Smart Spaces is a London-based workplace experience and smart-building platform that connects people to their buildings via a single app. The platform unifies mobile access, desk and room booking, energy and lighting control, tenant engagement, and building communications. Smart Spaces frequently operates in Class A office environments and high-profile developments, positioning its solution as a layer that turns traditional buildings into intuitive, digitally orchestrated workplaces.

Brothers Dan and Tom Drogman co-founded Smart Spaces. They come from a background in enterprise software and digital solutions for the built environment. Rather than starting from traditional hardware or PACS, they approached buildings from a user experience and app-design perspective. Their motivation has consistently been to make complex building systems—access control, HVAC, lighting—feel as simple and seamless as using a modern mobile app.

Accessgrid.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/austonbunsen/

***Company Overview***

AccessGrid is a startup focused on modernizing access control through a wallet-first, API-only platform. Their goal is to make issuing and managing mobile and wallet-native credentials as simple as calling modern web
APIs. The company supports integrating with existing hardware when possible but primarily targets developers and product teams who want to embed access capabilities directly into applications and workflows.

***Founder / Executive Profile***

Auston Bunsen is the co-founder and CEO of AccessGrid. Before AccessGrid, he co-founded QuickNode, a major blockchain developer platform. His background is deeply rooted in infrastructure-as-a-service,
developer tooling, and modern API ecosystems. He entered the access control industry after observing how outdated, fragmented, and opaque it was—particularly compared to the developer-first approach common in
modern SaaS.

***Why They Fit the Series***

AccessGrid is the most disruptive entrant in your lineup. Auston brings an outsider perspective and a developer-centric philosophy that challenges traditional pricing, integration patterns, and channel structures.
They embody a new model where physical access becomes programmable infrastructure, not specialized hardware.

***Key Angles & Themes***

• Why an API and developer-tools founder chose access control.
• Rationale behind an API-only, wallet-first architecture.
• The impact of transparent pricing (e.g., $500/month + per-credential fees).
• How AccessGrid views the future of integrators, OEMs, and PACS vendors.
• What constitutes a 'modern' access platform vs. legacy baggage.
Potential Controversies / Hot Takes
• Transparent pricing disrupting traditional channel negotiations.
• Limitations of an API-only model for customers who want turnkey hardware.
• Whether wallet-native credentials can realistically replace physical cards in all use cases.

Music:

Track 1255029 – RF3LM2DJL0AYH32S

In Episode 2 we sit down with Thru Shivakumar, Founder of Cohesion, an Intelligent Building platform provider changing the face of the modern workplace.

cohesionib.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thrushivakumar/

**Company Overview**

Cohesion is a Chicago-based smart building and workplace experience company offering a unified platform for building operations, access control integrations, tenant engagement, and advanced analytics. Its solutions merge physical systems—access control, HVAC, elevators, sensors—with AI-driven data insights to create responsive, efficient, and human-centered buildings.

**Founder / Executive Profile**

**Thru Shivakumar** is the CEO and co-founder of Cohesion. She brings a background in engineering and leadership roles across the building and technology industries. Thru focuses on using data and intelligence to drive better operational and security decisions while ensuring the occupant experience remains central.

**Why They Fit the Series**

Cohesion fits the series because it demonstrates how data and AI are reshaping physical security and access control. Instead of simply issuing credentials, Cohesion leverages access and building data to inform space planning, strengthen security posture, and optimize overall building performance.

**Key Angles & Themes**

* How AI and analytics enhance traditional access control systems
* Using access data to inform staffing levels and security patrol strategies
* The convergence of ESG, operations, and security objectives
* How Cohesion integrates with existing PACS and building systems
* What metrics matter most to owners, operators, and security leaders

Music:

Track 1255029 – RF3LM2DJL0AYH32S