At VerkadaOne 2025, Verkada unveiled AI-powered, cloud-first innovations redefining proactive, unified security across enterprise and retail environments.
Verkada used the latest edition of its annual flagship event, VerkadaOne, to make one thing clear: Security systems of the future won’t be reactive in nature, but proactive systems that go far beyond their core function of providing security. Additionally, they will drive efficient processes across organizations as a whole, enhance customer experience in retail, and create safe environments in health and aged-care facilities, just to name a few examples.
Since its founding in 2016, Verkada has become known—and wants to be known—as a disruptor of established practices in physical security. Its philosophy is cloud-first, and its goal is to unify all security functions into a single, intuitive platform that can develop over time and expand with the needs of its customers.
Asmag.com had the chance to sit for an exclusive interview with Jonathon Dixon, Vice President & Managing Director, JAPAC, Verkada, a few days after he returned from the event, which took place from Sept. 22-24 in Chicago.
Proactive future
“It all comes down to being proactive versus reactive,” Dixon said, summing up his key takeaways from VerkadaOne. “Customers are really resonating with that, especially as they're looking to unlock operational efficiencies or create new business models.”
Central to this quest is making data generated by cameras and other sensors intelligible. Several innovations at VerkadaOne mark tangible advancements in this regard. Foremost among them is the new AI-Powered Unified Timeline.
“The new AI-Powered Unified Timeline enables the operator to use AI to reconstruct the entire journey of people and vehicles across their property by unifying events from all cameras into a single map-based time frame,” Dixon explained, adding that security teams will benefit from the feature immediately. “The manual investigation process can be reduced from days down to seconds.”
The same power of AI, however, also helps retailers gain valuable insights, through the integration of occupancy data and point-of-sale data, for example. It also enables organizations to create proactive alerts, for behaviors that are commonly associated with security incidents or any other event, whenever organizations need an automated response.
Cloud-connected across all product lines
“Verkada brings together six product lines that have traditionally been disparate: Cameras, access control, intercoms, environmental sensors, workplace solutions and alarms—very structured, very simple, all connected in the cloud,” Dixon said.
Verkada's new AI-Powered Unified Timeline
The Silicon Valley-based company seeks to unlock the full, practical potential of its AI through Verkada-brand, platform-connected products for seamless integration without compromising on performance.
“The centrality of our platform is intentional,” said Dixon. “However, we have also opened up our architecture.”
“We are respectful of our customers’ previous investments in security systems,” he added. “Last year, for example, we launched Command Connector to integrate our platform with legacy cameras. This allows them to leverage the power of our user interface, while extending the life of their previous investments.”
Large-scale focus
Other innovations presented at VerkadaOne aimed at large-scale deployments—reflecting the needs of customers who seek to benefit from Verkada solutions across the full scope of their operation.
“We presented new enterprise-grade features built for large-scale deployments, such as a new Operator View ticketing functionality, which enables new, structured workflows and helps security teams resolve alerts more efficiently from start to finish,” Dixon said.
“We also announced a new Device Stats Dashboard, which is especially beneficial for multisite deployments at scale,” he said, adding that this includes existing deployments at a customer’s “3,000 sites across the world.”
Verkada's new MT81 Cloud Managed Security Trailer
Meanwhile, Verkada also showcased its expanded access control portfolio, including the new AF64 Access Station Pro multimodal reader and the AL54 Wireless Lock supporting multi-credential connectivity. It also unveiled the CR63 E Remote Camera with LTE, which is tailored to perimeter security needs at off-grid sites, as well as the MT81 Cloud Managed Security Trailer, aimed at temporary sites such as construction projects or outdoor events.
Customer-centric approach
Customers and partners had lots to explore at VerkadaOne, while the company used the opportunity to engage in conversations with them about their needs.
“We’re always looking around corners and at the same time work backwards from customer interactions and sessions and feature requests,” said Dixon, who joined Verkada last year after leaving his position as Vice President and Managing Director for Japan and APAC at Cloudflare.
“During my 12 months with Verkada so far, I've really been impressed with our customers and the opportunities to ride with them, as well as our pace of establishing relations with net new customers and net new partners, including leading companies such as Mitsubishi from Japan, LG from Korea or Canva from Australia—traditional companies and disruptors in their respective fields,” he said.
Close relationships with customers are central to Verkada, which is reflected in a self-reported NPS score of 64, higher than household names like Google (58) and Apple (61).
At VerkadaOne, the company presented data that further underscored this: Among customers who joined the company up to 2022, 77% have adopted products from two or more product lines, while 52% are using three or more product lines and 26% are using four or more lines.
Global expansion
The company’s ambitious expansion in APAC falls within this period, too.
“In the Asia Pacific region, we target modern-approach customers, while being respectful of the ones that aren't ready yet. But once you build up enough market momentum and you've got enough good partners, your reputation will grow,” Dixon stated. “Companies will experience the power of the convergence of technologies. First you have early adopters, then you have fast followers.”
Verkada has five offices in the region—in Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Singapore and Sydney. The number of employees based in the region nearly doubled over the past year. The company’s goal is to keep the growth momentum high and cement its status as a technology leader.
“Verkada’s focus will continue to be on AI and exciting advancements in that field,” Dixon said. “We will continue to disrupt, focus on our customers and international markets.”