SIA New Member Profile: Genea

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Genea provides innovation to drive the future of property technology, offering cutting-edge access control, visitor management, submeter billing and after-hours HVAC solutions. The company is headquartered in Irvine, Controla, with satellite offices in Ahmedabad, India; Livonia, Michigan; and Atlanta, Georgia.

SIA spoke with Michael Wong, CEO of Genea, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

Michael Wong: Genea is a leader in cloud-based, building management technology. Our journey into the security industry came by way of listening to our customers’ needs. Through customer feedback, we realized their need for access control and security management solutions.

As a result, Genea acquired Sequr — an Atlanta-based startup specializing in non-proprietary, cloud-based access control. Genea Access Control natively integrates with identity management software, video and visitor management and more. We have been spearheading change within the proptech industry, not only with our state-of-the-art products but by backing it with 24/7/365 end user support.

What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings/company unique?

MW: Genea Access Control gives IT and security teams total oversight of their access control. With our cloud-based technology, paired with nonproprietary Mercury hardware, admins can view access activity across their entire global enterprise or building portfolio. Teams view access alerts from a global dashboard and integrate with third-party software for video management. They can also automate adding and removing users and provision mobile keys for heightened security.

What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?

MW: Genea provides a unique solution to access control. We offer a nonproprietary, highly scalable cloud-based solution, built on Mercury hardware. What makes Genea special compared to others in the industry is our radically different approach to integration and support. We do not charge extra for single sign-on, video or identity management integrations, and we provide 24/7/365 end user support via phone and live chat to provide an industry-leading experience.

What is your company’s vision, and what are your goals for the security industry?

MW: Genea’s mission is to make cloud-based access control the default for customers. We want to fix the broken end user support model that puts system integrators and customers last when it comes to getting great support.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?

MW: Cloud hosting is the biggest opportunity in the security industry. Unlike their on-premises counterparts, cloud-based access control unites the entire security ecosystem while offering immense flexibility. Organizations can install API integrations quicker than with on-premises solutions. This ability keeps teams up to date and secure. Additionally, as new security threats develop, the cloud makes it possible for providers like Genea to quickly deploy up-to-the-minute software. The cloud makes it possible for organizations to exponentially strengthen their security and increase their efficiency.

What are your predictions for the security industry in the short and long term?

MW: Over the short term, Genea sees a transition to the hybrid workplace as imminent. This transition brings new challenges in office safety and security. Organizations must protect their employees’ health using capacity limits, health questionnaires and contact tracing. They must also prevent threats to the work space. Both issues can be addressed with what Genea believes to be a long-term prediction: the transition to cloud-based systems. On-premises solutions simply can’t keep up with the security, software integrations and customizability offered by cloud solutions. The speed at which the workplace moves will require flexible solutions. The cloud is the answer.

What are the biggest challenges facing your company and/or others in the security industry?

MW: The biggest challenge facing the security industry is educating the IT and security teams about how to adapt to new threats. In one study, 27% of corporate security teams lacked adequate communication interfaces, which resulted in unnecessary miscommunication. Genea believes that with the proper training and tools, instances like these are preventable.

We continue to combat these challenges head on with monthly webinars, regular online content and new features. Security providers must make the effort to provide their customers with regular outreach and educational resources.

What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?

MW: It’s very rare to be involved in a wholesale revolution of an industry, yet Genea is. With the security industry predicted to reach $539.78 billion by 2030, Genea finds itself with the incredible opportunity of being at the forefront of modern technology stacks.

What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership with SIA?

MW: SIA offers a reputable way to connect with security professionals. We look forward to educating readers about the security industry through SIA’s blog and publications. Additionally, we are excited to use other contributions as sources to better inform our current and future customers about the security industry.

How does your organization engage with SIA? What are your plans for involvement in the next year?

MW: Genea would like to provide industry expert advice and insight within SIA’s blog, articles and various publications. Additionally, we plan on attending ISC West.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association.