Hakimo - Experts & Thought Leaders

With surging crime rates, acute security staffing shortages, and mounting false alarms, organisations are desperately seeking smarter ways to strengthen their security while reducing costs. Hakimo, a pioneer in AI-powered physical security monitoring, announced a $10.5 million funding round and the launch of AI Operator, a breakthrough autonomous security agent that monitors existing security hardware, detects threats in real time, and executes response protocols just like a human security professional.  Computer vision and generative AI Hakimo's AI Operator combines computer vision and generative AI to monitor existing security hardware The Series A funding round was led by Vertex Ventures and Zigg Capital with participation from RXR Arden Digital Ventures and existing investors Defy.vc and Gokul Rajaram. Hakimo has now raised a total of $20.5 million, including prior funding rounds led by Neotribe Ventures and Rocketship.vc. Hakimo's AI Operator combines computer vision and generative AI to monitor existing security hardware such as cameras and badge readers. Traditional security approaches Unlike conventional systems, it can detect any anomaly or potential threat that can be described in words – a breakthrough in physical security monitoring.  Beyond detection, the system issues real-time speaker warnings and executes standard operating procedures (SOPs) to respond to incidents, with human operators providing intervention only when necessary. This AI-human collaboration delivers superior protection at a fraction of the cost of traditional security approaches. New era of AI-driven security The system issues real-time speaker warnings and executes SOPs to respond to incidents "Hakimo has pioneered a new era of AI-driven security by creating an intelligent AI agent that understands and responds to threats like never before." "We’re not just automating security—we’re redefining it with AI that can recognise and act on any security event and deliver unmatched protection for businesses worldwide," said Sam Joseph, Co-Founder & CEO of Hakimo.  Vision of autonomous security monitoring Hakimo was founded in early 2020 by Sam Joseph and Sagar Honnungar, Stanford-trained AI experts with backgrounds in building enterprise-grade software as a service (SaaS). The duo launched Hakimo after identifying converging trends: exploding camera deployments, plummeting hardware costs, and rapid advancements in computer vision. The founders recognised the potential for AI to reinvent physical security and have since assembled a talented, growing team of engineers and industry professionals to execute their vision of autonomous security monitoring. Hakimo's solution Hakimo eliminates these challenges while offering the advantages of both on-site guards Hakimo's solution comes at a critical inflection point for physical security. The traditional manned guarding industry struggles with severe hiring and quality challenges, while alarm monitoring services face growing issues with false alarms and police departments increasingly refusing to respond to unverified alerts. By leveraging existing cameras, AI capabilities, and remote operators, Hakimo eliminates these challenges while offering the advantages of both on-site guards and traditional alarm systems. Hakimo's technology The company has experienced explosive growth over the past year, tripling its customer base and securing more than a hundred clients across diverse industries, including multifamily apartments, car dealerships, construction sites, and Fortune 500 enterprises. In 2024 alone, Hakimo's technology prevented thousands of security incidents, assisted law enforcement in multiple arrests, and even saved a life. Hakimo’s AI agent The technology's impact extends beyond the scope of traditional security applications “We got a drastic reduction in trespassing right after deploying Hakimo, and I now sleep better at night with the peace-of-mind provided by Hakimo’s AI agent,” said Rodrigo Duran, General Manager at Kia Santa Maria, one of those customers.  The technology's impact extends beyond the scope of traditional security applications. Its ability to monitor multiple sites simultaneously while maintaining human-level reasoning has proven transformative for businesses seeking comprehensive security without the escalating costs and reliability issues of conventional approaches. AI + Services approach Commenting on the investment, Piyush Kharbanda, General Partner of Vertex Ventures SEA & India, said, “We are very excited to partner with the Hakimo team, who are bringing ground-up technological innovation to the large but antiquated physical security industry." "There is a dire need for innovation, as current solutions lack the speed or accuracy to offer affordable real-time protection for offline businesses. Hakimo bridges this gap with an AI + Services approach, coupling the speed of cutting-edge vision AI algorithms with the reliability of humans-in-the-loop, thus delivering a 10x better service at more affordable rates.” Security monitoring ecosystem Ryan Orley, Managing Partner at Zigg Capital, added: “After studying the security monitoring ecosystem, our team concluded that Hakimo’s AI + Services solution is more robust and offers better value than any other technology we have encountered." "Hakimo’s capabilities at its accessible price point are without peer. In fact, I became a Hakimo customer before our firm’s investment”. New standard for AI-powered security “Hakimo is transforming physical security with AI, delivering real-time threat detection and smarter operations," said Neil Sequeira, Founder & Partner, Defy.vc. "At Defy, we back bold teams tackling big challenges, and Sam and Sagar’s vision aligns perfectly with that mission." "We’re excited to support Hakimo as they scale and set a new standard for AI-powered security.”

Hakimo, an award-winning technology company dedicated to modernising physical security through its artificial intelligence (AI) software announced a reseller partnership with international systems integrator Convergint, a global pioneer in service-based systems integration. The partnership will enable Convergint to offer Hakimo’s AI-powered security solutions to its customers across the globe.  Hakimo platform The Hakimo platform uses computer vision and machine learning to automate the monitoring of physical security sensors such as cameras and badge readers. The platform also provides an option to communicate warnings through speakers when it detects unwanted activity such as a person entering an area where they do not belong. This first-of-its-kind platform natively integrates with enterprise video and access control systems to provide one unified solution that responds to alarms automatically exposes potential insider threats and detects faulty cameras and door hardware, thereby enabling organisations to enhance overall security, efficiency, and compliance in a way that no other company in the industry has touched upon. AI-powered security solutions Our partnership will make it even easier for businesses and organisations to improve their security posture" Convergint has been ranked #1 in the SDM Magazine’s Top Systems Integrators Report for six consecutive years and works with a variety of businesses across different verticals, including financial and educational institutions, healthcare facilities, and state and federal governments. “We are excited to partner with Convergint to bring our AI-powered security solutions to more customers around the world,” said Sam Joseph, Co-Founder and CEO of Hakimo. “With Convergint being the pioneering security solutions provider with a strong presence globally, our partnership will make it even easier for businesses and organisations to improve their security posture.”  Recognition and awards Hakimo has been recognised with prestigious security industry awards including the Security Industry Association’s 2022 New Products and Solutions Judges’ Choice award. In addition, the Security Executive Council, a research and advisory firm governed by former corporate chief security officers, validated the efficacy of the Hakimo solution. Recently, National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit organisation funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), completed an operational test and evaluation of the solution.  Improve security “There’s growing interest around AI in the security industry, and Hakimo is uniquely positioned to offer businesses of all sizes this innovative technology to enhance and improve security capabilities,” said Joe Young, VP of Global Partner Development and Strategic Alliances at Convergint. “We are excited to partner with Hakimo and offer its platform to our customers to continue providing top-of-the-line solutions and services." Convergint customers can work directly with their representative and Convergint’s Digital Transformation team to learn more about Hakimo and the partnership.

Hakimo, a technology company dedicated to modernising physical security through its artificial intelligence (AI) software, announced $6 million in new funding led by Rocketship.vc, with participation from existing investors Neotribe Ventures, defy.vc and Firebolt Ventures as well as new investors Carrier Global Corporation, through its venture capital group, Carrier Ventures, and well-known physical security industry entrepreneur John L. Moss. Hakimo will use the capital to further accelerate product development and expand into new markets. Hakimo platform The Hakimo platform uses computer vision and machine learning to automate the monitoring of physical security sensors such as cameras and badge readers. The platform also provides an option to communicate warnings through speakers when it detects unwanted activity such as a person entering an area where they do not belong. This combination of automated monitoring and response helps security teams save time and money while proactively deterring and preventing security breaches from occurring. Furthermore, the Hakimo platform natively integrates with most enterprise video and access control systems to provide a unified solution that responds to alarms automatically, exposes potential insider threats and detects faulty cameras and door hardware. This enables enterprise organisations to enhance security, efficiency and compliance, in a way that no other company in the industry has touched upon. Physical security providers Hakimo has raised $10M to date including its $4 million seed round announced in late 2021 Hakimo has raised $10M to date including its $4 million seed round announced in late 2021. Since then, Hakimo has gained numerous customers ranging from Fortune 500 companies to airports to auto dealerships. The company has also forged alliances with pioneering physical security providers such as LenelS2, which is part of Carrier, and has been recognised with prestigious security industry awards including the Security Industry Association’s 2022 New Products and Solutions Judges’ Choice award.  In addition, the Security Executive Council, a pioneering research and advisory firm governed by former corporate chief security officers, validated the efficacy of the Hakimo solution. Recently, National Safe Skies Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit organisation funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), completed an operational test and evaluation of the solution. Strengthen the physical security “AI is redefining how a broad spectrum of industries do business,” said Anand Rajaraman, Founding Partner, Rocketship.vc. “Physical security is one such industry that has all the ingredients needed for an AI overhaul, and we’re excited to support Hakimo in that endeavour.”  The fresh capital raise comes at a time when increased crime rates, acute staffing shortages and macroeconomic conditions are forcing organisations to explore smarter ways to strengthen their physical security posture while cutting costs. Stanford-trained AI experts Hakimo solves this problem by automating repetitive tasks performed by security guards Hakimo solves this problem by automating repetitive tasks traditionally performed by security guards and escalating only real, high-risk incidents to human operators. This allows organisations to reduce their guard footprint, or even eliminate it completely, without sacrificing security.   Hakimo was founded by Sam Joseph and Sagar Honnungar, Stanford-trained AI experts with backgrounds in building enterprise-grade software as a service (SaaS). The founders recognised the potential for AI to solve some of the physical security industry’s most significant challenges and have since assembled a talented, growing team of engineers and industry professionals. Author's quote “Hakimo provides a much-needed automation platform that helps a wide range of organisations improve security in this resource-constrained environment,” said Sam Joseph, Co-Founder and CEO, Hakimo. “We’re proud to be transforming the industry and are grateful for the support of our customers, partners and investors as we continue on this journey together.” “We are thrilled to see Hakimo’s continued growth and customer adoption,” said Neil Sequeira, Founder and Partner at defy.vc. "Since the inception of our firm, we have been actively investing in cutting-edge AI companies, and we are excited to support Sam and his team as they continue to transform the space of AI for physical security."

According to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to transform all sectors of society, including national security. The physical security marketplace is certainly feeling the impact of the new technology, which has quickly gained prominence as one of the industry’s most popular buzzwords. To assess the more practical aspects of the situation, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How is artificial intelligence (AI) changing the course of the security marketplace?

Integration of access control and video has been a reality for decades. The combination of our industry’s dominant technologies provides a one-two punch when it comes to maximising the security benefits of a system. Access control tracks ‘events,’ while video provides visibility into those events. But the benefits of integrating video and access control are far from static. Rather, today’s systems are becoming even more valuable as they incorporate elements such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the cloud. Regarding integration of video and access control, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable a simple question: What’s new?

Cloud systems faced early resistance from physical security end users concerned about a perceived lack of control of data that ‘leaves’ their premises. More recently, mass adoption of cloud systems reflects widespread confidence in these systems to protect the data they handle. However, there are physical security professionals who remain concerned about cloud-based systems from the perspective of cybersecurity. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How can the industry address cybersecurity concerns of cloud-based systems?