Shaun Kimball is building Chekkd around a simple but increasingly urgent idea: trust should come before a transaction, not after something goes wrong. In this Builder Spotlight, Shaun shares how a rapid Sundance launch accelerated early momentum, why identity and reputation are foundational to safer peer-to-peer interactions, and how Chekkd is approaching trust as practical infrastructure rather than hype.
He also reflects on his path into the blockchain space, the lessons learned from building enterprise products, and why Utah’s collaborative tech community makes it the right place to build a consumer-focused platform. As Chekkd prepares for its upcoming app launch, the conversation offers a grounded look at how trust-based systems could quietly reshape everyday interactions.
UBC: Thanks for taking the time today. To start us off, how’s it going with Chekkd?
Shaun Kimball: It’s great. I’m really thrilled because we’ve had massive momentum. It couldn’t have gone any better, quite frankly. Everybody on the team right now is in a hive because of the massive Sundance Film Festival brand launch. We pulled that off in 10 days. We ended up getting around 700 people trying to come to our event. We were only allowed about 100 people at a time, so it was a little difficult to manage, but the response was incredible. We had a goal to sign up 1,000 waitlist users, and we surpassed that. Going into our app launch this spring, our goal is to have no less than 5,000 waitlist users ready to sign up. I think we can probably get closer to 10,000 based on the response at the event.
UBC: Can you tell us about the projects you’re working on and how they came to be, even before the Sundance launch?
Shaun Kimball: I’m a deal maker. I like cutting deals. Over the years, I’ve noticed that a lot of great opportunities fall apart because there’s a lack of trust between individuals. You can know someone for two days or ten years, and there’s still uncertainty around transactions. I thought, we can fix that.
The premise behind the company is allowing users to onboard themselves and go through basic KYC through our partner Plaid. If they’ve already used Plaid through something like Venmo or a banking app, they don’t have to redo that process. They verify their phone number and transfer their credentials. Once KYC and biometrics are complete, they create what we call a trust passport. That stores a trust score based on credibility. As users complete transactions and do what they say they’re going to do, they earn merit points that build that trust score.
UBC: Is that part of your launch phase?
Shaun Kimball: Yes, that’s our MVP. Creating an account, going through KYC, and starting to build a trust score. Most of it is already built. We’re just putting the finishing touches on it.
UBC: What got you started in the blockchain space?
Shaun Kimball: After a successful company during COVID called SOS Supply, a pandemic medical supply company, I realized I needed to educate myself. I started watching YouTube videos and found a TED Talk out of Middletown, New Jersey, about how blockchain could be applied to everyday life. It clicked.
I went to my friend and cofounder of Nomics, Umer Javed, and suggested we start a blockchain consulting company. We did a million dollars in consulting our first year, then built a tokenization platform and an identity protocol called Nomics ID. We eventually joined Mastercard’s Start Path program. After walking away from Nomics, I wanted to build something I could get my friends excited about.
My uncle passed away from ALS, and the last thing he told me was that our contribution to the world is what matters. That stuck with me. I wanted to build something that could help everyday people.
UBC: Is the product built more for retail users?
Shaun Kimball: We’re going B2B2C. The plan is to partner with existing marketplaces like Facebook, KSL, Reddit, and others where transactions are high risk. Users can post a link showing they’re verified. That trust layer can increase conversion and protect users.
UBC: Where do you see blockchain heading next?
Shaun Kimball: The general population hasn’t separated blockchain from crypto. Until that identity problem is fixed, adoption will be slow. Our MVP isn’t necessarily Web3. Later versions will include blockchain elements like digital escrow and smart contracts, but we probably won’t even talk about Web3. We’ll just make it work.
UBC: Why build in Utah?
Shaun Kimball: I live part-time in Newport Beach, but Utah has support you don’t find in California. Utah has a tight tech community. I’d rather be a big fish in a small pond. People here open doors, give back, and want to see the state succeed. You just don’t see that elsewhere.
UBC: How do you see the talent pool in Utah?
Shaun Kimball: It depends on what you’re looking for. Utah has great engineers and some of the best sales and business development talent in the world. People here are values-driven and willing to build something together, even if it means delaying compensation to create something meaningful.
UBC: With the current legislative session, what’s been on your radar?
Shaun Kimball: Identity legislation is fascinating to me. Digital identity is inevitable. The key is doing it with integrity and protecting personal data. If it’s coming, you might as well lead the charge responsibly.