Month: October 2021

Evolv Technology Partnership Enables Tennessee Titans to Provide a More Seamless, Enjoyable and Safe Fan Experience

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Fans Arriving at Nissan Stadium Walk Through Evolv Express® Screening Systems, No Longer Having to Remove Items from Bags or Pockets 

Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV), the leader in weapons detection security screening, today announced a partnership with the Tennessee Titans to provide a more enjoyable, frictionless, and safe experience for fans. The National Football League (NFL) team is using the company’s AI-based weapons detection screening system, Evolv Express®, to screen fans as they arrive at the stadium for games and events, without requiring them to stop or remove items from their pockets or policy-compliant bags.

The Tennessee Titans welcomed fans back to Nissan Stadium at full capacity this September, with safety, security, and premier experience a top priority for the team. 

“Gate entry is our first opportunity to impact the fan experience at Nissan Stadium – it sets the tone for the remainder of the visit,” said David Haywood, the guest safety director for the Tennessee Titans. “For us, it was vitally important to find a way to allow for fast, convenient entry while prioritizing safety and security. When we sat down as a team and reviewed Evolv’s systems and the experience they have enabled at stadiums and venues across the country, we knew they would be a great partner for us, and we’ve seen marked improvements in our entry process since.”

Evolv Express® uses powerful sensor technology with proven artificial intelligence (AI) to provide safer, more accurate threat detection at unprecedented volumes and speed of entry. Earlier this month, the introduction of Evolv Insights™ 1.3 ushered in a new chapter of Evolv’s quest to expedite its customers’ venues digital transformation and post Covid-19 fan requirements.  An industry first, security staff can use historical screening data to make predictions about throughput with the goal of improving the fan experience while making the stadium more secure.

Prior to installing Evolv, walk-through magnetometers and hand-held wands required 280 security personnel to work the gates.  Since implementing Evolv Express, the team has reduced the number of security personnel needed at the gates by 66%, freeing them up to provide critical security monitoring outside – and throughout – the stadium. The speed of entry is equally impressive.

“Organizations like the Tennessee Titans are recognizing that fans should not have to sacrifice experience for safety,” said Peter George, CEO, Evolv Technology. “Finally, NFL fans are able to gather back together after a year of capacity limitations, isolation and health concerns – and they should be able to enjoy doing so safely, from the moment they arrive at the stadium until the clock ticks down.”

Evolv’s innovative security screening technology has been used to enhance safety at a number of major sporting events in 2021, including the U.S. Open Golf Championship, and it is part of the state-of-the-art fan experience at Lower.com Field, the brand-new home of the Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer.

In addition to the Tennessee Titans, Nissan Stadium is home to Tennessee State University football, college football’s Music City Bowl, MLS’ Nashville Soccer Club and hosts major concerts and other sporting events, including the WWE Summer Slam in July 2022.

About Evolv Technology

Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV) is a leader in weapons detection for security screening, securing the world’s most iconic venues and companies. Its mission is enabling a better experience and better security for venues, creating a safer world to work, learn, and play by transforming physical security to make everywhere safer. It gives sports fans, theme park visitors, concertgoers, shoppers, employees, students, and others peace of mind so that they can gather without fear of violence. Its security screening has scanned more than 100 million people, second only to the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States, and its technology combines powerful, advanced sensors with proven artificial intelligence (AI), security ecosystem integrations, and comprehensive venue analytics to reliably detect threats 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors.

Evolv Technology, Evolv Express®, Evolv Insights™, and Evolv Cortex AI™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Evolv Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions.

For more information, visit https://evolvtechnology.com.

Forward-looking Statements  

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events or our Company’s performance and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation, the risk factors set forth in our proxy statement/prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2021, and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. 

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Creates a Secure Digital Threshold That Bolsters Guest Experience with Evolv Express® Systems

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With approximately two million guests visiting its various properties in a 14-block entertainment district, the board of trustees for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust commissioned its executive team to assess security screening across its various properties after the Paris bombings. After doing a deep analysis of security technology on the market, their CSO – along with other members of his team – evaluated several different security screening solutions before choosing Evolv Technology to secure their venues. By enabling Evolv Express, PCT was able to achieve the following:  

  • Maintain rigorous weapon detection standards
  • Eliminate screening queues that force guests to wait outside venues in inclement weather
  • Optimize security and customer experience staff utilization

Case Study Video

Watch how the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust increases their visitor experience with Evolv Express®

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Read the case study to learn how you can start your journey to a more secure and guest-friendly security screening solution today.

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Georgia Aquarium Transforms Guest Experience While Improving Security with Evolv Technology

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At the Georgia Aquarium, the guest experience was detrimentally impacted by the manual and outdated magnetometer security systems that welcomed more than 2.5 million guests a year. With tons of guest feedback expressing their frustration with security queues, the aquarium implemented Evolv Express, which enabled them to achieve the following:  

  • Improve guest experience scores from 4.0 to 4.6 (scale of 5)
  • Shrink security system lobby footprint by 50% 
  • Optimize operations and marketing programs with guest tracking
  • Reduce security staff attrition – saving time and budget for training and onboarding
  • Reallocate 50% of security staff to other areas in the aquarium

Case Study Video

Watch how Georgia Aquarium transforms guest experience while improving security with Evolv Technology

Read the case study to learn how you can start your journey to a more secure and guest-friendly security screening solution today.

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View more of our case studies on our resources page here.

Georgia Aquarium Improves Security and Transforms Guest Experience with Evolv Technology

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Georgia Aquarium has partnered with Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV), a  leader in weapons detection screening, to improve weapons detection and the overall guest experience by using Evolv Express®, Evolv’s award-winning screening solution, at the largest aquarium in the United States. As a result of the partnership, the Aquarium has seen a 15% increase in guest experience scores, while shrinking the security system lobby footprint by 50% and reallocating half of security staff to areas other than the entrance.

“The health and safety of our guests and employees has always been our top priority and using Evolv Express at our entrances has allowed us to significantly enhance the overall guest experience at the Aquarium without compromising on or sacrificing security,” said Anthony Rivera, senior vice president of hospitality and operations at Georgia Aquarium.

Evolv Express leverages Evolv Cortex AI, its best-in-class artificial intelligence (AI) weapons detection algorithms to instantly detect and identify a person carrying a weapon without slowing the flow of visitors carrying their personal items, improving security at the speed and scale required to stay ahead of today’s threats. This reduces unsafe crowding, lowers the risk for human error, and removes the tradeoff between keeping a venue safe and providing a good experience for visitors.

Evolv’s systems have been used to screen more than 100 million people in the U.S., second only to the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Evolv Express is 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors, resulting in screening an unparalleled 3,600 people per hour, per system. The world’s most iconic venues and companies place their trust in Evolv to protect their employees and visitors, including Uber, Lincoln Center, L.L. Bean, Six Flags, and hundreds of others. 

“As venues like Georgia Aquarium begin to welcome their visitors back, it’s critical that the guest experience also adapts to the touchless, frictionless systems we have come to expect during the pandemic,” said Peter George, CEO at Evolv. “We are delighted to be partnering with Georgia Aquarium as part of our mission to transform security to enhance everyone’s life.”

The screening system is currently in place at each guest entrance of the Aquarium. Guests will not have to stop, empty their pockets, or have their bags checked unless directed by security.                                         

About Georgia Aquarium

Georgia Aquarium is a leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Atlanta, Ga. that is Certified Humane by the American Humane Association and accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Georgia Aquarium is committed to working on behalf of all marine life through education, preservation, exceptional animal care, and research across the globe. Georgia Aquarium continues its mission each day to inspire, educate, and entertain its millions of guests about the aquatic biodiversity throughout the world through its hundreds of exhibits and tens of thousands of animals across its seven major galleries. For more information, visit www.georgiaaquarium.org.

About Evolv Technology 

Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV) is a leader in weapons detection for security screening, securing the world’s most iconic venues and companies. Its mission is enabling a better experience and better security for venues, creating a safer world to work, learn, and play by transforming physical security to make everywhere safer. It gives sports fans, theme park visitors, concertgoers, shoppers, employees, students, and others peace of mind so that they can gather without fear of violence. Its security screening has scanned more than 100 million people, second only to the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States, and its technology combines powerful, advanced sensors with proven artificial intelligence (AI), security ecosystem integrations, and comprehensive venue analytics to reliably detect threats 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors. 

Evolv Technology, Evolv Express®, Evolv Insights™, and Evolv Cortex AI™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Evolv Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. 

For more information, visit our website.  

Forward-looking Statements  

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements regarding the potential of the Evolv Express® security system are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.  In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “should,” “could,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions.  

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events or our Company’s performance and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation the risk factors set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in our proxy statement/prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on June 28, 2021, as updated by the risk factors disclosed in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on July 22, 2021, and in our other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC.   

These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. 

School Shootings: Imagine Never Having to Say, “All Clear” Again

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The opening of the school year always holds so much promise. This year especially, it was brimming with even more hope as students officially returned to the classroom after learning online throughout the pandemic. As students slowly return to normalcy, they face another reality of being back in the classroom – school shootings. 

In September of 2021, there were 55 school shootings across the country. This is more than double the total of shootings for most full years, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database managed by the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. 

This fact is not easy to write. And it’s not clear what’s more jarring – the increase in school shootings, or the reality of needing a national database to track and manage the incidents.   

After a shooting, once the school and campus have been thoroughly checked to ensure additional threats of danger are no longer imminent, students, teachers and administrators are given the “All Clear” by law enforcement.  

Yet as well all know, “all clear” isn’t a signal to return to normal as the emotional toll and disruptions in learning are significant. In fact, safety protocols often call for the school where the shooting took place to be closed for several days. Oftentimes, out of an abundance of caution, nearby schools close on the day of the shooting.  

In the aftermath of the recent shooting at Timberview High School in Texas where four people were injured, ten nearby schools were put on lockdown that day. Timberview High School remained closed for six days. During that time, as counselors prepared for reopening, an evaluation of campus safety and security protocols was undertaken.  

How a gun gets into a school is always one of the first questions. At Timberview, like many schools, there are no metal detectors. However, every campus in Timberview’s school district has law enforcement officers.  

Arguably, even when a school can afford to install metal detectors (many can’t), guns still find their way into school due to a variety of factors. For example, the rush at the morning bell and a long queue can prompt security to temporarily turn off the detector. Or the detector is set off by any metal, including laptops, leading to a time consuming process of searching individual students.  

Still, there are ways to apply technology to proactively identify and address potential threats of gun violence in school. A recent opinion piece written by renown homeland and national security expert and analyst Charles Marino and published in The Hill says this, “As an additional line of defense, there is no doubt that technology can help detect, disrupt, and deter someone that has their mind set on causing a mass casualty event…’  

‘Unfortunately, since neither universal background checks nor an assault weapons ban will eliminate the active shooter threat from ever happening again, it is time to focus on the role that available and affordable technologies can play in helping to mitigate and respond to shooting attacks in supermarkets, office buildings, houses of worship, schools, airports and anywhere else where innocent lives may be at risk.” 

Reinforcing Marino’s point, available and affordable technologies can make a difference. This is why we started the GiveEvolv program. GiveEvolv provides need-based grants of Evolv Express® weapons detection systems to K-12 schools in the United States that otherwise would be left vulnerable to gun violence.  

As we head further into the school year, campus shootings continue to make headlines. Learning is disrupted. Enforcing safety protocols has unfortunately become second nature for too many. We all know the short- and long-term repercussions and they are worth repeating – the physical and mental impact of a school shooting is devastating. Hearing “All Clear” offers only temporary relief because it signals that yet another incident has occurred. Imagine never having to hear those words again on campus.   

If you are a school administrator or know one that may benefit from the GiveEvolv program, you can learn more about applying for a grant here. 

Evolv Technology Partnership Enables Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to Welcome Guests Back with Enhanced Security and Seamless Experience

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Benedum Center for The Performing Arts’ Guests to Experience Evolv’s Premiere Weapons Screening Technology Beginning This Week

Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has partnered with Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV), the leader in weapons detection security screening, to improve weapons detection and the overall guest experience, by using Evolv Express®, Evolv’s award-winning screening solution, across multiple theaters, performance halls, galleries, and other venues in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s historic 14-block entertainment district – locally known as the Cultural District. After nearly 18 months of being dark due to the pandemic, guests will experience Evolv Express when visiting the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts for performances of Tony® and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical The Band’s Visit later this week.

While Cultural District guests may experience Evolv Express for the first time, the technology has been in use at the Benedum Center and Byham and O’Reilly Theaters since 2020, after the team at Pittsburgh Cultural Trust experienced the systems at neighboring Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Heinz Hall. As a result of its early partnership with Evolv, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s security screening footprint in the lobby was reduced by nearly 60% and outside queues where guests were subjected to wait in inclement weather were eliminated altogether.

“While our venues were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we took the opportunity to re-evaluate, research, and test options for leveling-up health, safety, and the entire guest experience. We chose to partner with Evolv for our screening needs because the quality of its products is unmatched,” said Kevin C. Wilkes, Chief Security Officer, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “Where previous security solutions were temporary and limited in their capabilities, our initial investment in Evolv is part of a long-term strategy. As Evolv continues to innovate, we will too. We anticipate a future where our systems sync with our security operations center and eventually seamlessly tie together physical and cyber security efforts.”

Evolv Express uses powerful sensor technology with proven artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure safer, more accurate threat detection at unprecedented volume and speed. Earlier this month, the introduction of Evolv Insights™ 1.3 ushered in a new chapter of Evolv’s quest to optimize analytics for its customers and expedite their venues’ digital transformation journeys. The software upgrade allows security staff to use historical screening data – including arrival curve analytics – to make predictions about throughput with the ultimate goal of having AI-powered weapons screening with zero-wait time for guests.

“The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust understands that compromising experience for safety is not an option, and we’re proud to lead them in tackling this age-old conundrum head-on,” said Evolv CEO Peter George. “We believe that Cultural District guests will be pleased with the unparalleled venue entry process and we look forward to patrons of ticketed events across the globe becoming accustomed to experiencing Evolv.”

The screening system is currently in place at four of the performance halls and theaters in the Cultural District – which draws more than 2 million guests annually – as well as the SPACE visual arts gallery. Guests will be able to enter the venues with permissible items without breaking stride.

For more information about the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust partnership, Evolv Express, or to receive a virtual demo, visit our website.

About Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has overseen one of Pittsburgh’s most historic transformations; turning a seedy red-light district into a magnet destination for arts lovers, residents, visitors, and business owners. Founded in 1984, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit arts organization whose mission is the cultural and economic revitalization of a 14-block arts and entertainment/residential neighborhood called the Cultural District. The Cultural District is one of the country’s largest land masses “curated” by a single nonprofit arts organization. A major catalytic force in the city, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a unique model of how public-private partnerships can reinvent a city with authenticity, innovation, and creativity. Using the arts as an economic catalyst, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has holistically created a world-renowned Cultural District that is revitalizing the city, improving the regional economy, and enhancing Pittsburgh’s quality of life. Thanks to the support of foundations, corporations, government agencies, and thousands of private citizens, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust stands as a national model of urban redevelopment through the arts.

TrustArts.org | @CulturalTrust on Facebook · Instagram · Twitter

About Evolv Technology

Evolv Technology (NASDAQ: EVLV) is a leader in weapons detection for security screening, securing the world’s most iconic venues and companies. Its mission is enabling a better experience and better security for venues, creating a safer world to work, learn, and play by transforming physical security to make everywhere safer. It gives sports fans, theme park visitors, concertgoers, shoppers, employees, students, and others peace of mind so that they can gather without fear of violence. Its security screening has scanned more than 100 million people, second only to the Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in the United States, and its technology combines powerful, advanced sensors with proven artificial intelligence (AI), security ecosystem integrations, and comprehensive venue analytics to reliably detect threats 10 times faster than traditional metal detectors.

Evolv Technology, Evolv Express®, Evolv Insights™, and Evolv Cortex AI™ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Evolv Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions.

For more information, visit https://evolvtechnology.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, some of which are beyond our control. In addition, these forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events or our Company’s performance and are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual outcomes may differ materially from the information contained in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including, without limitation, the risk factors set forth in our proxy statement/prospectus, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2021, and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this press release. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee that future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or will occur. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

The New Standard for Workplace Safety

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One of the first responsibilities of an employer is to provide a safe workplace. It’s just the right thing to do. It’s also a good business decision, and a regulatory requirement (see OSHA Section 5). The COVID-19 pandemic has tested employers’ commitment to workplace safety. Many employers have passed the test and kept their people safe from the virus. However, as the virus yields to gradually rising vaccinations and workers return, they are being greeted by a second, often forgotten pandemic: workplace shootings. 

The COVID-19 pandemic initially seemed to reduce gun violence, including workplace shootings. Based on the tragic headlines below, it now seems clear that the temporary lull is over: 

It feels ominous and tragic to me that we’ve had four workplace shootings in the first two weeks of October. Historically, there has only been about one workplace mass shooting per year. A recent Ontic survey of 300 security leaders at large companies found that nearly a fifth of them (18%) have had to deal with an active shooter event at one of their sites in the first five months of 2021 alone. It feels like something has fundamentally changed in the threat environment. 

What’s driving the change? Experts recently interviewed by NPR theorize that potential shooters have had a lot of extra time to plan attacks during the pandemic and that there are more targets available now that more people are back at work in more locations. I would add a few additional important drivers: the prolonged stress and isolation of the pandemic, rising resistance to mask/vaccination mandates, the spread of extremist ideologies, acute political polarization, widespread social unrest, and widely available firearms. It has all combined to create a tragically perfect storm. The DHS and FBI summarized the threat their May 2021 joint report, saying “The greatest terrorism threat to the homeland we face today is posed by lone offenders, often radicalized online, who look to attack soft targets with easily accessible weapons. Many of these violent extremists are motivated and inspired by a mix of socio-political goals and personal grievances against their targets.” 

Given the current threat environment, how can employers best fulfill their duty of care in providing a safe workplace? The most obvious way to prevent shootings in the workplace is to keep guns out of the building in the first place. Most employers have policies to prohibit guns on private property, but they have largely been unwilling to enforce their policies through weapons screening. Why? Because screening for weapons with old metal-detectors creates a prison-like experience for workers and leaves workers stuck in crowded waiting lines that are just unacceptable in a pandemic recovery environment.  

In an intensely competitive labor market, employers may feel forced to choose between a positive worker experience and a gun-free workplace, and when push comes to shove, they have often chosen worker experience. That choice is tragic because it is based on an outdated understanding of what’s technologically possible.  

AI is transforming every sector of the economy, and physical security is no different. AI-based weapons screening like Evolv Express® makes it possible to have both a great worker experience and a gun-free workplace. Reliable weapons screening that doesn’t require workers to stop and empty their pockets or surrender their bags as they walk through is a game changer.  

I believe this disruptive new technology is redefining the standard for employers’ duty of care to workers. Having a “no guns” policy without any effective enforcement is no longer an option. If proven technology to enforce a no-guns policy is broadly available, operationally feasible, and commercially affordable, it won’t be long before board members are asking why management is taking unnecessary risks. 

Sports stadiums, performing arts and entertainment venues, and tourist destinations were the first to discover and implement the new standard in weapons screening because visitor experience and safety are fundamental to their operation. Now that the leaders in these industries have made their move to AI-powered weapons screening, the followers are racing to catch up. The same pattern will likely play out in industrial workplaces, citizen-facing government offices, health care facilities, office buildings, and other workplaces.  

Now is the time for employers to reshape their workplace safety strategy to reflect the current threat environment and the technological disruption that is underway. The good news is that investing in meeting the new standard is not going to break the bank or be disruptive to normal operations. We’ve worked hard to innovate not only in technology, but also in our pricing model. Our customers (and their CFOs) are often pleasantly surprised by our subscription-based “security-as-a-service” pricing for Evolv Express. They also love that they can often train existing staff to use our equipment, so there isn’t a huge labor cost hurdle to overcome. As a mission-based company, we want to make it easy for employers to do the right thing for their workers. It’s a win-win-win situation.  

As the pandemic recovery continues and seasonal hiring surges this fall and winter, more workers than ever will be walking into workplaces that are unprepared for the current threat environment. We should all hope and pray for their safety, but we can finally do much more than that. If you are an employer who is ready to do more, let’s talk soon. 

Download our workplace violence infographic to learn more about how violence in the workplace is persisting and on the rise in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic.

The Future Is Here: Smart, Connected Venue Security with Evolv

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Senior security leaders across multiple industries, surveyed in a joint study by Microsoft and Accenture, cited “reactive threat management” and “intuition-led decision-making based on subjectivity” as top challenges in physical security. The technologies predicted in the study to transform these challenges? “Artificial intelligence and signals processing” at the venue’s threshold; the power of analytics to “sift through overwhelming amounts of data”, and Internet of Things-connected sensors and devices to “collect intelligence in real-time.”

These once sounded like the stuff of science fiction: so-called “smart cities” with “smart venues” that screen visitors unobtrusively, only stop potential threats while letting everyone else pass through, and stream business intelligence back to security teams to improve decision-making and enable a more proactive security posture.

Hello world! With Evolv Express AI-powered security screening and its companion analytics application, Evolv Insights, this future is here. In the latest software release launching this month, new capabilities for connectivity and analytics improve five important dimensions of physical security:

1 – Balance Physical Safety with Visitor Experience

Security screening with Evolv Express is powered by advanced sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to distinguish weapons threats from everyday items. It moves guests through a venue’s entryways up to 10 times faster than metal detectors: up to 3,600 visitors per hour at normal walking speed. No stopping to empty pockets or hand over bags means screening is less obtrusive, improving the visitor experience. And no stopping or queuing up means Evolv Express is safer than traditional methods, virtually eliminating the threat of “soft target” scenarios for mass casualty events.

As a connected device, dare I even say an IoT device, Evolv Express captures critical information such as visitor flow rates, alarm rates, and threat types detected at every venue entrance, making this data available for consumption and interrogation across multiple business dimensions—date, time, location, entrance, and event type—in its Evolv Insights analytics platform.

To maintain the highest degree of guest experience and physical safety, Evolv Express offers a range of settings, and the new What-If Sensitivity Setting Analysis in the latest release of Evolv Insights lets security professionals use historical data to see how the system would have performed on an alternate setting. This helps security teams refine their concept of operations (ConOps) strategies and further reduce nuisance alarms, improve guard performance, and improve the guest experience without compromising visitor safety.

2 – Know Your Vulnerabilities

New features for Alert Categorization and Analysis in the latest software release advance the system’s ability to report on what threat types are found at a venue. Security teams resolving issues at the Evolv

Express system simply “tag” alerts with a single, one touch icon set to indicate threat items or nuisance items.

Using this information, new dashboards in Evolv Insights let users drill down into where and when each type of alert appeared, across entryways, times, and events. Armed with this knowledge, security leaders can better focus staff training, deploy more experienced staff when and where they will be needed, and improve overall staff preparedness.

3 – Improve Venue Operations

Better data can help teams beyond security improve visitors’ experience—with ticketing, concessions, retail, ushers, guest services, guides, and more—because the better informed these teams are, the more seamlessly they will operate. Information gathered at every Evolv Express system and available in Evolv Insights analytics will help venue operations improve decisions about staff to guest ratios, staff deployment at different locations and times, along with other resource decisions to boost efficiencies and reduce waste.

To better understand how security and operational needs differ across types of events, the latest release of Evolv Insights introduces Event Type Analysis. Different types of events—think rock concerts, sporting events, corporate events, speaker series, and family productions—will likely exhibit very different characteristics across dimensions like threat types and frequency, alarm rates, visitor flow rates at different venue entrances.

Evolv Insights makes it easy to compare event types side-by-side to find commonalities and differences or to compare events of the same type to find and address anomalies, improving planning across many teams throughout venue operations—including security.

4 – Transform Security from Cost Center to Value Driver

Keeping venues secure not only protects people; it safeguards the brand—for venue leadership, their corporate sponsors, and the talent they attract. But security is too often seen as a necessary evil: a cost center rather than a value driver. I found this callout in the aforementioned Microsoft and Accenture study spot on and worth noting… No matter which metric the organization prioritizes, a data strategy will be required to optimize the outcome. An effective strategy will enable physical security to become the core intelligence platform of the organization, transforming from a cost center into a value hub. I could not have said this better myself.

With Evolv, the power of data and analytics at every visitor entrance means security teams can provide a high degree of value to executive leadership by providing transparency and visibility with accelerated, streamlined, reporting capabilities.

Evolv Insights offers both pre-defined and flexible dashboard views that users can save and return to, share with colleagues, print to file, and export to work with adjacent analytics packages. And in the latest release, subscribed users automatically get “pushed” Post-Event Summary Reports, without a separate need to access the Insights application.

5 – Adopt a Proactive Security Posture

When venue teams need critical data about their venue in the moment, wherever they’re located, the latest software release from Evolv offers the MyEvolv Portal mobile application. Teams can now access analytics, scanner monitoring, and management, and proactive communications from any device, including Android- and iOS-equipped smartphones and tablets, to facilitate faster, better decision-making and respond in the moment to security needs across their venue before they become an issue.

Evolv prioritizes connections between venue staff and its security systems both through analytics and through communications technologies like Request Assistance—a discreet, one-touch alert from the operator tablet to additional venue security to help resolve an incident at the system.

The latest software release extends this connectivity and communication with new Remote System Management in the MyEvolv Portal. Available in both the mobile and web-based application, system administrators can now remotely log into Evolv Express systems and interact as if they were co-located with the system for monitoring, troubleshooting, and configuration changes. And whenever critical changes to the system occur, subscribed users receive new Proactive Notifications via text, email, or in the application.

Conclusion: The Digital Transformation of Physical Security is Here

While much has been imagined about the benefits of a future world—with “smart venues” powered by connected products and better data to improve visitors’ experience while making everywhere safer—Evolv brings that future to life today. It enables venue security and operations leaders to access better data for evidence-based decision-making, ensure connectivity between people and security technologies throughout a venue, and improve the guest experience while maintaining the highest standards in physical safety both today—and tomorrow.

The Boston Marathon Bombing: A Moment of Fear and Clarity

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The Boston Marathon marks its 125th event anniversary on Monday. It’s the world’s oldest annual marathon – an event that now attracts more than 30,000 participants and upwards of 750,000 spectators each year. At its centennial in 1996, close to 36,000 people finished the race. That day, more than a million friends, family, and race fans converged along the 26.2-mile route from Hopkinton, MA to the Boylston Street finish line to celebrate this Boston institution and its dedicated participants.     

Then, crashing into this venerated race in 2013 was something that shocked our nation. It also personally impacted me in a way that would set the course of the rest of my working life. Just 45 minutes before the first bomb detonated, my wife Jane had finished the race and I and my three kids ages 11, 9, and 5 were at the finish line to celebrate with her. We shared lots of excitement, hugs, photos, and well wishes. On the ride back home, Jane was describing the course challenges and highlights when her mobile phone started pinging with text after text. It wasn’t until we were back home and watching the TV that we realized how close we’d all been to the madness that killed three and injured 264 that day. 

One of the injured that day was John, a good friend who worked on Boylston Street. He stepped out of his office for a few minutes to watch the race finishers. Down the street to his left, the first device went off. Then, the second device detonated close to him. I went to see John at Mass General and found him—a big, strong rugby player with wounds up and down his body. He recovered, but today still carries shrapnel in his body. Madness.  

I call it madness because it is. Two young men had researched propaganda on the internet about how to assemble and detonate bombs, then strategically did just that in the Back Bay. They took lives, damaged the psyches and bodies of hundreds, altered families forever, and once again reminded the whole world that the face of terror is as close as where we live, work, eat, shop, play, and go to school. We don’t ever see it coming. And that’s the madness.  

Jane, my kids, and John lit a fire  

The Boston Marathon bombing and active shooter tragedies in San Bernardino, Pulse Nightclub, Fort Hood, Sandy Hook Elementary, the Las Vegas music festival – and many more – forever changed those who were just going about their daily lives. This was happening in too many towns, in too many locations, to too many people.    

For me, the combination of stories from that terrible day became a driving force to do what I know how to do in business – go find the best technology, work with the best people, and solve a really hard problem. It was a needle in a haystack problem: how do we screen hundreds and even thousands of people as they continue walking without ever stopping while simultaneously identifying those few who could pose a threat? The concept is simple. Putting it into practice is hard.         

Partnering to reverse a terror epidemic    

Fast forward eight years from the 2013 Boston attack to today. In this time, I’ve been fortunate to co-found Evolv with Mike Ellenbogen. We’ve introduced a technology solution that is working to take the terror epidemic head on by identifying and extracting the few bad actors ready to do harm – from the 99.99 percent of good people who just want to enjoy life, attend events, and move freely and safely at the pace of life.   

We describe it as a secure and seamless screening experience. Essentially, we’ve fused advanced technologies including sensors, machine learning, cloud analytics, and a human centered design approach. Now, visitors to any public venue can keep moving – with no security lines, bag checks, or metal detectors to slow them down. Our Evolv Express® solution makes it easy for security personnel to spot guns, knives, and explosives more easily and with better accuracy. As of last month, our customers have screened more than 100 million visitors and stopped more than 10,000 weapons from entering public attractions, stadiums, casinos, hospitals, schools, entertainment venues, government facilities, houses of worship, and hotels. Only the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has screened more people than Evolv in the United States. 

Actively listening to those who know   

My role has been to partner with hundreds of venue owners and operators, guest experience professionals, and security leaders from a wide range of industries in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. I ask every single one the same questions: what threats are you most concerned about, how are you detecting them today, and ideally how would you like to prevent them from entering your facility in the future? It’s ongoing, global field research that continues to make our threat detection solutions better and better.  

I work with an incredible team. We all wish we lived in a world that didn’t need Evolv. But that’s not reality. That said, each of us is gratified and humbled to help make the world a safer place, one venue at a time.  And we’re just getting started.     

What matters most 

Jane, my three kids, and John are never far from my mind. They fuel what I’m about every day. The terrorist actions of the Boston Marathon and all the other horrible terrorist events only produced a stronger counteraction. These events inspired each of us at Evolv to equip security leaders, venue managers, and law enforcement with the technology they need to stop the madness from ever happening again. 

Sarasota Agricultural Fair Association Deploys Evolv Technology in the Aftermath of a Shooting

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On March 20, 2021, during the second day of the Sarasota Agricultural Fair, a gun went off inside the fairgrounds. An incident response plan was put into action and the park was ordered closed for the safety of visitors. The next day, a 15-year-old suspect was arrested for sneaking a handgun into the fair and shooting an 18-year-old acquaintance during an altercation.

And, just like that, a community that was once again gathering and celebrating together following a year of cancellations and isolation, was facing tragedy and more closings.

Re-opening would require enhanced security

To reopen the fair and welcome visitors back safely, the team needed to evaluate the Fair’s overall security posture and identify what gap led to a handgun entering the premises. During the assessment, it was discovered there was a breakdown with the bag checking process. Security checks would need to be enhanced and protocols would need to be changed.

A local Evolv account executive saw the news report and had an Evolv Express system on the site within days for the team to evaluate and test. They needed something that could handle the stream of visitors – 7,000 would pass through that gate over an eight-hour period; at peak times, waits at the security lanes were as long as 15 minutes.

Today, with Evolv, the security team is able to sustain consistent results through peaks and valleys, which is critically important when screening for weapons. They have also eliminated lines and reduced costs.

For more about how Evolv helped welcome visitors back to the Sarasota Agricultural Fair safely, see the full case study.