Omnisient co-founders Jon Jacobson (left) and Anton Grutzmacher (right).
South African fintech pioneer offers privacy-preserving data tools that help banks widen access to credit without exposing sensitive consumer information.
15 May 2026 – Omnisient, the privacy-preserving data collaboration platform enabling banks and insurers to access consumer behavioral data directly from retailers and telcos without ever exchanging data or exposing personal information, has been named in the Financial Times Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies 2026 ranking for the second consecutive year.
Omnisient enables organizations to apply AI to their combined consumer behavioral data to build highly predictive models without ever exchanging data or exposing personally identifiable information (PII). These models are then used for precision marketing, credit scoring, and fraud prevention to lower risk and improve profitability.
Its model is gaining traction as businesses face mounting pressure to comply with stricter privacy regulations, reduce exposure to data breaches, and respond to growing consumer concerns around how personal information is shared and monetized.
The recognition follows a period of rapid international expansion for the company, including a recent $12.5 million funding round co-led by TransUnion to accelerate growth in the United States and other international markets.
“Businesses have realized that once data leaves their control, the risks multiply rapidly,” said Jon Jacobson, CEO and Co-Founder. “The industry is moving away from transferring raw consumer data toward secure collaboration and controlled intelligence sharing.”
“We saw companies holding incredibly valuable datasets that could solve some big problems for businesses and consumers alike, but were restricted by the lack of infrastructure capable of protecting consumer privacy and against the risk of data breach,” he added.
One of the key use cases of the platform is to enable banks to securely access new sources of consumer behavioral data directly from retailers and use that data as alternative data for credit scoring of consumers without a credit history.
Omnisient is now expanding globally, including into the United States, to meet the growing demand from lenders and insurers for this capability.
More than 45 million Americans are considered credit invisible or unscorable using conventional credit scoring methods, while millions more move in and out of subprime categories due to changing financial circumstances.
The company says its platform has already helped financial institutions in international markets assess more than eight million previously unscorable consumers, with approximately 3.2 million subsequently qualifying for credit based on alternative behavioral data.
Omnisient’s platform is now used by more than 100 enterprise organizations globally to collaborate across more than 500 million consumer records.
Omnisient has received international recognition, including selection as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer, a Finovate Awards winner, and inclusion in Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech.
Founded in South Africa in 2019, the company now operates across the Middle East, Brazil, Asia Pacific, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The FT placed Omnisient at 46 out of 130 – and 19th in the Fintech, Financial Services & Insurance category. Its Absolute Growth Rate was 263% and Compound Annual Growth Rate was 53.74%.
See the Full Financial Times Ranking here
https://www.ft.com/content/d2ac4808-202a-43fc-b0ad-3cea25176e62?syn-25a6b1a6=1
About Omnisient
Omnisient is an award-winning privacy-preserving data collaboration platform that enables organizations to extract value from consumer behavioral data while protecting privacy and maintaining regulatory compliance. Using advanced cryptography and AI, the platform enables financial institutions, insurers, and enterprises to collaborate securely on data without exchanging data or exposing personally identifiable information.
The company is a member of the World Economic Forum Innovator Community, a Finovate Awards winner, a Financial Times Fast Growing Company, and a Fast Company Next Big Things in Tech company.
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Press Kit and Photos:
Omnisient Press Kit
Media Contact:
Julian Diaz
([email protected])
Chief Marketing Officer, Omnisient
