Use the cloud, keep your data: encryption from Switzerland thanks to Duokey

Lorenz Keller

10.3.2026

Translation: Patrik Stainbrook

Duokey is looking for new customers at the Mobile World Congress. The Swiss company can secure data with multiple keys – and manage millions.

Duokey, founded in 2019, is no longer a start-up. The encryption specialists from Prilly (VD) already have too many renowned customers for this – VW, Audi, Toyota, the ICRC and many more companies from the financial sector that wish to remain anonymous.

At the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, CEO Nagib Aouini wants to establish relationships with a new customer group: large telecommunications companies.

Encryption in the cloud, for the cloud

But what does Duokey actually do? «We enable the encryption of data, even when conventional cloud infrastructure is used,» Aouini explains. This means that companies can use major cloud providers such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Salesforce, but still have full control over their own data and its encryption. The system, also called Duokey, is secured with at least three keys stored in different locations that all belong to the customer and come with full control privileges.

This way, cloud providers don’t have access to this data and can’t use it to train AI models, for example. It also allows providers to comply with different data protection regulations around the world.

Unlike other encryption systems, the keys aren’t located in the same place, but are spread out over at least two continents with two different providers. And unlike the systems used by cloud providers themselves, the keys are in the possession and under the control of Duokey customers. One provider can own a maximum of one of the three keys.

Amazon, Google, Microsoft and the like have access neither to the data nor to the keys. The aim is for companies to be able to use the global cloud infrastructure and AI models, but for their data to always remain encrypted.

Of course, there’s always a downside: the higher level of security makes handling data more complicated and time-consuming, even if Duokey can be integrated directly into cloud applications.

Manage millions of encrypted SIM cards

Duokey’s encryption software has a second benefit. Many companies use hardware security modules (HSMs) for encryption. These have a limited capacity, typically tens of thousands of keys. Companies that have to manage a lot more need more hardware as a result. Software solutions such as those from Duokey can manage millions of keys.

This becomes interesting for the telecommunications industry, where providers have to manage millions of SIM cards that are all individually encrypted. «Naturally, the MWC is ideal for making contacts in this sector,» says CEO Nagib Aouini.

Duokey is deliberately presenting itself as a Swiss company at the trade fair, working with Swiss start-up programme Venturelab. «Swiss companies enjoy added trust in the security sector,» says Aouini. Independence from large tech companies, as well as from countries such as the USA and China, is definitely an advantage in the security sector.

Lorenz Keller

Senior Editor

Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.ch

Gadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.

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