Alcatraz, a Cupertino-based AI-powered physical access control company, announced it has raised $50 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total capital raised to more than $100 million. The round was led by BlackPeak Capital, Cogito Capital, and Taiwania Capital, with participation from Almaz Capital, EBRD, Ray Stata, and others.
Founded by a former Apple Face ID engineer, the company is focused on replacing traditional badge- and PIN-based security systems with a privacy-first facial authentication platform. Its flagship product, the Rock™, enables employees to access secured buildings without stopping, swiping, or entering codes, using AI to verify identity in real time.
Alcatraz emphasized that its system differs from traditional facial recognition technologies by not storing biometric images or personal data. Instead, it uses anonymized authentication, positioning itself as a privacy-compliant alternative designed to meet regulatory frameworks such as GDPR, CCPA, and BIPA.
The company reports strong adoption across high-security environments, including AI data centers, major U.S. airports, energy companies, Fortune 100 enterprises, NFL teams, and universities. In 2025, Alcatraz saw more than 300% year-over-year growth in data center adoption, 200% growth in enterprise customers, and a fivefold increase in Fortune 500 deployments.
The funding comes amid growing demand for physical security solutions tied to the expansion of AI infrastructure. As global technology companies invest heavily in data centers, securing these facilities has become increasingly critical. Alcatraz has positioned its platform as a foundational layer of protection for this emerging infrastructure.
The company also highlighted recent validation of its technology in aviation, noting that Safe Skies, funded by the FAA, certified the Rock™ for use in high-security airport environments. This certification is expected to support expansion into additional sectors.
Alcatraz plans to use the new capital to accelerate international growth, expand into new verticals, and scale its team. The company expects 2026 to be its strongest year to date as adoption of AI-driven physical security continues to rise.
KEY QUOTES:
“We are the Face ID of securing physical spaces. The world’s largest airports, energy companies, and the world’s most critical data centers all trust Alcatraz. Our technology is AI-powered and completely anonymized. For the workplace of today, badges and passcodes inherently invite too much risk. We are the only biometric system protecting physical spaces using facial authentication instead of the legacy facial surveillance use case. Like Face ID on your iPhone, no photographs are being taken. No personal data is being stored.”
Tina D’Agostin, CEO of Alcatraz
“Companies are realizing they need security that is tied to the person, not to a piece of plastic. With Alcatraz, every time an employee walks through the door, our AI-powered technology is learning and adapting, not relying on a photograph taken years ago on their first day.”
Ray Stata, Investor in Alcatraz
“I saw firsthand how powerful this technology could be when it was built with privacy at the center. The idea was to bring that same approach to the physical spaces where people work. Now we protect the top AI data centers in the world. If AI is the engine powering the next era of innovation, security has to be the foundation beneath it. We are the guardians of AI. The data centers we protect aren’t just buildings. They are the infrastructure that the entire digital economy runs on.”
Vince Gaydarzhiev, Founder of Alcatraz
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