Liberty Defense CEO Interview, 2023 Profile
A US-based startup, Liberty Defense, released its Hexwave, which, unlike Evolv and other competitors, detects both metallic and non-metallic threats. But what are the company projections, and what can limit the adoption?
IPVM interviewed Liberty Defense's CEO Bill Frain, and asked him about the company's recent developments, product updates, and the company's outlook for the future now that the company has released products.
For more background on the company, see our 2022 profile - Liberty Defense Weapons Detection Profile.
Executive *******
******* ******* ** ************* **** ***** with *** ******* ****** ******* ******* detection ****** *** ** ********** *** units ** *** *** ** ****. While *** ******** *** ******** ********* initiative *** ** ********* ************ *********** with****** ************ ********* ********** *** *******'* **** projections, **** ************* ***********, **** ** screening *** ******* ** "*********** *****" on * ***** **** (***** ******, ankles, *******), *** ***** *** ********. Lastly, *** ******* ** ***** ********** unknown, *** ******** ***** *** ************* with ******** ********* ***** ****.
Changes ** ******* ***********
***** ******* ****, ******** **** ***** **** ******* *******,*** *******'* ******** *******,*******, **** **** * ****-******* ****** to * ****-****-** *** ******* ** the ****** ****-******* *-*************.
******* ** ****** *******'* ******* ******** across **** **** *****, *-************* *** them ********* ** ****** ** ******* the ****** ***** ** *-****** *****, as *** ******* ***** *****:
*********, ******* *** ********** ** ** a ****-******* ****** ******* ** *****, Xtract ***, ***. *******, ** *** CEO ***** **** ****, *** ******* experiences ********** ** ***** * ********* in ****** *** ***** ****-****-** ************* to ** **** *********:
** [******* *******] ****** *** ** from * ******** ***********, *** ****-****-** [configuration].We *** **** ***** **** ** ** **** [*********] ** ****** *** ****** *** *********.
** ****'* ** **** *** ***********, butwe ***** ** **** ********* ** *** ***** **** ** ** *** ****-****-**. [emphasis added]
*******, ****** ******* ******* ****** ** the **** ****, **** ******** **** Hexwave ***** ** "******** ******** *****", an ******* ******** ********* ************ *** screened *****, ** ******* *** ********* process, ** ******* **** ****. **** development ******* *** ******* ** ****** to ** "* *************", * **** closer ** * **** ****-******* *************.
***** *** *** *-************* ******** ********' experience (*** ******** *** *******), *** throughput ** ***** *******, ** *******'* CEO **** **** **** ******* *** "700+" ***/**** **********. **** ** ************* smaller **** *****'* *** ****** ***'* claimed *********** ** ** ***** *,***.
True *********** ************* ** *** **** ** ******
******* *******, *******, **** ** ****** to *** ******* *********** ** * true ****-******* ******, *** *** *** Frain **** **** **** *** ******* is ***** ** ******* **** * configuration ** ******* ** *** **** year.
Challenging ***** ** * ***** ****
*** ** *** **** *********** ******* that *** ******* ***** ** ******** to ***** **** ****-******* ********** ** weapons ********* ** *********** ***** ** the ***** ****, **** ** *** armpits, ***** ******, ***. ** *******'* millimeter **** ******** ****** ** ******* a ***** ****, *********** ******* ********* in ***** ***** *** ** ****** by *** ******.
** *** *-************* *** ****-****-***-** *************, this ** ****** ** *** ***** naturally ******** **** ****** ** ***** body ** *** ******* ***** ** the ******, **** ********** *** *********** of ********* * ****** ******.
*** ******* ******** ** ******* ** how **** ********* ********** **** ** addressed ** *** **** ****-******* *******, so ** ******* ** ** **** if **** **** ** ******. ** not, **** *** **** * *********** threat ** ********** ***** *******.
30 ***** **** ****, *** **** ****
******* ******* *** ******** *******, ** the******* ********* ** **** ****** ****, *** *** ******* ****** *** conservative ********** ** ******** ***** **** IPVM - ** ** **** *** 150 ***** ** ****.
*** *******, *****, ********* *** ******* provider ** ******* ********* *******, ******** 214 ***** ** *** ***** ** months. ***, *** ******* *** *,***+ units ********, ****** *** ***** ** the ****** *******, ********'* ****** **** ******** ************.
Estimated ******* **********
***** ** *******'* ***** ** ~$**,*** one-time ******** *** *** ~**,*** ****** service **** *** *** ********* **** numbers, *** ******* ** ******* ** ~$2.5 ******* ** **** **** ******* sales, *** ~$**.* ******* ** ****, ~$400,000 ** ***** **** ** *** from *** ***** **** ** ****.
TSA ******** ********* **********
* ******** ******** ********* ** *** TSA ********* ** ******** ** ****** their ********* ***** * *** ** opportunities *** *** *******, *** *** CEO ***** ************* **** *********** ** one ** *** "*** *******" *** the *******'* ****** *****:
*** ** ***key ******* behind that is the employee ********* ********** in the US. It really isn't a public document because it's security sensitive, but the TSA ****** * ******* **** *** ********* **** ** ** ******** ******** ********* ** **** ****. And there's a timeline that they have to get to explosive detection capability. So, they have to have a plan in place within 12 months. [emphasis added]
**** ** ********* ******* ** * follow-up ****** ********* *** *** ********** and **** ** ***** *** ******* Defense *** *** ***********.
Distribution *********** **** ****** *********
** *** **** ** ******, *** company ******* ** ********* ************ *********** with****** *********, * ******** ********* ****** ** a *****-******* *********** ****** *****, ** the *** ***** **** ****:
*****'* ** ***** ** ** ***exclusive *********** *** *** ******* for us, for the Americans: US, Latin America, and Canada. And that's for the urban and commercial market. So pretty much everything nonaviation, that they'll be working for us. [emphasis added]
*** **** ********** ** ****** *********, see ********** ********* ** *********** ********** *****.
**** **** ***** ** ** ******** announcement ***** **** *********** ** *** company's *******, *** ****** ** ********* in*******'* ***************** ************.
***** * ****** ***** **** ** the ********, ****** ********* *******'* *********** and ****** **** ****** ****** ** a ****** ** ********* *********, ** Smiths *-*** *** ******** *** ***** used ** *******, ***********, *** ***** high-security **********.
***** **** ***** **** **** ****** and ************ *********, ******* ******* ** still * ******-***** *****, *** **** partnership ** **** ****** ** ************* impact ******* ******** *****.
Future *********** **** ***** *****
******* *** *********** **** ******, ******* Defense ** **** ******* ** * partnership **** ** *-*** **********,***** *****, ** *** ******* **** **. In *** ******** ********, ***** ** known *** *** *-*** *** *** body ********, ***** *** ********* ** a ****** ** ******* *** ***** facilities ** *** **.
*** **** ********** ** *****, *** our******* ********* ** *********** ********** *****.
*******'* *** **** **** *** **** of **** *********** ** ** **** Hexwave ********* ** ****** ************ **** also *** ***** ******** *** ******* and ******** *********:
We ***'* **** * ****** ********* **** **** [***], they did buy a system from us. They had a system for quite a while that they were trialing, and so we've actually carved out in our agreement ... So ** ***** ******* **** **** on some of those applications where we ***** ****** *** ******** *** ********* ****** **** *** ****** ******. So, that's * ****** *********** *** **. [emphasis added]
Courthouses *** *******, *** ********
********* ******** ********* ** ********, ******* Defense *********** ******* *** *********** ** their ******* ****** *******. **** ** a ************* ********* ****** ****** ******** to *********** ********* ** *** *****, such ** *****, ****** ***, ***., as **** ********* ****** *******, ********, and ******* (**** ** ** ********* as **** ****** **** ****-******** ************* and *******/********, *** **** ** *** a **** ***** ** ********* ********* devices).
******* **** *** ************* ***** ********** would ******* **** **** ******* ********* in ****-********** ************ (*.*., ********):
*** ********** ************ *** ******** **** 700+ ****** *** ****. **, ** some ** ***** ***** ***** ***** are ******** ******* *** *,*** ******,we ******'* ** **** ** ******* ** **** ***** unless they wanted to buy multiple machines from us. That's where Evolv *** ****** *** ***** **** ***** ******* ******** [emphasis added]
Cannot **** *** ******* ** ****
*** ******* ********* ** **** **** they *** *** **** ** **** for ****** ******* ** **** *** that **** *** *** ******* ** pursue **** *********** ** *** ******. The ********* ** **** *** ******* in *********, ******, ***., **** ***** potential ******** ** ******* (****** *** schools ** ******** *** ***** ******** bag *********).
**** ********** ** ******* *** ******* devices ** ** ********* ******* ********* obscure * ****** ******, ***** ******* can ******* *** ***** ** * threat ****.
Commercial ***** ********
** **** **** *** *******'* *** cash *********, ******* ******* ** ******** to **** * ********** ***** ** Fall **** *** ** ******* ** raise "** ** $* *******", ** the *** ***** **** ****.
** *** *** ** ** ****, the ******* *** **** $***,*** **** on ****, ********* ** **********'* ** **** *******. ***** **** ***** **** *** company's $** ******* ****** ********,********* ** **** ****, **** **** **** ******* *******.
*** *******, ******* ******* ** * publicly ****** ***** ***** ******* ********* trading ** ~$*.** **** * ~$** million ****** **************.
Team *********
******* *******' ******** ************ ** ************* * ******** *% ******** ** the **** ****, *** *** *** Frain **** ** **** *** ******* will ****** *** **** *** ** expected ** *** *-** ****** ** the **** ** ******.
***** **** ***** **** **** ******* transitioning ** *****, *** ******* **** restructure *** *****, ********* ********** *&* personnel *** ********** *** ****** ** technicians:
*** [** *** ******* ** ****** our ****], *** **'* **** **** of * ***** -downsizing ** *** *********** ***** * ****** ***, more **** **** ******** ***********, ********* ***** ******. Obviously, technicians, now that we're going to be in the field. We **** **'** ***** ** **** ***********. And so we might add 8 ** ** ***** ******** ** *** **** ** ******. [emphasis added]
Evolving *******, ********* **** *********** ***********
***** ******* ******* ** * ***** and ******-***** ******* ******** ** *****, CEIA, ***., ** **** * ***** in *** **** *** "******-*****" ********** that ***** *** ******* ** * favorable ********. *******'* *** **** **** that ********* *** *** ******* *** flares, **** ******, *** ***** ******* that ************ ********* ********* ***** *** consistently ******:
***** *** *********** **** ****** ** metal *********. **, ****'* **** ** our *********. *** ***different ***** ** ******* **** *** *** *****, ****'** ***** ******** ** ****** ... People want to do bad things, they don't stop doing it, so they're gonna get creative with ghost guns, 3D printed guns. We're talking to the major ****** ********** **** *** ******* *** ******, other objects, bear ***** *** *** ********** ******* *********. So, we're ******** ** *** * ***** ****** the ******* ***** ********* and the ******* ** ******* **** ** * ******-***** ********** [emphasis added]
******* *******, ***** ** ****** ******* device, ** ******* ** ********* **** metallic *** ***-******** *******, **** ********* the **** ** ******* **** ** can *********** ******* **** ****** **.
**** ******* ** ****** ***-******** ********** is *** ** *** ******* *** the ******* ******** **** *****, ****** One, ***., ***'* ** ********** *** TSA ******** ********* **********, ** *******'* CEO ****:
*********,you'll **** ** ** **** ********** **** **** ******* *** ***** ******* [to qualify for TSA employee screening]. So the prohibitive items list is a lot bigger, and it ******* **** ********* ********* ** ********* ********* - *******, *******, *** ****. So, from that perspective, the competition, like an Xtract *** ** *****, ******'* ** ******** ** **** *******. [emphasis added]
HD-AIT ** ***-**** ****
******* ** *** *** **** ******* development, ** ******* ** **** ******* on ** ******** ******* ** ********** wave **** ******** **** ** ** airports, ********* ** ** ********* ** May-June ****, ********* ** *******'* ***.
*** ******* ** ******* ** ******** hardware *** ******** ********* **** ***** increase *** ***** **********, ** **** improving *** ********* **********. ********-****, ******* will ******* *** ******** ******* ****** used ** ****** **** ********, ***** in *** ******* *****:
Shoe ******* *******
******, ******* ******* ** ******* ** a **** ******* *** ******* ********* that ***** ***** *** ** **** one's ******** **. **** ******, ******* to **-***, **** **** ** *********** in ******** **********-**** **** ********.
**** ******** "** ***** * ******** for *** *******", ** *** ******* told **, *** **** *** ********** to **** **** *** ******* ********* National ********** (**** **** ******* ******** the **********) ** *** *********** ** the *******. *** ***** ***** **** they ******** * "*** ** ********" in ****** *** *** *******, *** additional ******* **** ******** ********* *** accelerate *** *******.
HD-AIT, **** *******'* ******* ** *******
******* ******* **** *** *** **** 18 ******, *** ******** ** *** revenue **** **** ** **** ******* sales, *** ***** * **/** ***** between ******* *** **-*** ** *********. The **** ******* ******* **** ***** to **** ** ****, ** *** CEO *****.
*****-****, ******* **** **** **** *** identified ~**** **** ******** **** ***** be * **** ** *** **-*** improvement, ** ******** **** ** ********* of ****** **** **** ******** ****, this ***** ****** ** *****-******* ******* for *** *******. ******* *** *** elaborate ** *** ****** ** ********** wave **** ******** **** **** ** improved **** *** **** *******.
** *** ******** ************, *** ******* estimated *** **** ** ************* *** HD-AIT *** **** ******** ** $*** and $*** *******, ************. *** *******, the ******* ********* $*** *******, ***** accounts **** *** *** ******* **** US ********. ** ******* ** ** seen *** **** ******* **** ******* and **** **** *** ******** ***** within *** ***** *******.
*******
*** **********, *********** **** ******, *** potential *********** **** ***** *** ******* that *** *** ******* ** * favorable ******** ** **** ***** *** build ***** *********** *** *****. *******, there ** * *********** ******** ** how ******* ***** *** **** ** the ******* **** ** ******** ********** and ******* *** ********* ** "*********** areas" ** *** ***** ****.