BiometricsFrancisco Partners acquires biometrics provider Cross Match Technologies

Francisco Partners, a technology-focused private equity firm, announced the acquisition of Cross Match Technologies, Inc., a provider of high-quality, interoperable biometric identity management systems, applications, and services.

“Cross Match has a long history of innovation and has secured significant contracts with the most discerning government clients,” said Keith Geeslin, a partner at Francisco Partners. “Biometric technology is growing in importance, and Cross Match, with its strong management team and quality brand, is in an excellent position to capitalize on this growth.”

Founded in 1996, Cross Match’s offerings include a range of multimodal biometric solutions, which are used to capture and process the physiological characteristics of individuals to verify their identities. The company has more than 5,000 customers worldwide and over 250,000 products deployed in more than eighty countries. Cross Match’s customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. State Department, and various state and local governments; as well as numerous foreign governments and law enforcement agencies. It also provides biometric solutions to customers in transportation, critical infrastructure, financial services, education, and healthcare sectors.

“There is a growing global need for biometric tools to address a range of civil, defense, and local law enforcement issues,” said Cross Match president and CEO David Buckley. “Cross Match is well-positioned through our work with governments and law enforcement organizations around the world to deliver these solutions. We look forward to working closely with Francisco Partners to further develop our technologies to meet these important market requirements.”

As part of the deal, Smiths Group has sold its minority stake in Cross Match for $77 million to Francisco Partners.