SwiftConnect allows employees to enter the office with a simple tap on their smartphone.

With the growth of flexible workspaces, many companies are adopting smartphone-based authentication systems to facilitate their employees' entry and exit. A recent survey revealed that nearly 40% of companies allow their staff to access office buildings using their mobile phones. This advancement has benefited providers like SwiftConnect, which offers a platform to manage access to these facilities.

Chip Kruger and Matt Kopel founded SwiftConnect in 2020 after selling their previous company, Waltz, to WeWork in 2019. Kopel mentioned that the idea for SwiftConnect arose during their brief time at WeWork, where he observed the increasing need for mobile access control, which he believed would become the norm in many future work environments. The SwiftConnect platform is designed to simplify access management for workspaces. Employees can add their work credentials to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on their mobile devices, allowing them to access their building and common areas equipped with NFC door locks. Administrators can manage the necessary credentials from a control panel, ensuring that workers only access authorized areas.

However, SwiftConnect is not the first company to offer a mobile-centric access management system. Other companies like Openpath, Kisi, and Verkada have also developed software to replace physical access cards. Nevertheless, Kruger claims that SwiftConnect stands out by not requiring companies to install new reader hardware. This feature has been key to winning clients like Silverstein Properties, owner of the 7 World Trade Center in New York.

Recently, SwiftConnect announced that it has raised $37 million in a Series B funding round led by Quadri Ventures, with participation from several organizations. This new capital, which brings the total raised by the startup to $74 million, will be used to expand its team, currently consisting of 135 people, and to enter new markets. Additionally, the company has strategic acquisition plans and last year acquired Detrios, another access control firm.

Despite its growth, SwiftConnect faces challenges. Smartphone-based access control systems can be problematic if employees’ phones run out of battery. Moreover, concerns about privacy have arisen, especially as large corporations are using credentials to track their staff's work locations. A recent study indicates that 62% of organizations plan to use these systems to monitor attendance. It will be crucial for SwiftConnect to demonstrate that it can provide convenience without falling into excessive surveillance. According to Kruger, the platform is based on a privacy-centered design principle, ensuring that only the minimal amount of user information necessary to operate the service is collected and that clients maintain complete control over the data processed on their behalf.