Sequent is a company that is pioneering the world’s first open-source and cryptographically-secure online voting platform for private and public sector elections. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Sequent co-founder and CEO Shai Bargil to learn more about the company.
Shai Bargil’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background, especially as it relates to your work in cybersecurity and election technology? Bargil said:
“My journey started in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), where I worked as an engineer, focusing on developing C4I combat systems. These systems, which I helped design as part of my B.Sc. in Information Technology, are still in use today. While serving, I also pursued my master’s degree in Political Science at Tel Aviv University, which helped me deepen my understanding of the intersection between technology and governance. Afterward, I transitioned into the Israeli high-tech industry, where I honed my skills in product and project management, developing cybersecurity solutions for banks, enterprises, government agencies, and military units. I eventually moved into operations and business-focused roles in the Israeli startup ecosystem, which all led me to found Sequent three years ago.”
Formation Of Sequent
(From left to right, David Ruescas Co-Founder & Head of Research; Eduardo Robles Co-Founder & CTO; Shai Bargil Co-Founder & CEO)
How did the idea for Sequent come together, particularly in response to the growing concerns about election integrity and security? Bargil shared:
“Sequent was born out of a clear need for better solutions in the election technology space. For over two decades, academic researchers have been exploring secure and verifiable online voting systems, but much of that work hasn’t been fully realized in practical applications. We saw an opportunity to bridge that gap by developing technology that could support both remote and in-person digital voting while ensuring voter privacy, security, and the verifiability of election results.”
“Election integrity and security are massive concerns today, and rightfully so. The technology currently available in the market has some serious limitations, and that’s why we need to push forward with more advanced solutions. A lot of the core challenges have already been addressed in academic settings, but they need to be implemented and scaled in real-world elections. Our vision combines secure, verifiable digital voting for both in-person and remote voters, backed by paper trails that voters themselves can verify. We believe this can eventually replace traditional mail-in voting.”
Memorable Experience
As the U.S. gears up for another election season, what has been your most memorable experience working on Sequent’s mission to redefine digital democracy? Bargil reflected:
“We’re still early in our journey, but one of the more exciting milestones is the deployment of Sequent’s platform for the 2025 Philippine elections, which will serve 1.7 million overseas voters. It’s an excellent example of how our technology can make remote voting both accessible and secure on a large scale. This project has the potential to inspire similar advancements in the U.S., particularly for uniformed and overseas voters, who need a secure and convenient way to participate in elections.”
Core Products
What are the core products and features that make Sequent a game-changer for secure and accessible voting? Bargil explained:
“Sequent is built to meet modern standards for both election security and user experience. We offer seamless integration with various authentication solutions and flexibility to meet the specific needs of election committees worldwide. The heart of our system is its cryptographic voting protocol, which not only ensures security but also provides end-to-end verifiability. This means that voters, officials, and auditors can have complete confidence and independently verify that every vote has been cast, recorded, and counted correctly.”
“What truly sets Sequent apart is that we are the first company to develop our solution as open-source software from day one. This ensures total transparency, enabling public security experts and academics to collaborate and scrutinize the system. Open-source development adds another layer of trust to elections, allowing auditors and the public to verify not just the election results but also the software running the election process.”
Challenges Faced
Election security is a hot topic in the U.S. right now. What challenges have you faced recently, particularly in terms of addressing concerns about voter fraud and system transparency, and how did you overcome them? Bargil acknowledged:
“One of the biggest challenges has been demonstrating that secure, transparent, and verifiable voting is not only possible but within reach for the U.S. We believe these advancements could significantly improve election security and public trust, and this belief is shared by leading figures in the field, like Josh Benaloh of Microsoft ElectionGuard and Joseph Kiniry of Free & Fair. The next U.S. administration should recognize the potential of these technologies and direct resources toward developing and piloting verifiable voting systems.”
“Sequent has already laid the foundation for this with our cryptographic, open-source platform, which aligns with the White House’s National Cybersecurity Strategy for Secure and Measurable Software. Sequent technology is designed to meet the highest standards of security and transparency.”
Evolution Of Sequent’s Technology
Sequent’s technology has evolved since its launch to keep pace with the evolving threats to election security? Bargil noted:
“Sequent’s origins date back to an open-source project for political party elections in Europe in 2011, which our CTO, Eduardo Robles, and Head of Research, David Ruescas were part of. Since then, the technology has evolved significantly. When we founded Sequent in 2021, we incorporated this early work into our platform, redeveloping it to meet the requirements of national elections. Today, Sequent has its own cryptographic voting protocol and libraries, designed to handle national-level elections and ensure security at every step.”
Significant Milestones
Could you share some of Sequent’s most significant milestones, especially those tied to real-world election success stories? Bargil cited:
“Sequent has been used in over 200 elections across 10 countries, counting 3.2 million votes to date. We mainly operate in the U.S., Canada, Spain, Germany, and South Africa. A particularly notable achievement is our recent selection as the online voting solution for 1.7 million overseas Filipinos in 76 countries who will participate in the Philippines’ 2025 general elections.”
Customer Success Stories
Can you share specific customer success stories, particularly from elections where Sequent’s platform made a noticeable impact on voter turnout or transparency? Bargil highlighted:
“One example is a large association in Spain that used the Sequent platform for its national and regional elections. After the losing party challenged the results, per the client’s request, Sequent provided the verifiable evidence needed to prove the integrity and correctness of the electoral process. This verifiability was crucial in resolving the dispute and ensuring the election was conducted correctly.”
Funding
Given the growing demand for secure election platforms, are you able to discuss your funding or revenue metrics and how they reflect this increasing interest? Bargil revealed:
“Sequent has seen rapid growth over the last two years, and we’re feeling the rising demand for secure election solutions firsthand. With election officials across the globe recognizing the need to move away from outdated mail-in voting systems, we’re gearing up for a fundraising round in Q4 2024 to accelerate the expansion of our platform to more counties and clients.”
Total Addressable Market
With U.S. elections around the corner, what total addressable market (TAM) size is Sequent pursuing, especially in the context of federal, state, and local elections? Bargil assessed:
“The total global spending on voting options is estimated to be over $18.9 billion, with more than 4 billion people voting in elections each year. Sequent is targeting a significant portion of that market, particularly in the U.S., where there’s a clear need for secure, verifiable and transparent voting.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates Sequent from other companies that are also working to improve digital voting security and accessibility? Bargil affirmed:
“What sets Sequent apart is the combination of our unique, well-established cryptographic technology and our commitment to open-source development. Our system ensures election security, transparency, and verifiability in ways that few other providers can match. The open-source approach provides a level of transparency that is crucial in building trust in the electoral process. Auditors and voters can independently verify not only the results but also the software itself, something that no other company in our space offers.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of Sequent’s future goals, particularly as it looks to expand its role in future U.S. and global elections? Bargil pointed out:
“We’re looking to bring our technology to U.S. states that want to better serve uniformed and overseas according to the Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (also known as UOCAVA). Beyond that, we plan to continue expanding our presence in national and municipal elections worldwide, helping countries modernize their voting systems and improve both vote accessibility and election security.”
Additional Insights
With election integrity being so important, are there any other topics or insights about Sequent’s work in election security that you’d like to share? Bargil concluded:
“Sequent is also deeply involved in shaping the future online voting standards. We regularly collaborate with government agencies and public organizations to contribute our expertise and help establish security standards for online voting. We’ve worked with Canada’s Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI) to build municipal voting standards in Ontario, with Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) on creating a security profile for internet voting systems, and we’ve advised the U.S. Department of Labor on available voting technologies for their new Compliance Tips for remote electronic voting in labor union elections.”
