What Alcatraz AI Does
Alcatraz AI develops AI-powered facial authentication systems for physical access control. Its flagship device, Rock X, replaces traditional badges and keycards with secure, touchless facial recognition that runs at the edge. The system enrolls employees autonomously, detects tailgating and unauthorized entry, and is designed with privacy at its core so biometric data stays protected. Alcatraz says it protects millions of employees across aviation, data centers, financial services, government, healthcare, higher education, and stadiums, and is used by many of the top AI companies.
Funding & Background
Alcatraz AI was founded in 2016 in Cupertino, California by Vince Gaydarzhiev, a former Apple engineer who led hardware prototyping for iPad and iPhone during Face ID development, alongside co-founders Amy Osteen and Tina D'Agostin (now CEO). In April 2026 the company closed a $50M Series B led by BlackPeak Capital, Cogito Capital, and Taiwania Capital, with participation from Almaz Capital, EBRD, and others, bringing total capital raised to more than $100M. The funding supports expansion of its privacy-first facial authentication platform across enterprise and critical-infrastructure customers.