Privado ID has officially spun out from Polygon Labs, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of digital identity solutions. This strategic decision enables Privado ID to expand its reach beyond the Polygon ecosystem, catering to the growing global demand for robust and secure digital identity and reputation management. The timing is opportune, as the world grapples with the challenges of identity theft, fraud, and AI-generated content.

Privado ID's protocol-agnostic approach, built by the same team that developed the Iden3 Protocol and PolygonID, empowers individuals to take control of their personal data. By harnessing the power of cryptography and zero-knowledge proofs, users can verify their age, qualifications, and other details without compromising their privacy. This innovative solution supports W3C identity standards, is compatible with any EVM-compatible blockchain, and plans to expand its support to non-EVM blockchains in the future.

The Privado ID team boasts an impressive lineup, including Polygon co-founders David Schwartz and Antoni Martin as CEO and COO, respectively. Jordi Baylina, a key architect of Polygon zkEVM, serves as a technical advisor, while Polygon Labs co-founder Sandeep Nailwal assumes the role of growth advisor. Martin emphasized the transformative potential of Privado ID's technology, stating that it will revolutionize how individuals, agents, and organizations interact in connected spaces. By prioritizing privacy, user control, and interoperability, Privado ID aims to reduce the cost of trust and mitigate the risks of identity theft, fraud, and misinformation.

Privado ID is actively forging partnerships with on-chain and institutional organizations, including multinational banking and financial service companies. These collaborations focus on developing interoperable and compliant identity frameworks, such as ensuring only eligible participants engage with specific DeFi primitives via verifiable credentials. The project has also integrated with the Verax attention registry on the Linea zkEVM chain, developed by Consensys. This integration enhances cross-chain identity, prevents fake identities, reduces the cost of managing trustworthy data, and helps apps quickly establish user reputations using verified data.

Privado ID is not the only independent project to emerge from Polygon. In March 2023, the modular blockchain Avail spun off from Polygon Labs, with co-founder Anurag Arjun departing to acquire and lead the project. Avail recently secured $43 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. This development underscores the commitment of Polygon Labs to decentralization and Ethereum alignment, allowing Avail to flourish as a standalone, self-funded entity. As Privado ID embarks on its new journey, it is poised to make a significant impact in the digital identity landscape, offering a beacon of hope for a safer, more secure, and more private online experience.