Industries Covered

Security

The broadly defined security industry encompasses all of the safeguards in an information system, including hardware, software, personnel policies, information practice policies, disaster preparedness, and the oversight of all these areas. Security is at least two-dimensional: (i) the physical aspect and (ii) increasingly, the digital component, when protecting computer related systems and infrastructure. In many cases, physical and digital security are overlapping and merging into a single complex system.

When evaluating investment banking assignments in the security industry, Bentley ideally seeks some combination of three elements: firstly, viability (does the technology work in the real world and is there a need for the technology); secondly, scalability (how large is the market for this technology) and thirdly, can a revenue model lead to profitability in a reasonable period of time. Normally, we do not work with pre-product and/or pre-revenue companies, as we cannot always successfully convince investors of a particular technology's viability, scalability and future profitability.

Bentley will work on traditional M&A assignments, private equity/mezzanine financing and selected financial advisory assignments.

The highly fragmented security industry consists of a myriad number of specialty segments. Within both physical and digital security, we concentrate on working with client companies in the following sub-segments:  

• Access control
• Authentication/identification (assets/people/information)
• Biometrics (facial recognition/fingerprint/voice/hand/palm/iris/retina)
• Capacitive/optical sensors
• Cards (smart-, chip-, contact less-, proximity-, identification-, multi-functional cards)
• CCCTV and motion detection systems
• Computer/communications control
• Disaster recovery/business continuity
• Document destruction
• Entry/exit screening systems
• Fire alarm
• First response equipment/services
• Integrated building management
• Intrusion/burglar alarm
• Investigative equipment and services
• Locks/safes/security hardware
• Manned guarding/personal protection
• Medical alert systems (nurse call systems)
• Monitoring equipment/services
• Outdoor perimeter protection
• Prison services
• Sensors
• Sound/communication equipment
• Special purpose protection
• Surveillance (manned/unarmed)
• System integrators, value-added resellers
• Time and attendance
• Vehicles/vehicle protection systems
• Wireless equipment (RFID)