TechCrunch Startup News AccessGrid raises $4.4M to help turn phones into key fobs; also, Mem0 raises $24M to build the memory layer for AI apps
Oct 28, 2025
Discover how Access Grid is revolutionizing digital key fobs with their API for Apple and Google Wallet, ensuring maximum security through advanced encryption methods. Meanwhile, Taranjeet Singh's latest venture, Mem0, seeks to solve AI's memory issues, proposing a 'memory passport' that lets machines remember past interactions. With significant funding behind it, Mem0 aims to become a key player in adding persistence to AI, making it adaptable for various applications. Explore the intersection of security and AI memory in this enlightening discussion!
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Founder Left Big Exit To Build Phone Keys
- Alston Bunsen left QuickNode and built Access Grid to let phones unlock doors via Apple and Google Wallets.
- His startup launched in April and raised $4.4M seed led by Harlem Capital to commercialize the idea.
API-First Digital Key Infrastructure
- Access Grid positions itself as a pure-play API that issues unclonable, revocable digital credentials for physical access.
- The startup emphasizes cloud-managed, encrypted credentials to modernize late-1990s access control systems.
Build Military-Grade Security From Day One
- Prioritize security practices like military-grade and dual encryption plus multi-factor authentication for server access.
- Build product security from day one to make digital key systems trustworthy and robust.