Across industries, from schools to cities to commercial real estate, physical security and cybersecurity are no longer separate conversations. The need to protect both the digital and physical perimeter has created an urgent demand for integrated solutions.
According to Grand View Research, the U.S. cyber intrusion protection market will reach $2.9 billion by 2030. The U.S. access control market is projected to grow to nearly $4.7 billion by then, per Mordor Intelligence. Combined, that’s a $7.6 billion opportunity in the U.S. alone. Globally, the figure exceeds $24 billion by 2030, per Taiwan News.
Example Segment: Access Control Meets Intrusion Protection
Let’s explore two converging technology domains that demonstrate this shift:
| Segment | Description | Example Companies |
|---|---|---|
| Access Control (Physical) | Hardware + software to secure physical spaces and infrastructure | HID Global, LenelS2 (Carrier), Johnson Controls, Honeywell, ZKTeco |
| Intrusion Protection (Cyber) | AI-driven threat detection and breach prevention tools | Coro, Darktrace, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Trend Micro |
Companies like Coro and Darktrace are particularly relevant here. Their AI-based platforms can detect anomalies in real-time, providing an essential layer of defense that complements physical access systems.
“With 73% of IT professionals missing critical cybersecurity alerts due to heavy workloads, automation isn’t optional; it’s essential. Coro offloads labor intensive cybersecurity tasks from people to machines, so IT can focus on what matters most,” said Joe Sykora, CEO of Coro.
Use Case Spotlight: The Public Sector
Let’s take a typical municipality or school district. They often need:
- Badge-based or biometric access control
- Integrated video surveillance and alarm systems
- Endpoint and email protection
- Centralized alerting and response platforms
Increasingly, these requirements are bundled under a single contract, making it critical for channel partners to deliver an end-to-end solution — one that spans both physical and cyber needs.
Jeff Mesnik
What’s Holding Back the Channel?
The right capabilities exist, but they’re often spread across different partners:
- Physical security dealers own local public sector relationships.
- MSSPs manage cyber infrastructure and monitoring.
Yet, these partners rarely collaborate. That’s where the gap lies.
The Future Requires Smarter Partner Collaboration
To close the gap, the channel needs:
- Persona-based Partner Discovery: Match physical dealers with MSSPs who serve the same vertical or region.
- Buyer Intent Visibility: Know when a public-sector buyer is engaging with security content.
- AI-guided Co-sell Motions: Automatically introduce partners to close deals faster.
This isn’t just matchmaking. It’s revenue acceleration through intelligent collaboration.
“To capitalize on this opportunity, partners must embrace smarter collaboration, leveraging AI-driven tools and unified strategies to meet the growing demand for integrated security solutions across industries,” said Jay McBain, chief analyst – channels, partnerships & ecosystems for Canalys, part of Omdia.
Final Thoughts
Access control and intrusion protection are just one example of how the channel must evolve to meet modern buyer expectations.
Whether it’s in education, healthcare, public sector, or commercial real estate, buyers are consolidating security under unified strategies. The vendors and partners who work together seamlessly will be the ones who win.
Let’s ensure the channel is ready.
Jeff Mesnik is founder and president of ContentMX LLC. The company is uniquely positioned to support the physical and digital security convergence. Its platform actively captures buyer intent, and builds both buyer and partner personas. It then uses that intelligence to enable partner-to-partner collaboration.
Featured image: iStock
