Digimarc deal will help AlpVision tackle US market

Swiss brand protection specialist AlpVision has formed an alliance with Digimarc Corp that it says will provide a 'gateway' into the US market.

The two companies have entered into a worldwide, royalty-bearing license agreement in which Digimarc will help AlpVision grow its invisible digital marking technology business in the USA, including assistance in the opening of a US office and marketing activities.

With sales of a little over $19m last year, Digimarc was set up to focus on digital watermarking of images, but has progressively expanded its scope in recent years through partnerships with other technology providers. Its portfolio now covers protection of audiovisual materials, documents and online brand integrity, amongst other applications.

"AlpVision is a great addition to our business partner network," said Digimarc's chief executive Bruce Davis in the firm's first-quarter results conference call earlier this week.

"This remarkable young company has built a profitable high growth business using digital watermarking and related technologies to reduce counterfeiting and grey market sales of packaged goods," he added.

Meanwhile, AlpVision believes Digimarc has technologies which sit well alongside its current portfolio, which includes solutions for invisibly marking primary and secondary packaging (Cryptoglyph), 'fingerprinting' solid items such as tablets and online brand authentication tools (Krypsos).

"Digimarc's patent portfolio features a number of very valuable approaches to support our goal of providing novel, innovative technologies, products, and services to our customers in the US and around the world," commented the firm's CEO, Fred Jordan.


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