Kerv, the London fintech startup, today launches the world's first contactless payment ring on kickstarter.com in a bid to raise £77k mass-production capital via crowdfunding.
Kerv wearers can make instant contactless payments of £30 or lower with a single gesture – no card, PIN, or paired smartphone required. Accepted anywhere in the world that takes contactless payments, Kerv is always on hand, removing the need to carry a wallet, purse, cash or cards – perfect for those with active lifestyles. The Kerv ring never needs charging and doesn't need to be paired with a smartphone to work, unlike some power-hungry smartwatches sporting contactless payment functionality.
Kerv seamlessly blends form with function, creating a beautiful and understated piece of wearable tech which, uniquely, looks and feels nothing like a piece of wearable tech. Available in black or white, Kerv's sleek outer shell is engineered from zirconia ceramic, a material most often found in nuclear reactors and spacecraft. And dental surgeries. Zirconia is lightweight, hypoallergenic and one of the most scratch-resistant materials on the planet, necessary for an item of functional jewellery designed to be worn all day, every day. Kerv is also waterproof.
Beyond retail payments, Kerv can be used on the Transport for London network (and other global cities' mass transit systems). Kerv also offers instant sharing of emergency, medical or contact details at the tap of an NFC-enabled phone, plus one-touch access via compatible NFC locks and security systems – which means even more pocket junk can be left at home.
Kerv founder, Philip Campbell, said, "Currently, wearable payment devices are either eye-wateringly expensive or thoroughly unattractive. But the biggest issue I have is that they're all worn on the wrist, which has to be placed flat against the contactless reader in a way that feels extremely unnatural and awkward. With a creative background – plus eight years' experience in payments – I felt we could do better. So we did, designing Kerv to be the most ergonomic, natural and convenient contactless payment method possible."
Phil continued: "We feel Kerv is a perfect fit for Kickstarter, but we don't just see the campaign as a way of raising the funds to take Kerv to mass production; we want to elicit the input and support of a community of forward-thinking individuals that have a real desire to help bring great products to market. "
Kerv Chairman David Hunter added: "A lot of technology in payments strikes me as being a solution looking for a problem. I'm confident that Kerv will be well received on Kickstarter because it solves genuine problems, focuses on the user-experience and makes the underlying technology invisible."
Kerv, the world's first contactless payment ring, launches on Kickstarter today, Friday the 25th September.
