MobileBeat: Sentegra’s meWallet makes secure mobile payments a reality

Sentegra is one of 20 promising startups included in the MobileBeat 2010 Startup Competition, and is in the running for one of two coveted Tesla Awards.

Mobile transaction startup Sentegra has come up with an all-encompassing mobile wallet platform with its meWallet system. In addition to secure mobile payments, meWallet also includes authentication and certification functionality, as well as digital ticketing.

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The system is buoyed by Sentegra’s “idGadget” devices, and a web-based back end platform. The devices are each built for secure transaction and authentication (biometrics capabilities are built-in), and include a standalone electronic wallet media device, as well as a secure cellphone attachment that can turn any phone with Bluetooth into a secure wallet.

The company claims that its devices are the first near-field communication (NFC) products — devices that can communicate in close proximity to one another — that can both send and receive data with existing NFC products. They allow for the “holy grail” of NFC  — interactive communication between consumers and merchants in real-time. The company is in discussions with cellphone manufacturers to embed meWallet hardware into upcoming devices.

Sentegra has spent seven years researching the needs of consumers and the variety of businesses and organizations that are looking for a trustworthy mobile payment platform. The company believes that its established relationships with customers and partners globally will put ahead of competitors like TwinLinx.

Based in Golden, Colo., Sentegra is one of several mobile startups launching this week at the MobileBeat 2010 conference in San Francisco. We’re still awaiting funding details from the company.