FirstHand provides a zero‑knowledge cloud storage vault where data is encrypted client‑side and never accessible to the provider. The platform offers fine‑grained ACLs, audit logs, and WebDAV/S3‑compatible APIs for secure sharing and integration, with GDPR/CCPA‑compliant residency and encryption at rest. It targets privacy‑focused individuals and SMBs seeking self‑controlled storage.
Funding
$26M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Many individuals rely on commercial cloud storage services that retain control over user data, expose personal information to third‑party access, and lack transparent mechanisms for data ownership, making it difficult to guarantee privacy, compliance, and long‑term accessibility.
Solution
FirstHand offers a user‑centric data vault that stores files in a private, centrally managed repository while keeping full ownership and control with the account holder. The platform encrypts data end‑to‑end using client‑side key generation, so the service never holds plaintext or decryption keys. Users can organize, share, and revoke access to specific items through fine‑grained permission policies and audit logs that record every operation. Integration points such as WebDAV, S3‑compatible APIs, and mobile SDKs enable seamless migration from existing cloud providers without altering workflows. All data transfers employ TLS 1.3, and storage complies with GDPR and CCPA requirements, providing a compliant alternative to traditional cloud storage.
Target Audience
The service targets privacy‑conscious consumers, freelancers, and small‑to‑medium enterprises that need a secure, self‑controlled alternative to mainstream cloud storage providers.
Features
- Client‑side key generation with zero‑knowledge encryption; the provider never accesses plaintext data
- Centralized storage architecture with redundant, geographically distributed nodes for high availability
- Fine‑grained access control lists (ACLs) and shareable links that can be time‑limited or revocable
- Comprehensive audit trail that logs file uploads, downloads, and permission changes for compliance reporting
- WebDAV and S3‑compatible APIs plus native mobile SDKs for easy integration with existing applications
- Automatic TLS 1.3 encryption for all data in transit and AES‑256‑GCM encryption at rest
- Data residency options and GDPR/CCPA compliance features, including data export and deletion tools