Why We’re Investing in AccessGrid
by Harlem Capital
AccessGrid: The API Powering the Future of Digital Access
Harlem Capital is proud to back AccessGrid, the Miami-based startup building the API layer for secure, wallet-based access around the world.
AccessGrid raised $4.4 million from Harlem Capital, Spice Capital, Exceptional Capital, CEAS Investments, Ex Ante, Third Sphere, and HF0, among others. The round will support the company’s mission to make digital access secure, seamless, and universal.
Bridging the Gap Between Digital Identity and Physical Access
AccessGrid was born from a simple but powerful realization: digital identity and physical access were evolving on separate tracks, even though every smartphone already contained the hardware to replace key cards and fobs.
Founder Auston Bunsen, previously co-founder and CTO of QuickNode, recognized this gap while working with Apple Wallet’s event ticket and loyalty systems. He saw that digital keys required custom integrations for each lock manufacturer, all relying on closed APIs.
AccessGrid’s breakthrough solution is a universal API for Apple and Google Wallet credentials – essentially, the Stripe for NFC keys. What once required months of engineering now takes a single API call.
Turning Phones into Secure Digital Keys
AccessGrid’s API turns smartphones into secure digital key fobs. The platform allows organizations to issue programmable keys directly to users’ Apple Wallets for offices, hotels, apartments, and other physical spaces — no separate app required.
It works on Apple Watch, functions even when devices are locked or out of battery, and provides cryptographically secure, non-cloneable credentials.
For property operators, OEMs, and integrators, AccessGrid means modernizing access systems instantly without replacing readers or rebuilding infrastructure.
Modernizing a $20B Industry
The physical access control market exceeds $20 billion globally, yet much of it still runs on outdated, insecure systems. Nearly half of U.S. access systems rely on plastic key cards and fobs that can be easily cloned — or worse, contain backdoors from manufacturing.
At the same time, Apple and Google have quietly built a privacy-preserving access layer into every smartphone. Secure Enclave chips now manage digital keys with real-time revocation and cryptographic signatures.
This marks one of the largest upgrades to physical security infrastructure in decades, and AccessGrid is helping accelerate that transformation.
Backed by Proven Technical Leadership
As co-founder and former CTO of QuickNode – a Y Combinator Top 100 company that achieved unicorn status – Auston Bunsen brings deep experience in scaling developer infrastructure.
“AccessGrid is building critical infrastructure at the intersection of identity, hardware, and access,” said Henri Pierre-Jacques, Managing Partner at Harlem Capital. “Auston is a repeat founder who knows how to bring emerging infrastructure to market, and we’re thrilled to support his vision.”
Building the Identity Layer for the Physical World
By commercializing NFC-based access technology that has existed for over a decade, AccessGrid aims to become the identity layer for the physical world – enabling secure, frictionless access to any space, from offices to airports to homes.
With this funding, the company is positioned to scale globally and empower developers to build the next generation of secure access experiences.
About AccessGrid
AccessGrid is an API platform that enables developers and enterprises to issue and manage secure digital keys through mobile wallets. Founded by QuickNode co-founder Auston Bunsen, AccessGrid is building the digital infrastructure for secure, app-free, and universally accessible identity.
About Harlem Capital
Harlem Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm on a mission to invest in 1,000 diverse founders over the next 20 years. The firm partners with visionary entrepreneurs building transformative businesses across enterprise software, fintech, and AI. All Winners Welcome.
