A local startup has landed a partnership with a firm with a national presence.
Hardware Park-Based OpenVia is joining forces with Boston-based company The Flying Locksmiths, a franchise system that has 84 franchised and owned locations across the country. It specializes in lock installation and repair, access control, commercial security and other lock and security-related services.
The partnership is a move that will give OpenVia's clients access to The Flying Locksmiths' network of access control professionals from its locations across the nation as well as make The Flying Locksmiths' franchisees authorized dealers for OpenVia, giving them the ability to offer OpenVia services to their commercial, multifamily and residential clients. The deal also allows all The Flying Locksmith's franchisees to participate in a revenue share arrangement.
"All of their locations service a commercial and multifamily client base, so there's a great overlap between the work they do and the product we provide," said Patrick Campbell, CEO of OpenVia.
"We were introduced to (The Flying Locksmiths) through the local franchisee, who, coincidentally, also happens to be based here in Hardware Park," Campbell said. "The local franchisee had provided a lot of input on the early product and sales model and when the product reached a point where he started to feel really strongly about it, he made the introduction to their corporate leadership."
Campbell said the leadership was particularly interested in OpenVia's SaaS business model, as the majority of the products currently on the market follow a traditional hardware purchase and subscription model. OpenVia's deals are structured where there is a recurring monthly charge and when hardware is needed, it is included in the monthly fee.
"This represents the first of many deals we're doing, as building out a network of dealers and installers across the country is a big part of our strategy over the coming year," Campbell said. "We'll continue to source deals directly with properties, but having strategic partnerships with local service providers is very important, particularly in the physical security sector where trust and security are so important."
OpenVia also recently raised a funding round of about $1 million, which was led by Chicago-based Sandalphon Capital, with participation from Locker One Ventures, Blue Field Capital, The Fund, Sachse Family Fund and multiple angel investors.
