Achieving 70% Faster B2B Integration in Document Automation at BLP Digital

BLP Digital experienced significant operational improvements after implementing ZITADEL, highlighted by the following key achievements:

• 70% faster B2B client integration
• Full migration in just 4 weeks
• 50% reduction in machine user management overhead

Company Background

BLP Digital AG, which sprang from a pioneering project at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in 2018, focuses on leveraging the latest neural network advancements to automate document-based ERP processes. The founding team, comprising both entrepreneurs and machine learning pioneers, officially formed the company in 2019, earning the prestigious ETH Zurich spin-off label. Today, driven by a team of over 50 skilled software engineers and business experts, BLP Digital serves a diverse global clientele, adapting to 20 languages and multiple regulatory environments. Their SaaS solution targets medium to large-sized industrial companies, trading companies, retailers, and financial institutions, all of whom benefit from high-volume document processing with minimal manual intervention.

The Challenge

As BLP Digital expanded its services globally, it became clear that their existing Identity and Access Management (IAM) systems were inadequate. The company faced critical technical and financial challenges, particularly in creating a scalable and secure Single Sign-On (SSO) solution that adhered to open standards. The need for a more efficient and secure system became urgent as they planned to migrate thousands of active B2B users from traditional password systems managed through Auth0 to a streamlined SSO setup.

The ZITADEL Solution

After evaluating several options, including Keycloak, Firebase, Supertokens, and Ory, BLP Digital selected ZITADEL for its comprehensive capabilities. Through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), flexible authentication options (including MFA and SSO), and simplified identity federation with a variety of corporate identity providers (including Microsoft Entra ID), ZITADEL significantly improved security and user experience. ZITADEL stood out because of its:

• Advanced Multi-Tenancy Capabilities: Offering the ability to manage distinct, secure environments for each B2B client.
• Flexible Hosting Options: Including both cloud services for production environments and self-hosted setups for development, facilitating seamless integration into BLP Digital’s architecture.
• Machine User Management: Non-interactive accounts are vital for authorizing automated processes and backend services. This capability ensures secure and seamless service execution, a feature not available with their previous provider, Auth0.
• Commitment to Open Standards: Ensuring flexibility and preventing vendor lock-in, crucial for future scalability.
• Support Model: The integration process evolved into a dynamic partnership, with BLP Digital working closely with ZITADEL to refine and adapt features to better meet their needs.

Key Outcomes

• 70% Faster B2B Client Integration: The time required to set up and manage B2B client environments was reduced from 5 hours to just 1.5 hours.
• Full Migration in Just 4 Weeks: Demonstrating ZITADEL’s exceptional adaptability and speed in deployment.
• 50% Reduction in Machine User Management Overhead: ZITADEL’s service user feature halved the time and effort required to manage backend services and automate processes.

Testimonials

“As a leading SaaS company serving tens of thousands of users, we prioritize a robust and reliable authentication solution. After extensive research for the best provider, we were impressed by ZITADEL’s exceptional flexibility and cutting-edge technology. Their seamless integration and unwavering support have significantly enhanced our platform's security, making them an invaluable partner in our growth.”

• Tim Beck, Founder and CEO, BLP Digital AG