QRTrust Enters start2grow Competition
QRTrust has entered the start2grow startup competition in Dortmund. The company develops a platform for checking QR codes and operates a German phishing database. Through the competition, it aims to find partners for joint projects.
The platform was developed by Sebastian Drabent (43), a software developer from Dortmund. He started the project after finding no technical solution against QR code phishing: there was no German phishing database and no platform serving citizens, businesses and public authorities.
What is start2grow?
start2grow is one of Germany's largest business plan competitions and is organized by Wirtschaftsförderung Dortmund (Dortmund Economic Development). The competition supports founders with coaching, mentoring, networking and prize money.
For QRTrust, taking part is a step toward market readiness. The company intends to use the competition to find partners for pilot projects.
Background: QR Code Phishing
QR codes appear on parking meters, charging stations, official mail and restaurant tables. As their use has spread, fraud cases have increased in which manipulated codes lead to fake websites. The practice is known as quishing – phishing via QR codes.
QR codes are not human-readable. The destination of a code cannot be seen before it is scanned. Criminals exploit this property.
The platform at a glance:
- Browser-based use: No app download is required, scanning takes place at qrtrust.de
- Prototype in operation: The system is online and is continuously expanded with new data
- Operated in Germany: German servers, GDPR-compliant
- Community-maintained database: Reported addresses feed into detection
Project Partnerships Sought
As part of the start2grow competition, QRTrust is seeking project partners among municipalities, public authorities and businesses. The goal is joint pilot projects to secure QR codes in Germany.
Pilot projects are planned in the following areas:
Municipalities & Authorities
Verifiable QR codes on official mail, parking meters and public spaces, starting in Dortmund.
Companies
Integration into existing security infrastructures, API access, white-label solutions
Educational Institutions
Education and training on quishing, security awareness training
Prototype Publicly Available
The prototype is available at qrtrust.de. Use is free of charge and requires no registration; QR codes can be checked directly in the browser.
Scanned QR codes and reported phishing URLs feed into the database. Detection performance is expected to improve as usage grows.
Plans Beyond the Competition
QRTrust is positioning itself in a market that established cybersecurity providers have so far largely left uncovered: dedicated protection for QR codes has not existed until now.
The company is launching in Germany and plans to expand into other European markets in the medium term.
Interested in a Partnership?
Municipalities, public authorities and companies interested in a pilot project can contact QRTrust.
Request a Partnership