- BIO-key's PortalGuard Solution Delivers Secure
Multi-Factor Authentication without Requiring Phones or Tokens -

FRESNO, Calif. and HOLMDEL, N.J., March 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIO-key^® International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BKYI), an innovative provider of workforce and customer Identity and Access Management (IAM) software for phoneless, tokenless, passwordless, and phishing-resistant authentication experiences, announced today a new partnership and Joint Purchase Agreement (JPA) with California's Education Technology Joint Powers Authority (Ed Tech JPA), an alliance of 195 K-12 schools and school districts serving over 2.6 million students. BIO-key's PortalGuard Platform was accepted as an approved identity management solution by the Ed Tech JPA following an extensive Request for Proposal (RFP) and review process. Considering California's growing regulatory limitations on the use of personal mobile devices in schools, PortalGuard's phone-less and tokenless authentication options stand as competitive differentiators among Multi-Factor Authentication solutions that center on phone authenticators and hardware security keys.

California's Ed Tech JPA centralizes software and technology procurement for member schools and school districts, saving time and resources and ensuring compliance with data privacy and public bidding laws. Following its review and approval, PortalGuard is now available and easily accessible to all Ed Tech JPA members across the state at aggressive pricing and standardized licensing terms for streamlined procurement.

The Ed Tech JPA conducts extensive technical, capabilities, safety, and privacy reviews, negotiates competitive contract terms, and ensures all vendors execute a Student Data Privacy Agreement. By combining and coordinating the product review and approval process, the Ed Tech JPA provides access to an approved assortment of high-quality digital products and services and enables approved vendors to offer their solutions to Ed Tech JPA members via an easy-to-use web portal.

BIO-key solutions have long held a competitive advantage for user journeys where the use of cellphones for authentication or system access is either inconvenient, limited or prohibited, as is increasingly the case in California schools and workplaces in general. For example, in September 2024, California enacted the Phone-Free Schools Act (AB-1326) mandating policies that limit or prohibit smartphone use in schools by July 1, 2026. Additionally, California's Labor Code § 2802 requires employers to reimburse employees for personal phone use. PortalGuard offers several elegant alternative authentication options that eliminate the need for phones.

This partnership with Ed Tech JPA will ensure access for member institutions to BIO-key's PortalGuard platform which provides a comprehensive identity provider (IdP) and multi-factor authentication solution, enabling students, teachers, and staff to enjoy a seamless login experience across multiple applications while safeguarding sensitive educational data from unauthorized access. With PortalGuard, member institutions can utilize up to seventeen authentication methods, including privacy-law-compliant biometrics, challenge-response, tokens and door access cards to offer users flexible login options while enhancing the security of their digital resources.

"We are excited to partner with Ed Tech JPA to provide their members access to PortalGuard's proven IAM capabilities," said Mark Cochran, President of BIO-key's PortalGuard division. "For over 20 years, BIO-key has built a strong track record delivering enterprise-grade IAM security solutions to meet the unique "roving user" needs of educational institutions nationwide. Our solutions are used for school lunch payments, library access, and school bus tracking because they don't require students to carry anything or prove who they are to access them. After ten years of partnering with the California Community Colleges and its 116 member institutions, serving 2.1 million students, we are eager to extend PortalGuard benefits to Ed Tech JPA members."

About Ed Tech Joint Powers Authority (www.edtechjpa.org)

The Ed Tech JPA aims to streamline procurement, provide competitive pricing, and secure favorable technology contracts for educational agencies and other eligible entities. The Ed Tech JPA is supported by seven founding entities, including Capistrano Unified School District, Clovis Unified School District, Fullerton School District, El Dorado County Office of Education, Irvine Unified School District, San Juan Unified School District, and San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The founding members coordinate consortium purchases of high-quality products and services to benefit all current and potential member agencies.

About BIO-key International, Inc. (www.BIO-key.com)

BIO-key is revolutionizing authentication and cybersecurity with biometric-centric, multi-factor identity and access management (IAM) software securing access for over forty million users. BIO-key allows customers to choose the right authentication factors for diverse use cases, including phoneless, tokenless, and passwordless biometric options. Its cloud-hosted or on-premise PortalGuard IAM solution provides cost-effective, easy-to-deploy, convenient, and secure access to computers, information, applications, and high-value transactions.

BIO-key Safe Harbor Statement

All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "Act"). The words "estimate," "project," "intends," "expects," "anticipates," "believes" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management pursuant to the "safe-harbor" provisions of the Act. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those included within or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include factors set forth under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and other filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Investor Contacts
William Jones, David Collins
Catalyst IR
BKYI@catalyst-ir.com or 212-924-9800