Volume 103

Volume 103 | June 5, 2025

Welcome to Brief 103! The Recap of ACS25 edition.

We all felt it (frankly, have been living it) before we arrived in San Sebastian—that sense of an industry shifting beneath our feet. What emerged from 36 hours of ACS25 wasn't the revelation of something new but the crystallization of feelings we'd all been carrying into words we could finally share. That was the biggest impact for me coming out of ACS25. The conversations didn't create new insights (to be fair, there were a lot of insights) so much as they gave voice to a collective story we'd been living but hadn't yet learned to tell. To me, ACS25 marked the moment our industry found its voice around a truth we already knew: we're transitioning from incremental improvements to exponential transformation through pockets of innovation, better use of data, and fundamental shifts in how access control integrates with broader business operations.

But first, let me back up.

Wow, what a 36 hours. To be fair, it was about 12 months of planning and one hell of a week, but what emerged from those 36 hours in San Sebastian was something special. What unfolded was a display of the opportunities available to this industry, but even more, what was shown was the power of this community.

The truth is, every year, Hilary and I meet the night ACS is over and start planning on how we can make the next one even better. Truthfully, this one is going to be tough to beat. We had 155 attendees, 72 speakers, one amazing city and city host, immaculate weather, countless pintxos, too many laughs, and hours upon hours of conversation and now content.

Over the next 12 months, we will roll it all out to you.

Next, you can expect an email with a password-protected site to view all the recorded sessions. Currently, it takes 24 hours to download the sessions. Once we've completed and polished them, keep an eye out for social media postings on LinkedIn and YouTube. We have 200ish posts scheduled. Not kidding. You will see them roll out on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Hilary and I laid out the plan, and it is truly epic, showcasing what can be achieved with a single day of conversation. It is truly omnichannel and where the ongoing value comes into effect for those who participated in a 1:1 panel discussion or our new My Views.

We feel like ACS has hit a stride. What started as an idea in 2023 and evolved into a "prove it can go international" in 2024 has expanded into an industry "must attend" in 2025 and a "can't wait" for 2026. That is why we believe 2026 will be epic, and we hope you will plan to be there. All members are welcome, and we would love to have you on stage.

Here is a quick overview of what we plan to retain, enhance, and add.

We appreciate the feedback, so keep it coming.

Keep: A yearly ACS that moves around. We will continue to focus on the experience. The city host concept works, and the location matters.
Improve: Continue to improve the My Views. We did a live experiment with them, and although it was not perfect, it was successful; we will refine it further.
Add: We will 100% add QA after each session, provide more breaks, and offer even more networking opportunities. We will introduce smaller, regional, and vertical ACSs in addition to the global big one.

As I mentioned at ACS25, please reach out if you would like to speak at ACS26, and we will arrange it. We plan to make this a members-only event, as the value of being in the room and what gets done online is evident. We have also hit critical mass at this point and feel it's in the best interest of everyone involved. We feel lucky to be here, and we feel lucky to be here because of you. Thank you. From the deepest part of my heart, thank you.

Alright, to the Brief.

PS: I am sure some of you may forward this, but please do so sparingly and encourage others to sign up here. Thank you!

Recap of ACS25

Hilary and I kicking it off. Pre fish tank reveal.

ACS25 Themes

What struck me most about the conversations wasn't what we planned to discuss but what emerged organically. I plan to dive deep into each of the 1:1s, panels, and My Views over the next few months, but I wanted to start with an overview recap. There were unexpected threads and themes throughout.

One of the benefits of not over-planning the discussions and allowing them to take place organically (I don't do any pre-calls with speakers) is the natural delight in listening to what is being said, hearing the pieces come together, echo, challenge, and surprise. I tried to capture those moments in what I wrote down on my speaker cards as they unfolded. I fortunately didn't leave the stage the entire time. Even during the My Views, I stood off-stage and listened.

One speaker captured what many were feeling and shared this with me:

Something struck me that I can't shake, and I find myself exploding with anticipation to discuss:

We're stuck. You say it, some of us hear it (maybe everyone? Some people are shouting LALALALALA with their fingers in their ears) but my god was it obvious this week.
People are conflating interoperability, communications standards, quality standards, and pretty much everything else and lumping it under false "openness" and it made me scream into a pillow last night
The IT/OT convergence happened, and we're all staring at it like a dead skunk in the living room, but no one has a functioning sense of smell
Seamless biometrics are here today and people don't know what it means (and this I find irritating for a host of very personal financial reasons)

There were three overall themes with supporting topics that resonated throughout for me.

Welcome reception

Moving beyond legacy limitations

The shift from integration to transformation: The industry is moving past simply repurposing existing technology (APIs, basic beep/click functionality) toward genuine enterprise software configuration. There is a recognition that building on legacy systems should be treated as a strategic advantage rather than a limitation—utilizing existing infrastructure as a foundation for exponential growth.

AI's measurable business impact: Artificial intelligence has emerged as a major focus, with an emphasis on quantifying its actual business impact rather than implementing it for novelty's sake. The conversation centered on leveraging data more effectively to create measurable value propositions.

From security tool to operational platform: This shift is significant. We're moving from viewing access control purely as a security tool to recognizing it as a comprehensive operational platform that can drive broader business outcomes.

Yes, the fish tank and fish are real.

Industry transformation challenges

The standards paradox: There is a strong industry desire for standardization, although many are waiting for legislative guidance. Standards are viewed as crucial vehicles for building trust and facilitating broader adoption across the sector. Yet, we struggle to move adoption forward.

The control resistance problem: The high cost of change and resistance to process automation emerged as key barriers for all stakeholders. Organizations struggle with relinquishing control, even when technology could improve efficiency through automation and autonomy for routine tasks. This resistance, due to a lack of power, was a first for me—I hadn't heard it discussed before, but it came up regularly. Is anyone addressing it?

IT/OT convergence reality: The integration of information technology and operational technology remains a central challenge and opportunity for the industry, and it's not going away.

Arturo Falk from Whoo doing a My View

Market and business model evolution

Private equity's under appreciated influence: The impact of private equity on the industry is significantly under appreciated and represents a crucial dynamic affecting growth and innovation.

Digital-first engagement: Traditional engagement models are evolving, with an emphasis on authentic competition and digital-first distribution strategies.

Zero Trust fundamentals: This security framework is becoming fundamental to how access control systems are designed and implemented. However, there is a definite divide between those who truly understand it and those who don't.

Packed house

These themes point to exactly what we suspected: an industry divided at a critical juncture. The conversations revealed companies and leaders split between those embracing exponential change and those clinging to incremental improvements. This division isn't just about technology adoption—it's about fundamental business philosophy and risk tolerance.

More on that division and what it means for your business in the deep dives to come.

Aznar Sethna of SALTO WECOSYSTEM, the City Host for ACS25 joining me on stage to close it out.

2 of 4 Announcements Made at ACS25

We're thrilled to announce that we're bringing the ACS format—with a twist—to the Latin American market in partnership with Google. We'll focus on the tremendous opportunities in Latin America, exploring digital transformation, managing change, and the impact of mobile credentials. The event will bring together 150 end users (both large and small), along with regional channel partners and ecosystem players. We'll host it at Google's spectacular facilities, delivering the high-quality experience you've come to expect from ACS Events. We're seeking one or two sponsors to join us. If you do business in LATAM and are interested, please reach out to me here.

We're excited to announce our partnership with BLOXSPRING, a leading global PropTech PR firm based in the UK, to launch an innovative marketing and communications conference for our industry. This carefully curated event will bring together marketing professionals to sharpen their skills through keynotes, expert panels, interactive roundtables, and strategic networking opportunities. We've already secured participation from industry leaders, including LinkedIn, HubSpot, 6sense, and other major platforms, who will share cutting-edge strategies and insights. Our mission is simple: to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and elevate marketing standards across the PropTech landscape through world-class content and education. Stay tuned for more details on speakers, agenda, and registration! In the mean time, email us here if you want to join the waitlist.