Kaarel Kotkas
Founder & CEO
Tech, Identity Management
Tallinn, Estonia
Listen to Kaarel’s Podcast!
Kaarel Kotkas is the founder and CEO of Veriff, a global identity verification company trusted by leading companies including Uber and Bumble. As a visionary and strategic thinker, Kaarel drives Veriff’s mission to stay one step ahead of fraud and competition in the rapidly evolving digital world. Known for his energy and enthusiasm, he inspires the Veriff team to champion honesty and integrity online.
Kaarel’s leadership has earned him numerous accolades: in 2023, he was named to Forbes EU 30 Under 30, in 2020 he was EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Estonia, and the Nordic Business Report recognized him as one of the 25 most influential young entrepreneurs in Northern Europe.
Raised on a small farm in Estonia, Kaarel Kotkas developed an early entrepreneurial spirit. As a teenager, he co-founded an online temp firm in 2013, followed by an electronics company in 2015. That same year, at just 20, he founded Veriff.
The inspiration for Veriff came from Kaarel’s own childhood experiences on a remote island, where online access was essential for communication and purchasing goods. While setting up a debit account online, he encountered a verification process that required him to be 18. Realizing how easily identity verification could be bypassed, Kaarel saw an opportunity to create a more secure and trustworthy system.
Kaarel Kotkas is also featured on our premiere Features Page, and you can read the Podcast Interview Transcript.
