Kairos and founder Brain Brackeen settle lawsuits against each other

Facial recognition provider Kairos and Founder Brian Brackeen have reached a settlement in their respective lawsuits against each other, dropping all claims and allowing Brackeen to continue to be recognized as the biometrics company’s founder.

“We are pleased to be putting this episode behind us, and the opportunity to keep the business focused on growth,” Doval said in a joint announcement. “We thank Mr. Brackeen for working towards a resolution, and wish him the best for his future endeavors.”

The lawsuits stemmed from Brackeen’s acrimonious departure, which first came to light last October, with what the company characterized as a cash crunch caused by the former CEO, and Brackeen told Biometric Update was a “classic coup.”

The dispute took a troublesome turn when Brackeen alleged that different priorities for avoiding bias and selling facial recognition to law enforcement were part of the problem, but new CEO Melissa Doval reaffirmed the company’s ethical commitments as it announced it had secured a $4 million investment in February.

Brackeen now serves as Managing Partner of Lightship Capital.

“I have become the investor I didn’t have enough of…founder focused, principled, and growth minded,” Brackeen told TechCrunch in an email. “Our firm puts founder support at the front of our thinking because we know what happens to shareholder value when you don’t. That’s the blessing that’s come from this chapter in my life. On to the next!”

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Brian Brackeen  |  facial recognition  |  Kairos  |  lawsuit