Milestone Creates Incubations and Ventures Unit In Silicon Valley

  • Sep 04, 2012

Milestone Systems, the open platform company for IP video management software (VMS), will heighten its focus on development by starting up a new international business unit, Incubation and Ventures, with locations in Silicon Valley, California, and at the Danish headquarters. The goal is to develop new products and services with high potential for market superiority and differentiation, to achieve additional growth by cultivating new Milestone ventures.

To steer the new initiatives, Milestone has hired an experienced strategist, Lars Nordenlund Friis, as vice president for incubation and ventures.

"The Incubation and Ventures business unit will work with groundbreaking innovations that can extend Milestone’s leadership in the industry and accelerate our growth. The team will work with a portfolio process that covers new business areas where we see high potential and integrate these into our main business as they mature. This requires taking a broad view across new technologies and business segments that will continue to build the Milestone vision to enable business optimization through open platform IP video surveillance," says Lars Thinggaard, CEO & president, Milestone Systems.

The term "Incubation" relates to organic product innovations that can be developed and taken to commercial success, and "Ventures" signals the intention to build a portfolio of stand-alone businesses, joint partnership ventures or potential mergers and acquisitions, with or without external funding.

"Milestone has always had a strong focus on long-term growth and that is why we have been successful the past 14 years. We will now be investing in exciting new initiatives," says John Blem, Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Milestone Systems. "We have brought in an experienced person to run the Incubation and Ventures unit with knowledge of international business development and global expansions; I believe that Lars Nordenlund Friis is exactly the right man to help Milestone continue as the world’s leading provider of IP video management software."

Lars Nordenlund Friis has an MBA from Henley in London. He has been Head of Strategy in Northern Europe for PwC, a partner at PA Consulting, and spent six years at Microsoft in Seattle leading their global ISV (Independent Software Vendor) business, as well as being responsible for global business development at Columbus IT and other technology companies.

The Milestone Incubation and Ventures business unit will identify new opportunities in the markets, build up strategic partnerships and take in the most lucrative potential initiatives with the intention to integrate with the core business of the company.

"We are already looking at undiscovered markets and innovative technologies that can increase Milestone’s growth across software and hardware, as well as exploring the potential of cloud services. We will also look at possible acquisitions of exciting products or new business areas for expansion," says Lars Nordenlund Friis, Vice President for Incubation and Ventures.

The Milestone Incubation and Ventures unit will also involve strategic collaborations on interesting projects with business and financial partners. A new office location in Silicon Valley will ensure access to the world’s high technology innovation center with its networks and resources drawing on the IT industry’s front-runners.

"Milestone is in a league of its own for global open platform IP video software: I look forward to driving a portfolio of exciting new opportunities and maturing them to scale worldwide. I plan to contribute up to 25 percent of Milestone’s growth in the long run," concludes Nordenlund Friis.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.