# Athena Security Inc.

> Athena Security is an Austin-based physical-security company that builds AI-powered concealed weapons detection and visitor management systems for schools, hospitals, casinos, businesses and public venues. Founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneurs Lisa Falzone and Chris Ciabarra (the pair behind iPad point-of-sale pioneer Revel Systems), Athena combines walk-through metal detection, thermal imaging, lidar, cameras and machine learning to screen roughly one person per second - up to 3,600 people an hour - without asking anyone to empty their pockets or bags. Its flagship Apollo 500 system uses colored light boxes to show operators exactly where a suspected weapon is on the body, and its screening-compliance software helps organizations meet a growing patchwork of state security laws.

- **Founded:** 2018
- **Headquarters:** Austin, Texas, United States
- **Founders:** Lisa Falzone (Co-Founder, President & Executive Chair), Chris Ciabarra (Co-Founder & CTO)
- **Team size:** ~110 employees
- **Products:** Apollo 500, Concealed Weapons Detection System, Workforce Multiplier, Visitor Management System, Screening Compliance Software
- **Notable:** Founded by the team behind Revel Systems, which Lisa Falzone scaled to 700+ employees and sold in a deal valued around $250M., Deployed AI concealed-weapons detection across major health systems including Duke Health (21 screening locations) and Memorial Hermann., Helped one Illinois health system stop 20+ firearms and roughly 180 knives from entering its facilities in 2025.

## Products & services

- **Apollo 500** — Next-generation walk-through weapons detection system that uses precision light boxes to show operators the exact location of a suspected weapon on a person or in their belongings; screens up to roughly 3,600 people per hour for firearms and explosives.
- **Concealed Weapons Detection System** — Walk-through screening built on CEIA OPENGATE metal detection combined with lidar, HD cameras, electromagnetic sensing and AI, scanning about one person per second without requiring people to remove keys, phones or bags.
- **Workforce Multiplier** — Integrated lane that pairs AI-powered X-ray bag scanning with concealed-weapons detection so a single operator can screen both people and belongings.
- **Visitor Management System** — iPad-based check-in and visitor management platform used to log, badge and track people entering a facility.
- **Screening Compliance Software** — SaaS layer that enforces standard-operating-procedure adherence, tracks screening activity in real time and produces oversight reporting to help organizations meet state security requirements.
- **Evasion Detection** — AI capability that flags people attempting to bypass or defeat the screening lane.

## Achievements

- Founded by the team behind Revel Systems, which Lisa Falzone scaled to 700+ employees and sold in a deal valued around $250M.
- Deployed AI concealed-weapons detection across major health systems including Duke Health (21 screening locations) and Memorial Hermann.
- Helped one Illinois health system stop 20+ firearms and roughly 180 knives from entering its facilities in 2025.
- Equipped Lamar Consolidated ISD with 24 weapons-detection systems across its campuses in October 2024.
- Raised $18.6M total, including a $10M round in 2024 led by its own founders.
- Pivoted its computer-vision platform to elevated-temperature (fever) screening during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, scanning 2,000+ people per hour.

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Launched Apollo 500, which pinpoints a suspected weapon's location on the body with real-time light-box alerts.
- **2026-06** — Published guidance and case studies on using AI weapons detection to protect the healthcare workforce.
- **2024-12** — Launched the Workforce Multiplier, adding integrated AI X-ray bag scanning to its concealed-weapons detection lane.
- **2024-10** — Lamar Consolidated ISD deployed 24 Athena weapons-detection systems, adding Evasion detection.
- **2024-07** — Raised a $10M round led by founders Lisa Falzone and Chris Ciabarra to expand its concealed-weapons detection system.

## Links

- Website: https://athena-security.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/athena-inc/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/athenasecure
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/athenasecure/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/athena-security-inc
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-07