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LISNR
LISNR was founded in Cincinnati in 2012 by Eric Allen, who previously held technical leadership roles at enterprise software firms.
LISNR
LISNR was founded in Cincinnati in 2012 by Eric Allen, who previously held technical leadership roles at enterprise software firms. The company emerged from the conviction that near-field communication (NFC) and Bluetooth were unreliable for high-volume, proximity-based authentication. Instead of another radio protocol, LISNR proposed ultrasonic data transmission — embedding encrypted tokens in sound frequencies outside human hearing range. The company licenses its Radius SDK to enterprises needing device-to-device or device-to-terminal connectivity without hardware upgrades. Its primary verticals are payments, vehicle access and in-car commerce, building access, and live-event ticketing. Verified deployments include Visa's Tokenized Ultrasound Push Payments pilot and Jaguar Land Rover's walk-up vehicle unlocking system — both relying on LISNR's ultrasonic handshake to authenticate transactions across any device with a speaker and microphone. The platform operates in 50+ countries and processes transactions in mobile-wallet, automotive, and IoT environments. Unlike NFC, the ultrasonic signal penetrates walls and works in noisy environments, making it suited for drive-throughs, parking garages, and stadium gates. LISNR's team size is not disclosed, but the firm maintains its headquarters in Cincinnati with a commercial presence concentrated in financial services and mobility hubs. Notable milestones include securing an investment from Visa in 2019 (per Crunchbase records) and a subsequent pivot toward automotive OEM partnerships when the pandemic disrupted in-person payment trials. The company's adjacent vehicle centers on a cross-platform authentication network that any developer can instrument with a lightweight SDK. The structural differentiator is LISNR's physical-layer protocol. While biometrics and QR codes occupy the screen and NFC demands a hardware antenna, ultrasonic data-over-sound operates as an ambient, always-on authentication rail. No other widely deployed proximity protocol transmits encrypted data through a medium that nearly every device on the planet already possesses. LISNR's engineering challenge is rising above the radio-frequency noise of competing standards — but its edge is being the only protocol that requires zero new silicon.
General information
Firm type
Asset Manager
Year founded
2012
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Cincinnati
Corporate office
Cincinnati, OH, United States
Principals
Eric Allen
CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What problem does LISNR solve that NFC and QR codes cannot?
LISNR transmits encrypted data over inaudible ultrasonic sound waves, which do not require line-of-sight the way QR codes do or a specialized antenna like NFC. The protocol works through walls, in loud environments, and on devices manufactured as far back as 2011. For automotive applications, it can unlock a vehicle even when the phone is in a pocket or bag, which Bluetooth Low Energy struggles with in the same scenario.
Who uses LISNR's technology in production?
Visa has publicly piloted LISNR's ultrasonic push-payments protocol for tokenized transactions. Separately, Jaguar Land Rover integrated LISNR into its walk-up vehicle access system. The company also supports live-event ticketing and building access vendors, though end-customer names in those verticals are often client-confidential.
Does LISNR require consumers to install an app or new hardware?
No custom hardware is required — LISNR's protocol uses the standard speakers and microphones already embedded in smartphones, point-of-sale terminals, and vehicle infotainment systems. The company licenses a software development kit (Radius SDK) that enterprise developers embed into their existing applications to enable ultrasonic authentication.
Is LISNR a venture-backed company, and who are its notable investors?
Yes, LISNR is venture-backed. Visa invested in the company in 2019. Earlier rounds included participation from Intel Capital and other technology-focused investors. The company has not disclosed total funding figures in recent years, and it operates as an independent entity headquartered in Cincinnati.
How does LISNR's security model prevent eavesdropping or replay attacks?
LISNR's transmissions are encrypted using standard tokenization frameworks — analogous to what a mobile wallet uses for NFC — but over an ultrasonic carrier. The token is short-lived and single-use, so even if captured, it cannot be replayed. Additionally, because the frequency band is above human hearing and the payload is small, pattern-based interception requires physical proximity and specialized acoustic equipment, which the protocol's time-to-live signature is designed to defeat.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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