August 2011

Anyone who uses a computer today has undoubtedly bumped up against those annoying distorted text images on websites that require you to type in what you see before you can proceed.  These squiggly letters and numbers are designed to verify the user is actually a person and to block spammers and scammers.  Tyler Paxton wants to make this authentication process more fun.

Prior to pursuing an MBA at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of business, Paxton worked for an auto supplier.  “One of my co-workers was having a frustrating time getting concert tickets on Ticketmaster because scalpers had found their way around the authentication tool and bought up all the tickets.  “It was an irritating experience and I played around with developing an alternate technology that would combat this type of thing,” relates Paxton.  “I started my MBA intent on creating something that would be an alternative to the ubiquitous CAPTCHA, or Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart, the current mode of verification.”  Paxton formed the business, Are You a Human, with four fellow MBA students in 2009.  Two of the co-founders, Reid Tatoris and Benjamin Blackmer, are still with the company.  “We are developing the next generation of online human verification tools,” Paxton explains.  “We’ve created a game-based product that will tell humans and computers apart. It’s an exciting new internet security concept.”

Last fall, the company joined Ann Arbor TechArb, a U-M student business incubator that offers office space for early stage companies that are affiliated with the university.  “We received great support from the Ross School of Business’ Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and the Center for Entrepreneurship.  Their support allowed us to secure the TechArb space and obtain grants to further refine our product,” says Paxton.  While still a young company in the start-up mode, it has already achieved its share of achievements.   In April the company entered Rice University Business Plan Competition, the world’s largest such graduate-level competition. Are You a Human placed second in the event, winning a $150,000 prize and, on top of that, won the ‘Most Promising Start Up’ award.  “In June we raised $750,000 in a Series A financing round investment which will be used for product development, beta testing and finding key companies to partner with,” relates Paxton.  “We’re currently taking submissions for companies interested in using a beta version of our technology on their websites.”

Are You a Human’s suite of quick online games can be easily embedded on websites and according to Paxton the technology is more secure, more user friendly and increases site conversions.“ Our platform is an interactive game that can be customized for a specific customer or developed as an ad-based, branded approach,” explains Paxton.  “We’ve also created a new tool that allows a business to build its own game.  We want to open the space up to create new and exciting games.”

The Are You a Human team connected with the Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center network’s in the fall of 2010 when the company entered Ann Arbor SPARK’s  Boot Camp for new businesses.  “We were assigned SBTDC tech team consultant, Kayo Ramirez, to help us develop our pitch for presenting our business model,” explains Paxton.  “He’s now become a great resource for us, helping us find employees, offer general business advice and connecting us with other services, to name but a few.  This is a network that is invaluable to companies like ours.”

Are You a Human’s interactive game platform is an innovative approach that gives humans an advantage over computer programs when it comes to completing forms or purchasing online.  “Our team is excited about the future and we’ll be launching our public beta later this year,” says Paxton.”  There is no doubt that this is a Michigan company with enormous potential.

Learn more about the MI-SBTDC Tech Team.