Significant investment will accelerate development and expand Friend MTS’s global footprint
Friend MTS, one of the world’s leading providers of video content and platform security solutions, today announced a significant investment by private equity firm NorthEdge. The investment will enable Friend MTS to further expand its portfolio of class-leading video content security SaaS solutions, and to deliver revenue-securing technology to core markets of sports and media, as well as an ever-widening array of customers across a diverse range of industries.
Friend MTS has chosen to partner with people-led technology investment specialists NorthEdge to accelerate its growth strategy in its current core market, adding to a customer list that includes Sky, UEFA, Serie A, Warner Bros Discovery, Rogers and United Group amongst many other content owners and video platforms, who are all serviced by Friend MTS’s unified global SaaS platform. The new investment will also help drive Friend MTS’s expansion into additional markets.
“The last few years have seen a significant increase in interest around the protection of valuable video content, particularly in traditional video markets such as premium live sports and scripted, on-demand programming,” said Jonathan Friend, Founder and Chief Product Officer at Friend MTS. “This is now expanding across other industries as the use of video becomes more prevalent in non-entertainment verticals, and we’re seeing huge numbers of enquiries from enterprise customers looking to protect sensitive and valuable content. It is vital that we are able to address all of these extremely significant market spaces with partners that share our vision and our passion, and we’re delighted to have found absolutely the right team with NorthEdge.”
Friend MTS becomes the 41st member of the NorthEdge portfolio and represents the 15th technology investment since the firm’s inception in 2012. With a diverse portfolio that encompasses technology, healthcare, specialised industrials and business services NorthEdge brings not only financial investment, but significant expertise in helping organisations to grow organically, with an emphasis on investment in the teams that form the backbone of the organisations to which they bring their experience.
Jon Pickering, Partner and Head of New Investments at NorthEdge said: “Friend MTS is well known and respected as a market leading operator within its sector. We have been hugely impressed by the team’s passion for innovation, as well as their ambitious plans to accelerate growth.
As one of our largest technology deals, it has been fantastic to work alongside the Friend MTS team to develop pioneering plans for future growth. NorthEdge has a great track record of helping UK businesses to flourish internationally and we are looking forward to supporting Friend MTS in its next chapter.”
About Friend MTS
Friend MTS provides content owners, broadcasters and operators with advanced security and platform protection solutions, including forensic watermarking, fingerprint-based content monitoring and network threat intelligence. Friend MTS pioneers the development of content protection solutions that disrupt real-world piracy, safeguard revenues, and help rights holders and service providers to maximise investment in live and on-demand premium content.
Founded in 2000, Friend MTS has offices in Europe and the US serving customers around the world.
About NorthEdge
NorthEdge is a private equity firm headquartered in the North, owned and built by its senior team, supported by a global blue chip investor base. They have £900m AUM across four regionally focused funds.
Headquartered in Manchester, with offices in Leeds and Birmingham, the NorthEdge team have a 25-year track record of investing in businesses with ambitious management teams and significant growth potential. Its current portfolio of 26 businesses employs over 7,400 people.
NorthEdge look to invest in like-minded businesses and management teams who have real ambition and the potential to shape global markets. They back management teams, in the Technology, Healthcare, Business Services and Specialised Industrials sectors, who recognise the value of having an experienced business partner alongside them, supporting them to build a better business.
- The Future of Digital Video Streaming with AI: Unveiling AKTA - September 13, 2023
- Spatial Mic Converter Plugin Updated To Include New Visualization Modes - June 2, 2023
- Sencore Welcomes Chad Hassler as New Vice President of Sales - May 31, 2023
