Safety First: Graham Partners’ Gatekeeper Systems Makes Strategic Move with Acquisition
February 7th, 2025
PHILADELPHIA
Graham Partners’ Loss Prevention Portfolio Company Gatekeeper Systems Acquires FaceFirst, Provider of AI-Enabled Loss Prevention Technology
PHILADELPHIA, February 7th, 2025 – Graham Partners (“Graham”), a private investment firm targeting advanced manufacturing and industrial technology companies, is pleased to announce that its portfolio company Gatekeeper Systems, Inc. (“Gatekeeper”), a provider of IoT-enabled loss prevention technology solutions, has acquired FaceFirst, Inc. (“FaceFirst”).
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, FaceFirst is a leading developer and provider of AI-enabled facial recognition solutions designed to combat shrink and support employee and shopper safety initiatives for its retail customers. FaceFirst complements Gatekeeper’s existing proprietary cart technologies by providing a means to identify and thwart dangerous repeat offenders on a real time basis, and aligns with Gatekeeper’s core focus of delivering innovative, non-confrontational theft prevention solutions to retailers.
FaceFirst’s technology seamlessly integrates with Gatekeeper’s core solution and other technologies within the retail ecosystem to provide a comprehensive, purpose-built, and scalable AI-enabled solution that delivers a demonstrable ROI while improving employee and shopper safety. Rob Newbold, Managing Principal at Graham Partners, had this to say about this acquisition: “Combined, Gatekeeper and FaceFirst have enhanced potential to deliver innovative, cutting-edge solutions to help customers combat growing theft across their store operations. We believe this acquisition will be transformative for Gatekeeper and it underpins our collective commitment to helping customers cultivate a theft-free shopping environment for their valued patrons and employees.” Mike Stewart, Principal at Graham Partners added, “We will be working closely with the Gatekeeper team to accelerate the integration of FaceFirst’s technology into Gatekeeper’s platform to further strengthen Gatekeeper’s position as a leading technology provider in the loss prevention industry.”
Graham Partners is a private investment firm focused on investing in technology-driven companies that are spurring innovation in advanced manufacturing, resulting in product substitutions, raw materials conversions, and disruptions to traditional end markets. Graham Partners can offer control or minority capital solutions and typically targets companies with EBITDA up to $50 million. Since the firm’s founding in 1988 by Steven Graham, Graham Partners has closed over 160 acquisitions, joint ventures, financings, and divestitures. The committed capital raised since inception through the Graham Partners funds together with Graham-led co-investments totals approximately $6.4 billion as of September 30, 2024, pro forma for subsequent events, which differs from Graham’s Regulatory Assets Under Management of approximately $4.0 billion as of September 30, 2024. Investors include high-net-worth individuals, college and university endowments, foundations, pension plans, insurance companies, funds-of-funds, and other institutional investors. Based in suburban Philadelphia, the firm has access to extensive operating resources and industrial expertise and is a member of The Graham Group, an alliance of independent operating businesses, investment firms and philanthropic entities, which all share in the common legacy of entrepreneur Donald Graham.
Gatekeeper Systems’ patented technology is a cornerstone of loss prevention solutions and services. The company’s expanded suite of intelligent cart products and services offers technologies for retailer’s needs. Loss prevention and cart containment solutions utilize patented locking technology seeking to put an end to cart-based shoplifting, shopping cart loss, and uninformed decision making. Gatekeeper Systems’ solutions help to improve safety, minimize merchandise loss, bring critical insights into both cart and theft behavior and, ultimately, improve store profits. With more than ten million enabled carts protected by their loss prevention systems, Gatekeeper Systems serves retailers worldwide. For more information, please visit gatekeepersystems.com.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rob Newbold (rnewbold@grahampartners.net)
Mike Stewart (mstewart@grahampartners.net)
Christina Morin (cmorin@grahampartners.net)
Tel: (610) 408-0500
This press release is for informational purposes and is not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities in the United States or elsewhere. Graham Partners is not utilizing this release to provide investment or other advice, and no information disclosed therein is to be relied upon for the purpose of making investment decisions. Past performance does not guarantee future results and any transactions described are included as representative transactions and are not necessarily reflective of overall performance. It should not be assumed that any investment described herein was or will be profitable. There can be no assurance that historical trends will continue. Graham Partners' market characterization is based on subjective determinations that it believes reasonable but others may disagree with such characterization. There is no guarantee that Graham Partners' initiatives will drive value for its investments or accelerate growth or lead Graham Partners' investments to become profitable.