Goodmail’s CertifiedEmail system — used by e-mail providers such as AOL, AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and Yahoo — provides legitimate commercial and non-profit entities with keys that separate their messages from spam and other malicious messages. It says only senders “with the best email practices and consumer reputation” get the clearance.

Users, then, see the legit messages delivered right into their inbox with multimedia content enabled — supposedly cutting down on confusion between real and junk mail.

“The new funding will enable Goodmail to enhance CertifiedEmail so that non-spam messages with multimedia and active content can also be delivered and opened with complete security,” the company says.

The $20 million comes from Bessemer Venture Partners with help from DCM, Emergence Capital Partners and Softbank Capital.

Goodmail says its CertifiedEmail system has grown 30-fold over the past year and is now processing 3 billion messages per month.

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