Verkada
Verkada modernizes enterprise building security with AI-powered cloud surveillance and access control.
Verkada is an AI-powered, cloud-native security platform that unifies video surveillance, access control, alarms, intercoms, and air quality monitoring through a single integrated software interface called Verkada Command. Built by Stanford founders and a Meraki veteran, it replaces legacy hardware-based security systems with a modern, subscription-based model where sensors stream to secure cloud infrastructure with hybrid architecture for continuous operation during outages. The platform processes over 20 million images per hour to provide actionable insights like occupancy rates, foot traffic patterns, and security violations across enterprise campuses.
Problem solved
Organizations rely on fragmented, aging, on-premise security systems that are expensive to maintain, difficult to integrate, lack modern analytics, and create security vulnerabilities.
Target customer
Mid-to-large enterprises with multiple office locations, campuses, or facilities requiring integrated physical security—including tech companies, financial institutions, healthcare systems, and real estate management firms.
Founders
F
Filip Kaliszan
CEO & Co-Founder
Stanford computer science graduate who previously founded CourseRank (sold to Chegg) and worked as Director of Product at Chegg; holds BS and MS in CS from Stanford.
H
Hans Robertson
Executive Chairman & Co-Founder
Co-founder and former COO of Meraki (acquired by Cisco for $1.2B in 2012); previously product manager at EMC, early employee at VMware, and analyst at McKinsey.
J
James Ren
Co-Founder & Software Architect
Stanford CS graduate and software engineer at Google; co-founded CourseRank with Kaliszan and Bercovitz; holds BS and MS in CS from Stanford and JD from Harvard Law School.
B
Benjamin Bercovitz
Co-Founder
Co-founded CourseRank as CTO before acquisition by Chegg; served as principal engineer at Chegg leading backend transformation during pre-IPO growth phase.
Funding history
Seed
Unknown
September 2017
Led by First Round Capital
· Unknown
Series A
Unknown
March 2018
Led by Next47
· Unknown
Series B
$40M
April 2019
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series C
$80M
January 2020
Led by Felicis Ventures
· Unknown
Series D
$205M
September 2022
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series D Extension
$305M
October 2023
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series E
$200M
February 2025
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Series F
$100M
December 2025
Led by CapitalG (Alphabet)
· Unknown
Total raised:
$757M
Pricing
Subscription-based model where sensor hardware costs are bundled into monthly/annual subscription fees. Pricing varies based on number and type of sensors (cameras, access control, alarms, intercoms, air quality) and on-device storage customization. Enterprise custom pricing available. Exact starting prices not publicly disclosed.
Integrations
Salesforce, Google Workspace, Amazon Web Services, Zendesk
Tech stack
LazySizes (JavaScript libraries)
core-js (JavaScript libraries)
web-vitals (JavaScript libraries)
Wistia (Video players)
Hugo (Static site generator)
Zendesk (Documentation)
webpack
DocuSign
Zoominfo (Analytics)
Quora Pixel (Analytics)
Pinterest Conversion Tag (Analytics)
Linkedin Insight Tag (Analytics)
Google Analytics (Analytics)
Facebook Pixel (Analytics)
Demandbase (Analytics)
Crazy Egg (Analytics)
Sentry (Issue trackers)
Google Workspace (Email)
Netlify (PaaS)
Cloudflare (CDN)
Marketo (Marketing automation)
Reddit Ads (Advertising)
Twitter Ads (Advertising)
theTradeDesk (Advertising)
Pinterest Ads (Advertising)
Google Tag Manager (Tag managers)
Salesforce (CRM)
Amazon Web Services (PaaS)
Amazon SES (Email)
Website
Competitors
Milestone XProtect
Traditional software-centric video management system requiring on-premise servers and hardware integrations; lacks unified platform for access control and other building systems.
Genetec Security Center
Legacy-focused physical security platform with on-premise architecture; more mature but less cloud-native and requires significant IT infrastructure.
Axis Communications
Hardware-first camera manufacturer with software; does not provide integrated access control, alarms, or workplace analytics on unified platform.
Honeywell Buildings
Broad building management systems but fragmented product portfolio; less focused on cloud-native architecture and AI-powered analytics.
Why this matters: Verkada represents a significant shift in enterprise security from fragmented, on-premise systems toward unified, cloud-native platforms with AI analytics—similar to how Meraki transformed enterprise networking. With $5.8B valuation and backing from top-tier VCs including Alphabet's CapitalG, Verkada is proving that physical security infrastructure can be modernized like consumer products, capturing a massive TAM as enterprises upgrade aging systems.
Best for: Enterprise organizations with multiple facilities seeking to replace fragmented, aging security infrastructure with a modern, AI-powered, cloud-native platform that requires minimal IT overhead.
Use cases
Campus-wide Security Unification
A Fortune 500 tech company with 15 office locations consolidates video surveillance, access control, and alarms from multiple vendors into Verkada Command. Facility managers gain single-pane-of-glass visibility across all sites, eliminating the need to switch between 5+ different management interfaces. Security incidents that previously required cross-system investigation now resolve in minutes.
Real-time Occupancy & Space Analytics
A commercial real estate management firm uses Verkada's computer vision to track real-time occupancy rates and foot traffic patterns across 200+ client properties. This data informs lease pricing, space optimization, and energy management decisions—generating insights previously impossible without manual headcounts.
Hybrid-Cloud Continuity During Outages
A healthcare system experiences a network outage at a regional facility. While other security systems go offline, Verkada's hybrid architecture continues recording video and making access control decisions locally. Once connectivity restores, a year of footage automatically syncs to the cloud, ensuring zero security gaps.
Regulatory Compliance & Investigation
A financial services firm uses Verkada to maintain searchable, timestamped video archives for regulatory audits and incident investigations. AI-powered metadata (detecting unauthorized door access, after-hours presence) reduces review time from hours to minutes and provides audit-ready evidence.
Alternatives
Milestone XProtect
Choose if you need deep customization and on-premise control; Milestone is more flexible but requires more IT resources and doesn't unify access control.
Genetec Security Center
Choose if you have existing Genetec hardware investments; mature but less cloud-native and slower to adopt AI features than Verkada.
Honeywell Buildings/Forge
Choose if you need broader building management beyond security; less specialized in video analytics and access control than Verkada.
FAQ
What does Verkada do? +
Verkada is a cloud-native security platform that combines video surveillance, access control, alarms, intercoms, and air quality monitoring into a single integrated system called Verkada Command. Instead of managing separate hardware-based systems, organizations subscribe to Verkada and get cloud-managed sensors that stream to secure infrastructure with AI-powered analytics for insights like occupancy, foot traffic, and security violations.
How much does Verkada cost? +
Verkada uses a subscription model where hardware sensor costs are bundled into monthly or annual subscription fees. Pricing depends on the number and type of sensors (cameras, access control, alarms, intercoms, air quality) and on-device storage customization. Exact public pricing is not disclosed; enterprises must contact Verkada for quotes.
What are alternatives to Verkada? +
Milestone XProtect (traditional software-centric video platform requiring on-premise servers), Genetec Security Center (legacy-focused with on-premise architecture), Honeywell Buildings (broader building management but less specialized in unified security), and Axis Communications (hardware-first camera manufacturer without integrated access control).
Who uses Verkada? +
Mid-to-large enterprises including tech companies, financial institutions, healthcare systems, and real estate management firms with multiple office locations or campuses. Customers value cloud-native architecture, unified systems, AI analytics, and minimal IT overhead.
How does Verkada compare to Milestone XProtect? +
Verkada is cloud-native and unifies video, access control, and alarms on one platform with AI analytics; Milestone is software-centric and video-focused, requiring on-premise servers and separate hardware integrations. Verkada requires less IT infrastructure but is less customizable; Milestone offers more flexibility for complex deployments.
What happens if my internet goes down? +
Verkada's hybrid cloud architecture continues recording video and making access control decisions locally on each device using on-device processing. Cameras store up to 365 days of footage locally, and all data automatically syncs to the cloud once connectivity is restored, ensuring zero security gaps during outages.
Can I use Verkada sensors with other software platforms? +
No. Verkada sensors are proprietary and only work with Verkada Command. The subscription model bundles sensor hardware with cloud software, creating a vertically integrated system with no third-party hardware compatibility.
Tags
physical security
video surveillance
access control
cloud-native
AI analytics
enterprise infrastructure
smart buildings