Testimonial
Voatz Testimonial

About Voatz 

Voatz is an award-winning mobile elections platform that leverages cutting-edge technology (including remote identity verification, biometrics and a blockchain-based infrastructure) to increase access, auditability and security in elections. Since 2016, Voatz has served more than 2.1 millions voters across 115 elections with national/state/municipal governments, universities, nonprofits, and major state political parties. Voatz specializes in delivering successful elections in high threat environments.