Written by Jordan French on 11/11/25
As digital infrastructure grows more interconnected, the boundaries between AI, IoT, and even blockchain are starting to blur. Each relies on the same underlying principle: distributed systems must be designed to function reliably, securely, and at scale.
Evgeny Bereza, Head of Development at Gatewise, operates at that intersection. His work focuses on building systems where hardware, software, and data integrity align, a challenge that resonates deeply with the issues the crypto and Web3 sectors continue to confront.
The AI industry currently commands significant investor and public attention, with some speculating about a potential “bubble burst.” But as with blockchain a decade ago, the real question isn’t about market cycles but about which technologies will endure once the hype fades. In both spaces, lasting value comes from the same thing: systems that can be trusted to work under pressure, across networks, and over time.
Even with massive investment flowing into AI, IoT, and decentralized technologies, many organizations still grapple with foundational issues: years of accumulated technical debt, outdated infrastructure, and a shortage of engineers capable of seeing the whole system, not just the code. That’s where Bereza’s approach stands out.
His perspective reflects the mindset of an architect rather than a coder: technology must not only perform in theory but prove resilient in production. Whether in smart access control or digital asset infrastructure, the goal is the same: to create systems that people can depend on without needing to understand every layer underneath.
Evgeny Bereza, a Senior Member of the IEEE with over 14 years in the IT industry, has built his reputation around that principle. At Gatewise, his leadership helped turn a struggling IoT product into a globally recognized platform for intelligent access control, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Allegion, a global leader in security technologies.
From Developer to Architect
Evgeny began his professional career in the early 2010s, during a period of rapid growth in Israel’s tech sector. The industry was shifting from small, fast-moving startups to more mature and complex technological environments.
At the time, Evgeny worked in a completely different field, and programming was only a personal hobby. He nonetheless opted for a career shift. After starting out as a developer, he quickly realized that his interest went beyond writing code — he wanted to understand how entire systems work and how complex solutions are built from scratch. Recognizing his ambition to advance swiftly, he focused on rapidly developing his technical skills and acquiring the ability to solve real-world business challenges.
“I’ve always believed that an engineer must think one level above the task, understanding how each decision affects the resilience of the entire system,” says Bereza.
This mindset quickly moved him beyond the role of a typical developer. At Affilomania, he took on his first leadership role, learning that guiding people and coordinating processes demands the same level of clarity and discipline as software development. This experience became a cornerstone of his future career advancement.
Breakthrough Under Pressure: Globalbit and National Projects
A major milestone in Bereza’s career was his work at Globalbit, an Israeli tech company specializing in enterprise solutions, automation systems, and AI-driven products.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was tasked by the government with building the digital infrastructure for a rapid-testing system at Ben Gurion International Airport. The project, later called Check2Fly, was launched in a mere 30 days, an unusually fast timeline for a national IT system that had to connect laboratories, airlines, and airport services.
The architecture developed by Evgeny enabled full automation of the entire flow: from online test registration to transferring medical data into the flight control system. His team implemented a machine-learning algorithm that analyzed test results to detect incorrect or suspicious data, ensuring more than 96% accuracy and eliminating human error.
“The realization that the speed and quality of our work directly influenced the country’s ability to reopen its borders fundamentally transformed the meaning of our efforts,” he recalls.
The project received international media attention and solidified Bereza’s reputation as a specialist capable of merging innovation with operational reliability.
Managing Transformation: The Walla! Experience
In 2022–2023, Evgeny became Head of R&D at Walla!, one of Israel’s largest media platforms.
At the time, the company faced a serious technological challenge: its decade-old platform architecture could no longer handle growing traffic and multimedia demands. Bereza noted, “Every update became a risk — the system needed reconstruction, not cosmetic fixes.”
Under his guidance, Walla! successfully migrated from AWS to Google Cloud – a transition that streamlined internal processes, achieved a roughly 20% reduction in server costs, and maintained the uninterrupted operation of the company’s news services, video platforms, and analytics tools. Even during traffic spikes driven by major national events, the systems continued to run without disruption.
At the same time, he built an entirely new engineering division from the ground up, bringing together a team of 20 specialists in DevOps, backend and frontend development, cloud technologies, and cybersecurity. This team became a central force behind the company’s technical transformation. Within months, the division became the company’s primary technological engine, enabling faster releases, greater resilience, and a flexible update system. Bereza calls this period “the second birth” of his management philosophy:
“When a team is built from people with different approaches, your role isn’t just to manage — it’s to build trust and a system where everyone understands why they’re here.”
Gatewise: Building From Scratch and Reaching the Global Market
In early 2024, Evgeny joined Gatewise, a U.S. company that provides smart access control solutions for residential communities.
At that time, the project was in serious difficulty after eight months of unsuccessful outsourcing: processes were undefined, the system architecture had major issues, and the product release remained stalled.
Over the following year, Bereza built an in-house R&D team in Israel and developed nine core products, from Tap to Open to the LPR Camera module.
Under his leadership, Gatewise became one of the technological leaders in the smart access control industry and attracted the attention of the global security giant Allegion plc, whose market capitalization exceeds $10 billion (Nasdaq data).
“Building R&D from scratch isn’t about technology — it’s about culture. If the team doesn’t believe in the product, no architecture will save it.”
This blend of engineering accuracy and focus on people became the hallmark of his management style. Gatewise’s products are now regarded as benchmarks of reliability and efficiency in intelligent access systems.
Industry Contribution and Professional Recognition
Evgeny Bereza’s achievements demonstrate how engineering thinking can move beyond code, creating systems where innovation becomes sustainable. He has established himself not only as the creator of world-class technological solutions but also as a builder of teams and processes that enable company growth and industry transformation.
In early 2025, he was admitted to the IEEE as a Senior Member, one of the highest recognitions for engineers and technology leaders.
The IEEE brings together more than 400,000 engineers around the world and sets many of the standards the tech industry relies on. Earning Senior Member status is reserved for those who have made notable engineering contributions and shown a clear impact in their field.
Beyond his daily responsibilities, Bereza has actively engaged in writing articles and analytical pieces on machine learning, team leadership, and data security, while also sharing his practical insights with the professional community. His work appears in international outlets and academic journals, including American Scientific Journal and World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews.
Today, Evgeny continues to lead development efforts at Gatewise, now part of Allegion’s global ecosystem. His mission remains the same: advancing IoT and AI technologies to create human–infrastructure interactions that are intuitive, reliable, and secure.
