Access control systems have evolved from a simple lock and key to today’s innovative and advanced access control solutions, the entire industry has made tremendous progress over the last few decades. Spintly is one such company which is making major breakthroughs and advancements in the access control industry. Rohin Parkar is the CEO and Co-Founder of Spintly who started this company along with his CoFounder Malcolm D’souza with a vision of simplifying access control.
Card access systems have evolved into what they are today because of two major inventions.
The cloud, which allows software systems to be hosted on the web which can be used from anywhere. And secondly, the wireless technology Which enabled Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and communication. Through the RFID system, a card is programmed with unique identification data which is then shared via electromagnetic waves.
So, if a card is programmed to access a specific door, the lock disengages. With this, the access control systems allow for easy differentiation between who is allowed in a certain premises and who is not.
Finding a market in this innovative space, and making more of it was the brain of Rohin Parkar, the CEO & Co-Founder of Spintly, his Co-Founder Malcolm Dsouza and their team.
“We enable users to unlock doors with smartphones or smart watches. We move it all to your phone, so you don’t have to carry around a key or a door access card.”, says Rohin.
Transforming the physical security industry with its fully wireless, cloud-based access control system, Spintly started its journey in 2018. At the beginning of it all, the team aimed to simplify buildings. This vision broadened Spintly’s range of services.
Not just an access control system, Spintly’s innovations move beyond the limits to be an IOT Network and an IOT platform which allows device to device communication. With its devices being fully wireless, Spintly has become the world’s first wireless system for access control.
With over 300 customers around the globe and a presence in India, Middle East and the United States, Spintly is keeping the doors secured!
But what opened the doors for Spintly?
“I have lived in the US for about 12 years. And in 2017, when I moved back to India, I was inspired by all kinds of innovations that happen in the Silicon Valley. I saw that a lot of start-ups start here and go global. One question that kept me thinking- why can’t companies start in India and become big?”
On that thought, Rohin and his Co-Founder Malcolm Dsouza came together to start the company. Their initial idea was to start an IOT platform for smart buildings. Unlike the traditional building automation systems, which sit on a lot of hardware, Rohin and Malcolm wanted to simplify it using wireless technology and cloud.
Wiring it Right
In a large residential complex or a large office space, every door has a security system which is an access control, and every reader has a wire running somewhere to the control room. So in a large space, with 200 or 300 doors and with so many access cards, there is so much wiring required.
At Spintly, the team has eliminated this altogether. Co-working spaces like WeWork, and other companies like Smartworks have deployed the company’s services to make access management much more efficient and secure.
With access enabled to every door, the process has become much more dynamic, where people can use their phones to come in. All you have to do is come in with the app on your phone, and you will be inside the premises.
The process ticks all the boxes,
- Avoiding unwanted visitors
- A secure database
- Sustainability
“Why do you want to lay down wires and cables and hardware when you can just as effortlessly manage it without it all?”, says Rohin.
This can further be modified to improve the efficiency of the building, the temperature, air conditioning, lighting and everything.
Like a mess of tangled wires, starting out was as challenging. But with a zeal to innovate, Spintly swiftly moved forward.
When the product was launched in 2018, questions around security of the cloud, its coherence and reliability were raised.
“The only way was to deploy and prove it right! Prove that this is the end game. That it’s reliable, robust and secure”
The pandemic changed everything. After COVID-19, people started looking for touch-less access. That was the time when instead of using the fingerprint, people would prefer their phones. This adoption started to increase from 2021.
Spintly’s Range of Products and Services
Spintly specializes in Access Control solutions for businesses. It enables smartphone based door access for users who need access to buildings and office spaces. Traditionally these systems have been using badges or key cards with the software which runs on local servers.
“We are a mobile first and a cloud first company which converts the smartphone into your office badge and allows management of the physical security through a cloud based application or a mobile App.”
Spintly’s technology provides a seamless experience to its users when they access doors at their office spaces or the buildings which they enter. They can use their smartphones instead of their badges for door access. Its cloud-based software provides flexibility and superior experience to admin users of organizations who are responsible for managing the physical Access Control Systems for their office spaces.
Staying Ahead Of The Curve
In an industry that is already at the peak of innovation, staying competitive in the space is tough, yet exciting. There have been countless stories of businesses that have started and their graphs have come to an abrupt decline.
Once great tech corporations have shut down their departments. The reason? The market had made space for more innovative products. To overcome these demands and challenges, Spintly has a R&D department which continuously researches new product developments, trying to find new problems to solve them and improve the product.
Mr. Rohin has an interesting philosophy behind this,
“It’s not enough to build one product and one solution, and you can just keep selling it. You have to continuously improve it and make it better. Just like the iPhone that came out in 2007, and every year now there is a new model with better and newer features.”
To stay ahead of the curve, Spintly mainly goes by two strategies.
One is to keep in touch with the customer, understand their feedback and make sure to adapt to their needs.
Second is thinking ahead of the curve.
This is an important philosophy. At times, the customers tend to think just about the present and may not be aware of the new innovations & advancements happening.
But as a service provider, you need to keep an eye out on everything that is happening. So, being aware of what is happening in the industry technologically and be able to bring it in the products and improve the overall customer experience.
The Brain Behind
How did Rohin Parkar go from being an engineer to a tech innovator?
An engineer by background, Rohin graduated in 2001 and kick started his career as a scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Center.
After two years of a successful stint there, he moved on to work at TCSTata Consultancy services until 2005, when he moved to the US working for Motorola. In 2007, he joined Nokia and then finally moved to California in 2012. Culminating an experience of almost 17 years in the wireless space, doing wifi and IOT technology, he decided to start Spintly.
Shifting to being a leader, a role of big responsibilities
From being an employee to being the leader, an entrepreneur, it is a big shift, especially in terms of how you think.
“When you are an entrepreneur, every pocket of time you find, you try to use it for the company. So you are working 24*7. You have to understand your responsibility towards the company, your team and that’s how you become a leader, you go a step ahead.”, says Rohin.
“This is what keeps me awake, keeps me driving and going ahead, trying to make this a success.”
Building a Team
Spintly built its initial team with fresh engineering graduates. Hiring them as fresh engineers, Rohin and Malcolm trained them on the specific areas of knowledge.
“I am proud to say that all of them have grown to become leaders in the company. They are today leading teams, training, giving knowledge. Just a growth graph they can see for themselves and be proud of it.”
Speaking about the culture of the company, Rohin says it’s a pretty casual and informal culture.
“We don’t go by the ‘Sir’ culture.”
This helps in creating an openness, where everyone can talk freely.
A Word for the New Entrepreneurs?
“If you’re starting a start-up, it’s crucial to find a problem that you’re passionate about solving. Don’t start a company simply because you want to start a company; instead, look for an issue that affects people and think about how you can address it. By solving a problem that benefits people, you’ll naturally attract revenue and increase your chances of success.
In addition to passion, patience is also critical to success. Many start-ups fail because their founders give up too soon, often after only a year or two. To avoid this, believe in yourself and have faith in the work that you’re doing. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve success.
Remember that success may not come immediately, but it will come if you keep at it. So keep pushing forward, even when the going gets tough, and believe in your vision. By doing so, you’ll increase your chances of creating something truly meaningful and impactful for your customers and the world.”
