Netkey

Netkey originated in 1983 at Yale University’s Science Park technology incubator, where Alex Richardson founded the company under the name Lexitech. The early business developed technology for interactive and self-service applications. Over time, its focus moved toward software that could support kiosk deployments and other distributed interactive installations. In 2000, following a substantial venture-capital investment from five institutional firms, Richardson renamed Lexitech Netkey. The rebranding accompanied a broader organizational build-out. Richardson established a software-development center, assembled an operational management team, recruited a board and advisory board, and created direct and indirect sales channels intended to support customers internationally. He also established an intellectual-property program; reference material credits him as co-holder of two multi-channel technology patents. Netkey was subsequently awarded three patents related to kiosk software technology. The company’s core platform combined several layers. Packaged applications supported particular kiosk and interactive-use cases, while an integrated development environment enabled applications to be assembled or configured. Server software supplied centralized administration for distributed installations, including remote monitoring, content management, scheduling, data and usage capture, and reporting. This architecture was complemented by professional services covering business consulting, installation, configuration, customization, and application design. Netkey gained recognition in the kiosk industry during the 2000s. In 2002, Frost & Sullivan identified it as a premier kiosk-software provider and described it as a market-share and technology leader. The company also developed interactive store-window innovations. Richardson was inducted into the Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame in 2006 and received the Kioskcom Kiosk Innovator of the Year award in 2007. Netkey expanded beyond kiosk applications into digital signage through its 2007 acquisition of Webpavement. The transaction added digital-signage software expertise and broadened the company’s relevance to customers managing interactive displays and scheduled content across multiple locations. The company served a varied customer base. Reported users included Bally Total Fitness, Big Y, Toys R Us, Cabela’s, Carnival Cruise Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hot Topic, Menards, Pitney Bowes, Swift Transportation, Target, and the United States Postal Service. These customers represented retail, fitness, travel, financial services, logistics, and public-sector use cases. On November 2, 2009, NCR Corporation announced its purchase of Netkey. The acquisition connected Netkey’s kiosk and digital-signage software with NCR’s larger portfolio of customer-facing and transaction technologies. Available reference material does not provide a later, definitive account of whether Netkey continued as a separately operated brand, was fully integrated into NCR, or remained active under another commercial designation. Accordingly, the standalone status of Netkey is recorded as unknown.

• 2009

  NCR Corporation purchases Netkey

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  NCR Corporation announced the purchase of Netkey on November 2, 2009.

• 2007

  Webpavement acquisition and innovation award

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  Netkey acquired digital-signage software provider Webpavement. In the same year, Richardson received the Kioskcom Kiosk Innovator of the Year award for interactive store-window innovations.

• 2006

  Richardson enters the Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  Founder Alex Richardson was inducted into the Kiosk Industry Hall of Fame.

• 2002

  Industry leadership recognition

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  Frost & Sullivan recognized Netkey as a premier kiosk-software provider and identified it as a market-share and technology leader.

• 2000

  Lexitech is renamed Netkey

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  After raising venture capital from five institutional firms, Alex Richardson changed the company’s name from Lexitech to Netkey and expanded its organizational, sales, and intellectual-property infrastructure.

• 1983

  Lexitech is founded

  [1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  Alex Richardson founded the company at Yale University’s Science Park technology incubator under the original name Lexitech.

Enterprise software platform for building, deploying, and centrally managing self-service kiosks and digital-signage networks.

• Self-service kiosk software

  Kiosk application suite

  Netkey’s packaged kiosk applications supported interactive self-service experiences for retail, government, financial, transportation, and other enterprise environments. The software was designed to run customer-facing applications on dedicated kiosk terminals and could be supported by Netkey’s configuration and customization services.

• Application development tools

  Integrated development environment

  The Netkey suite included an integrated development environment used to assemble kiosk applications. It provided a structured way for organizations and implementation partners to configure or build interactive experiences without treating every deployment as an entirely separate software project.

• Kiosk and digital-signage management

  Server software

  Netkey’s server software centrally managed distributed kiosk and digital-signage installations. Its capabilities included remote monitoring, content management, scheduling, usage and data capture, and reporting, allowing enterprise operators to administer networks of devices from a central system.

• Technology implementation services

  Professional services

  Netkey’s professional-services group provided business consulting, software configuration and installation, customization, and application design. These services complemented the software platform by helping customers adapt kiosk and digital-signage deployments to particular operational and customer-experience requirements.

• 2009

  Sale to NCR CorporationM&A

  Background

  NCR Corporation purchased Netkey to add kiosk and digital-signage software capabilities to its broader customer-facing technology portfolio.

  Action taken

  NCR Corporation announced its purchase of Netkey on November 2, 2009.

  Aftermath

  Netkey became part of NCR’s business context, although the available reference material does not establish the later status of the Netkey brand as an independent entity.

  Source

• 2007

  Acquisition of WebpavementM&A

  Background

  Netkey sought to broaden its technology portfolio beyond kiosk applications into digital-signage software.

  Action taken

  Netkey acquired Webpavement, a provider of digital-signage software.

  Aftermath

  The acquisition expanded Netkey’s digital-signage capabilities and supported its positioning as a provider of software for both interactive kiosks and managed displays.

  Source

• 2000

  Rebrand from Lexitech to NetkeyStrategy

  Background

  The company changed its name after raising substantial venture capital from five institutional investors and while expanding its development, management, governance, sales, and intellectual-property operations.

  Action taken

  Alex Richardson renamed Lexitech Netkey and built a broader operating and commercial structure around the company’s kiosk-software business.

  Aftermath

  Netkey continued developing software for self-service kiosks and later expanded into digital signage.

  Source

• 2009

  NCR Corporation purchases Netkey[1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  NCR Corporation announced on November 2, 2009 that it had purchased Netkey, bringing Netkey’s kiosk and digital-signage software capabilities into NCR’s broader technology portfolio.

• 2007

  Netkey acquires Webpavement[1]Netkeyen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Netkey acquired Webpavement, a provider of digital-signage software, strengthening its activities in managed digital displays.

1. 1Netkeyen.wikipedia.org