Interview: Shiraz Kapadia, CEO & President at Invixium
Biometrics 2.0 Is About Going from Antiquated to Cutting-Edge Seamlessly
Shiraz Kapadia, the visionary CEO & President at Invixium, shares exclusive insights with a&s Middle East, unveiling Invixium’s trailblazing journey, innovative biometric solutions, and their impact on reshaping security in the dynamic landscape of the Middle East
a&s Middle East: Mr. Kapadia, could you provide us with an overview of Invixium’s journey and its evolution in the security industry, especially in the Middle East region?
Kapadia: Invixium was founded in 2012 to breathe some fresh air into an antiquated industry where products looked ugly, used old technology, and were proprietary. We were on a clear mission to focus on simplifying things. Instead of trying to cram every feature into our products and software and play the datasheet war with competitors, we focused on design, quality, simplicity, and solving real-life security challenges. Now 11 years later, our products are the best-looking on the market, rugged enough to operate in harsh environments, and powered by an enterprise-grade software application for workforce and visitor management.
The Middle East has been a significant part of our journey – for both business and sentimental reasons. We launched the company at Intersec Dubai in 2013. We’ve participated in the Intersec show every year since then, marking a tradition that underscores our commitment to this dynamic market. Since our very first PO from the KSA, some of our longest-standing customers, and large and iconic projects are from the region. We will continue to expand our team and presence in the region and align our roadmap to the needs of the inspiring and ambitious plans of various countries in the region.
a&s Middle East: What key technological innovations or advancements have played a significant role in shaping your company’s products or services in the security sector?
Kapadia: At Invixium, we believe in fast-paced innovation and execution. Our transition to face biometrics (these days called touchless/contactless technology) started back in 2017 and stands out as a pivotal moment. The reason is that this technology gained a decade’s worth of adoption within a few months during the COVID-19 pandemic. We witnessed an immediate shift in market demand – a steep decline for fingerprint biometrics and a rapid adoption of face recognition. This was a clear signal for us to adapt and innovate. Hence, we evolved even further to integrate advanced features like temperature and wellness screening, and the ability to recognize faces with masks into our biometric solutions. These enhancements were not just about adapting to a pandemic-stricken world; they were about foreseeing and shaping the future of secure access, workforce, and visitor management in industries with large workforces. Yes, remote working is a new thing post-COVID, however, 70% of the working population must go onsite to do their work for example, in manufacturing, construction, refineries, education, airports, and more…and require secure and productive worksites.
Invixium’s commitment to innovation is unwavering. We strive to stay ahead of the curve, anticipating and shaping the future of biometrics; and most importantly, to solve real-world problems to ensure the health, safety, and security of enterprises and industries we serve
a&s Middle East: How has your company adapted to and leveraged the latest trends in the security industry, both on a global scale and in the context of the Middle Eas
The key lies not in opting for a product that is overloaded with features rather than one that solves your real-life problems swiftly
Kapadia: The prevailing trend in biometrics is the widespread adoption of touchless technology like face recognition, iris scanning, or mobile credentials. It promotes health and safety by reducing the use of frequently touched surfaces. It is overtaking the antiquated methods that were previously used and is fast becoming the de facto authentication mechanism for businesses across various industries. Face recognition is the fastest-growing biometric modality, which is very exciting to see. Simultaneously, the use of mobile credentials including QR codes and digital credentials is also gaining traction. They are environment-friendly options to plastic cards that can dramatically reduce printing and replacement costs.
The exponential demand for intelligent solutions for access control, workforce, and visitor management is fueled by a growing population, and the advent of smart cities, increasing reliance on advanced security measures rendering biometrics and access control solutions indispensable.
a&s Middle East: What are some success stories or notable projects that your company has been involved in, demonstrating the effectiveness of biometric security solutions?
Kapadia: We take pride in our extensive collaborations with global leaders across diverse market verticals including government, airports, oil and gas refineries, mining, manufacturing, data centers, research labs, pharmaceuticals, and education. In the Middle East region, our biometric access control, and time & attendance solutions are trusted by renowned brands, including top-tier Fortune Global 500 giants.
a&s Middle East: Could you provide specific examples of industries or use cases where your product such as TITAN has made a significant impact in challenging settings?
Kapadia: I believe that biometrics is still a little scarce in the environments that I think need biometrics the most. Approximately 75% of the working population in the world works in industrial areas like construction sites, mining, oil and gas, or manufacturing plants but a lot of solutions that are developed are for white-collar industries. Our flagship solution – IXM TITAN has made a significant impact in such harsh and rugged environments like oil and gas refineries, mining, petrochemical, and construction sites where traditional biometrics haven’t been effective. It is not only made from durable and high-quality materials that withstand daily wear and tear effortlessly but also helps organizations manage and track their workforce in a digitalized way. We are very proud to say that TITAN is the most advanced face recognition solution available in the market today.
a&s Middle East: Can you elaborate on the software solutions you are developing, especially for time and attendance and workforce management?
Kapadia: Invixium’s customers rely on the IXM WEB – our web-based biometric software application that provides them with biometric access control and workforce management data that they require to run a safe and efficient business. With our software, customers can ensure precise tracking of employee hours eliminating proxy attendance, unauthorized overtime, and intentional and unintentional time theft. With advanced modalities like face recognition and fingerprint, chances of buddy punching are also eliminated. IXM VISITOR, a licensed feature of IXM WEB offers visitor screening, temporary access credentials for visitors, unmatched control over the entrances of the building, a guest credential system, and much more. It maximizes productivity and safety while improving the guest experience. To maintain our position as leaders in the biometric industry, we are continuously enhancing our software solutions.
a&s Middle East: What advice or insights do you have for businesses and organizations looking to enhance their security measures through biometric solutions?
Kapadia: I strongly recommend exploring biometric solutions that best respond to the changing needs and dynamic conditions. The key lies not in opting for a product that is overloaded with features rather than one that solves your real-life problems swiftly
Face biometrics gained a decade’s worth of adoption within a few months during the COVID-19 pandemic
