Gabriel, a BTV 2024 Accelerator Startup, Aims to Protect Against Armed Assailants

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In today's uncertain world, safety has become an increasingly pressing concern. In 2023 there were over 650 mass shootings in the U.S. alone – nearly two mass shootings per day – up from 214 in 2014. These statistics make even more apparent the need for proactive armed assailant solutions. Enter Gabriel, a pioneering venture founded and led by Yoni Sherizen, dedicated to halting physical safety threats before they escalate into tragedy.

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A Vision Born from Tragedy

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Gabriel’s mission is clear: to stop mass shootings, workplace violence, and other physical safety threats before they occur. But what inspired Sherizen to embark on this journey? “We started this venture after seeing the impact of a terror attack and noticing the cycle of events that lead to active or ongoing threats and their exponentially greater cost to human life and business.”  Sherizen recounts. Motivated by the desire to disrupt this cycle, Sherizen and his team set out to create an innovative technology solution capable of saving lives on a daily basis.

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The journey from conception to realization was not without its challenges. Sherizen reflects on the decision to enter the insurtech industry, stating, "We decided to enter the insurtech industry after seeing how our tech saved lives in a shooting situation, and yet we were still struggling to gain mass adoption." Recognizing the pivotal role insurers play in incentivizing adoption, Sherizen sought partnership with several industry partners, including BrokerTech Ventures, to align existing carrier support with broker channel to drive widespread education on the ability of Gabriel to save both costs and lives. 

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A Comprehensive Approach to Safety

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What sets Gabriel apart from its competitors lies in its holistic approach to safety management. "Gabriel is not just a detection capability. It's not just mass notification. Gabriel actually helps manage a scenario in order to stop the chaos and bring about a better ending, faster," explains Sherizen. Moreover, its affordability and ease of implementation make it accessible to a broad audience, democratizing safety in an era fraught with uncertainty.

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At the core of Gabriel's offering are its advanced features tailored to address the pain points of its target market. Threat detection, alerting, and real-time connectivity with responders empower swift and effective interventions, mitigating risks and safeguarding lives. "Gabriel offers threat detection, alerting, and response capabilities. Real-time connectivity with responders, along with providing them with situational awareness and two-way communication inside the scene, allows for instant incident response without waiting for help to arrive from the outside," Sherizen emphasizes. From an insurance perspective, the additional risk management and mitigation that Gabriel provides results in more resilient insureds and lower loss ratios. 

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Driving Innovation Forward

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Innovation is not static. Gabriel continuously evolves, leveraging AI-powered threat detection, smart automation, and IoT sensors to enhance risk management and loss control, all within an easily implemented software solution. Using existing cameras whenever possible, Gabriel aims to reduce the cost of adoption and provide a truly affordable solution; however, the path to progress is not without its obstacles. Sherizen acknowledges the challenge of convincing stakeholders to prioritize safety, stating, "Getting human beings to do the right thing, that will protect their lives and businesses before it's too late, remains a persistent hurdle and one that Gabriel confronts with determination.” 

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Sherizen continues to push Gabriel forward toward widespread adoption. “We put together a world-class set of leaders from the intelligence, law enforcement, technology, insurance, and survivor/activist worlds [to build Gabriel]. We then clocked over 100 customers, and most recently one of our insurance partners bound their first policy that had Gabriel automatically included as part of the cover," Sherizen notes. 

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Successes are also prevalent. Gabriel has been implemented by multiple customers where malicious threats were mitigated. Sherizen shares, “In a recent example at a customer site, Gabriel was able to keep a gunman out of the building, direct everyone inside to safety, aid in an immediate and safe arrest, and the business resumed operations within the hour.”  

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Looking ahead, Gabriel's roadmap is clear: expand partnerships, align with regulatory requirements, and forge ahead in its mission to foster safer spaces for all. With virtually every employer in California being compelled by the California Senate Bill 553 Workplace Violence Prevention to enact workplace safety protocols, Gabriel is poised to play a pivotal role in compliance, while simultaneously creating genuinely safer spaces for employees, customers and business owners. 

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An Open Invitation to Collaborate

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To those eager to help Gabriel evolve, Sherizen extends an open invitation. "We are always eager to hear ideas about where we can help protect your precious people." For those seeking more information or interested in collaboration, Gabriel's communication channels await: visit their website, connect via LinkedIn, or reach out via email. Together, let us embrace the future of safety with Gabriel leading the way.

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