Gentex Acquires BioConnect to Expand Biometric Capabilities

Gentex Corp. (NASDAQ: GNTX) has acquired Toronto-based BioConnect, a biometric authentication provider whose multi-modal platform serves the security and access control industry.

Gentex announced the acquisition strengthens its position across markets where it already supplies electro-optical products, including automotive, aerospace, fire protection and medical. The company, known for automotive electronics, continues to expand its work in vision systems, sensing, AI development, biometrics, home automation and other smart technologies.

BioConnect provides an enterprise platform that verifies identity across physical, IoT and digital applications to support exact identity assurance, cybersecurity and the protection of company assets, people, data and IP.

“Biometric technology is playing an increasingly important role in the industries in which we operate, including automotive, aerospace, medical, and smart home,” said Neil Boehm, Gentex Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technology Officer. “This acquisition not only provides Gentex with a strong foothold in the security and access control industry but also the expertise to continue developing advanced biometric solutions for the industries we currently serve.”

Rob Douglas, BioConnect Founder and CEO, said, “We’re excited to combine our technologies and capabilities with those of Gentex. Gentex’s engineering capabilities, software expertise, and quality, high-volume electronics manufacturing will not only help us grow in the security and access control space but also expand into new platforms and industries.”

Gentex said it sees synergy between BioConnect and EyeLock, an iris biometric technology obtained earlier this year in its purchase of VOXX International. Under Douglas’s leadership, BioConnect and EyeLock personnel will form Gentex’s Security & Access Control team, which has begun working on new ways to utilize EyeLock hardware within BioConnect platforms.

BioConnect has more than 1,500 customers across regulated industries including data storage, healthcare, financial services, education and manufacturing. The company’s systems are used in eight of the top 10 US-headquartered data centers to protect physical access to sensitive operations.