The founder and CEO of Aboriginal software start-up HoldAccess has created a modern-day ID message stick called Digi-Wallet that provides instant access to personal information without losing it on emails or USBs, or left in the hands of 3rd parties.
Jason, who recently won the NBN National Innovative Business Champion of the Year and the Indigenous Innovative Business of the Year, identified that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people often do not have access to their identification and personal documents.
“There are still many who don’t have easy access to essential information such as identification, training certificates, compliance records, and cultural heritage, health and family lines papers,” he said.
In today’s world, however, many businesses, organisations and institutions require verified information and identity instantly, especially for procurement compliance.
Solving this challenge was what motivated the Territory innovator to create the credit card-sized Digi-Wallet which contains at-a-glance cultural and work-related information linked to a secure online personal database via codified access.
“It allows individual users to access and control their information any time - with or without access to mobile phones or the internet," said Jason.
“And it is ideal for industries operating in pre-employment, recruitment, training, compliance management, client services, the education system, native title holders, transitions, and diverse identity.”
Jason was also inspired to create a digital management platform for businesses that could easily demonstrate consumer data privacy and would protect companies from breaching privacy of information when requesting documents.
The platform, which was further developed with a grant from the Northern Territory (NT) Government’s Business Innovation Program, integrates a culture of inclusion and seamless information flow between workers and employers.
“We help to mitigate employer risks when navigating workforce diversity and Aboriginal procurement conditions and to better regulate offsite or onsite industry compliance documentation, so employees can operate competently,” said Jason, whose company was selected as a NT finalist in the Telstra Best of Business Awards 2022.
“We are innovating an 18th-century segmented industry with a people-first decentralized information flow to build companies and grow people through valuable digital relationships.
“We have found that when people control their own capabilities, like through the digital wallet and app, they are more inclined to deliver outstanding performances.”
Jason highlighted how having the opportunity to streamline a complete digital solution for both employers and employees through the grant has given him more confidence in decision making, especially for the company’s future.
“We have a goal for the Diji Wallet to be available across Australia in five years’ time,” said Jason, who recently gained the backing of a private investment group.
“I’m looking to a larger audience now, to other marginalised groups who haven’t got immediate access to their information. We have a digital solution to unblock barriers to information flow, and to build resilient workforces, and, for me, that’s a game changer.”
