Lisnr, the ultrasonic inaudible technology firm, has received a strategic investment from consumer financial services company Synchrony Financial.
Ticketmaster currently uses audio technology from Lisnr among the proximity-based digital systems that powers its Presence service. Ticketmaster Presence is built on Ticketmaster’s software platform and uses proximity-based digital technology like NFC and RFID, and in some cases, sound. It allows attendees’ ‘tickets’ to be verified by an ultrasonic connection between their mobile phone and the venue’s systems.
The investment from Synchrony Financial is part of funding round that also included investment vehicles such as Mercury Fund, Jump Capital, NGMP and Danmar Capital. This round of investment adds to in excess of $14m (£10.7m/€12m) in funding that the firm has raised since March 2012.
Lisnr’s technology, the ‘ultrasonic communication protocol’, is used to send data through sound. Its Smart Tone tickets are sent via email as a web link, which, when activated, generates an inaudible (18.75kHz–19.2kHz) tone decoded by door staff using an app.
The deployment of Lisnr’s technology with Ticketmaster Presence means fans no longer have to offer their QR code or barcode for scanning and benefit from frictionless event entry. If they are a verified ticket holder, their mobile will emit a tone that registers with the venue’s Lisnr-enabled device by turning it green.
Ticketmaster Presence is currently in production at 32 venues across North America, and in full operation mode in Major League Soccer’s Orlando SC stadium. Ticketmaster said it will continue to roll out the technology in venues throughout 2017 and into 2018.
“Sound technology is revolutionising the payment space, helping with effortless transactions without internet connections,” said Neeraj Mehta, executive vice-president of business strategy and development at Synchrony.
“Lisnr continues to deliver new ways to use data-over-audio to support payments and other financial services use cases and we’re excited to explore this technology with them.”