Bridging the gap: How the AC/MA Summit is reshaping security industry conversations
The inaugural Access Control/Mergers & Acquisitions (AC/MA) Summit in New York City proved what we’ve long suspected. There’s a significant gap in the market for meaningful dialogue between security innovators and the financial community. With an impressive satisfaction rating of 9.1 out of 10, our hypothesis was validated by the 57 attendees who joined us March 4 from across North America and as far as Milan, Spain, Taiwan and India.
Several key insights emerged from our discussions, some of which are discussed more in-depth below. For starters, there’s strong consensus that the security industry presents exceptional opportunities, though many acknowledged that the landscape has fundamentally changed. Second, we identified a shortage of companies in the $8-10 million annual recurring revenue (ARR) range, which is limiting industry development. Third, the industry remains heavily North American-focused, with significant opportunities in overlooked "unsexy" segments that often represent excellent businesses.
Why We Created This Event
What started as a hunch evolved into something truly special. Recognizing a clear market need, Hilary Gallagher, CMO and COO of The Access Control Collective, and I decided to take action.
The security industry has two clear sides when it comes to finances: those with capital looking for opportunities to invest, and innovative businesses seeking funding to grow. We recognized our unique position to bring these worlds together while creating something fundamentally different from traditional industry events.
We aimed to foster genuine discussions about the security industry’s present and future, free from the usual distractions of typical conferences. By eliminating product demonstrations and sponsor tables, we prioritized Q&A and small group discussions for meaningful engagement. Additionally, we designed the event to require only a half-day commitment from busy professionals while maintaining true independence by avoiding sponsorships that might shift our focus away from attendees.
We also streamlined the speaker preparation process. Rather than extensive preparation calls that often create more anxiety and stale presentations than value, we handled pre-event coordination via email and text, trusting in the professionalism of our speakers. This approach yielded authentic, engaging discussions rather than rehearsed pitches.
The result was an event where finance professionals gained invaluable industry insights, and security professionals received crucial perspectives on how investors and acquirers view their businesses. By bringing these groups together in an intimate setting focused on dialogue rather than pitches, we created something that both sides found exceptionally valuable.
The Summit Experience
Our day began with registration and breakfast networking at 8 a.m. in Houlihan Lokey’s stunning 17th-floor offices on Park Avenue. The setting — overlooking the heart of Manhattan's financial district — symbolized the bridge we were building between security innovation and investment capital.
At 8:20 a.m., Michael Morabito from Houlihan Lokey and I kicked off with a quick welcome, immediately setting the tone for a fast-paced, information-rich day. Justin Abelow from Houlihan Lokey then presented the State of the Market, delivering compelling data with the thought-provoking theme “Do you believe me or my lying eyes?” — a perfect framing for discussions about market valuations and opportunities.
The morning continued with a series of focused panel discussions. I moderated the Corporate Development Panel featuring Tim Moxon from HID, Xabier Apellaniz from Salto Systems and Brendan Lyons from Chamberlain — providing insights from strategic acquirers actively reshaping the industry landscape.
This was followed by the PE Firm Panel with Michael Levenberg from LLR Partners, Toby Rando from Ulysses Management and Sohum Doshi from Argentum Capital Partners, offering perspective from investors who are fueling the next generation of security innovations.
The Security Company Panel brought together Bernhard Mehl from Kisi, Steve Van Till from Brivo and Matt Kopel from SwiftConnect, giving attendees direct access to the experiences of successful security entrepreneurs who have navigated the growth and funding journey.
We concluded with a one-on-one VC meeting with Annie Lan from Egis Capital Partners, which provided intimate insight into how venture capital evaluates early-stage security opportunities.
After closing remarks, attendees enjoyed lunch and continued networking. Many conversations that began during panels naturally extended through lunch and beyond, evidence of the connections being formed.
The inspiring space, excellent food and coffee, fast-paced agenda, information-rich conversations and exceptional networking opportunities delivered outstanding value for everyone’s time investment. As one attendee put it: “Thought leadership. Small group encouraged openness. Great line-up of speakers. Ample time for Q&A and networking. Very well done - thank you.”
Industry Insights Revealed
The summit revealed several vital trends shaping our industry’s future. There was unanimous agreement about the security industry’s exceptional opportunities and recognition that the landscape has fundamentally changed post-pandemic.
We identified a concerning shortage of companies in the $8-$10M+ ARR range, which limits industry development and creates a gap between early-stage innovations and established players. The current emphasis remains heavily North American, with significant interest in overlooked “unsexy” segments that often represent excellent businesses but receive less attention.
Industry fragmentation presents challenges and opportunities for strategic consolidation, and participants recognized that while security has unique characteristics, it ultimately operates according to the same fundamental market principles as other sectors. One thing became abundantly clear: our industry’s value extends well beyond the reported $10 billion typically cited.
Perhaps most importantly, we recognized a critical need for greater education — financial markets need to better understand how our industry operates, and security professionals need greater insight into financial considerations. The summit successfully began bridging this gap, creating a forum where both sides could speak openly about challenges and opportunities.
The event generated significant social media engagement, with David Furcayg’s video capturing the energy, while Jason Ouellette, Brian Karas, Mohammed Atif Shehzad and Eric Styles shared thoughtful reflections in LinkedIn posts — extending the conversation beyond the physical event.
Looking Ahead
Based on the overwhelming success of our inaugural summit, we’re excited to announce that we’ll be hosting another AC/MA Summit this fall in Los Angeles. While we’re currently finalizing location and date details, we’re committed to maintaining the intimate, conversation-focused format while implementing the improvements suggested by attendees.
These include increasing European and female representation on panels, eliminating speaker introductions to allow more time for substantive discussion, and developing more potent themes for each panel to create even more cohesive conversations.
Our vision remains clear: create an independent forum where security innovation and financial expertise can meet in meaningful dialogue, driving the industry forward through better understanding and collaboration.
For those interested in attending or speaking at our Los Angeles event, go here or email [email protected]. The conversations we’ve started are just beginning, and we’re committed to continuing this journey of connecting security innovation with the capital needed to realize its full potential.
