Firstport chooses Vouchsafe to streamline identity checks for Scottish social entrepreneurs
Chloe Coleman
TL;DR: Scottish charity Firstport has partnered with Vouchsafe to make identity verification quick and inclusive for the social entrepreneurs it supports.
About Firstport
Firstport is Scotland’s agency for social enterprises. Its advisers back people with ideas that tackle social or environmental challenges, guiding them from early concept to sustainable business.
From cafes and zero-waste shops, to gardening services and childcare providers, every year Firstport empowers social entrepreneurs to start businesses that help fill gaps in local services, strengthen communities, and tackle pressing issues.
Support includes:
- One‑to‑one advice on structure, business planning and governance
- Grant funding at different stages of growth
- Bespoke investment‑readiness programmes
- Flexible social investment for scaling impact
The identity challenge
Every application to Firstport, be it for a grant or a loan, requires the applicant to prove who they are to prevent fraud and money laundering.
Applicants without traditional forms of documentation can face difficulties in proving their identity through other platforms.
Why Vouchsafe fits
The Vouchsafe platform handles document capture from nearly 200 countries, biometric liveness detection and ongoing screening, giving Firstport a secure, fully digital process to get awards to applicants faster.
Key gains so far:
- Online onboarding from anywhere in Scotland
- Acceptance of more types of documentation
- Quick ID checks without adding friction
- Staff time freed for advice, support and encouragement rather than paperwork
Early results
Being able to accept more kinds of documentation automatically has a direct impact on inclusion, especially for young entrepreneurs and those without traditional forms of ID such as a passport.
Lauren Scott, Investment Manager at Firstport, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Vouchsafe to complete our ID checks on directors and trustees of the organisations we provide funding to.”
“What particularly attracted us to Vouchsafe is their commitment to digital inclusion and the ability to accept non-standard forms of ID. We work with individuals who for many reasons may not be able to complete traditional ID checks, but who we really want to support as they are passionate entrepreneurs making a difference in their communities.”
This approach removes barriers and aligns with our commitment that ‘no one gets left behind. Applicants can verify their identity in minutes, so we can release support faster and spend more time helping social enterprises grow their impact.”
Are you a charity, social enterprise, or social investor looking to remove the strain of identity checks from your team? Contact chloe@vouchsafe.id for a demo.
