FotoWare acquires Buildpix AB and strengthens its position the Nordics

Picture: Christer Strandberg, CEO of Buildpix and Anne Gretland, CEO of FotoWare

Since Viking Venture came on board as new owners in June 2020, FotoWare has been actively looking to find companies that complement their Digital Asset Management solutions. With the acquisition of Buildpix AB, FotoWare takes market shares in Sweden and strengthens the delivery apparatus towards existing customers, especially within media and retail.

– The acquisition of Buildpix AB strengthens our position in the media and entertainment segment as well as the retail segment. This is a strategically important investment for us as the feedback from the market shows that the need for management and intelligent use of media files are increasing. Ensuring brand consistency by connecting product images with product information, regardless of country or channel, is just one key example. With Buildpix onboard, we will continue to innovate and meet the need of these segments with both technology and expertise, says Anne Gretland, CEO of FotoWare.

Buildpix has provided FotoWare Digital Asset Management solutions to mainly the media and retail industries for 18 years and sees the merger with FotoWare as a unique opportunity to continue to strengthen the delivery of Digital Asset Management in the Nordic region in particular.

Content production grows exponentially and demands more control

– FotoWare has a leading position within the Digital Asset Management (DAM) space and the acquisition of Buildpix will significantly strengthen FotoWare’s position in the Nordics. We are pleased to see FotoWare’s first acquisition go through, which is an important part of the company’s growth strategy. Viking Venture is excited to continue this journey together with FotoWare, says Jostein Vik, Partner at Viking Venture and Chairman of the board at FotoWare.

FotoWare sees an exponential increase in digital content production year over year. To manage this in a cost-effective and productive way, you need to have software that ensures that you have good control over licensing and rights, what can be used where, and automated workflows where you can, among other things, approve the use of files or add information that accompanies the file wherever it is located.

– We can draw parallels to how CRM developed from being a system that only the largest companies saw the need to invest in, to now where everyone has a need to have a good overview and control of customers and contracts. We anticipate the same journey for FotoWare and Digital Asset Management as an industry, and FotoWare will continue to be at the forefront and be a driver for innovation, Anne Gretland says.

Unique expertise within the media and retail segments

– With our unique expertise in FotoWare’s Digital Asset Management solutions, especially within the media and retail segments, we are really looking forward to being part of FotoWare. We will be able to utilize the synergies we have had as a partner of FotoWare even more closely and replicate much of the success we have had in Sweden in several countries. Being able to help a customer set up good integrations with their product information system to increase speed-to-market in a seamless and efficient way is, among other things, something I look forward to working with, says Christer Strandberg, former CEO of Buildpix.

Christer Strandberg is now entering a role as manager for the Services department in FotoWare and highlights that it’s a privilege for him to continue working with the customers who have been with Buildpix AB for so many years. Continuing to deliver great customer experiences is something he is passionate about and being able to do so in an even greater extent as part of a larger company is very motivating, he says.

Christer Strandberg brings with him four employees, all of whom have high technical competence that further strengthens the delivery apparatus in FotoWare.

The use of Digital Asset Management solutions is widespread in the media industry where FotoWare has its origins, but the demand for DAM solutions is growing strongly regardless of industry, says CEO of FotoWare, Anne Gretland.

Buildpix AB officially became part of FotoWare on January 1st, 2021.

About FotoWare
FotoWare is a Norwegian software company that helps businesses and organizations store, administer, use, and share their digital files effectively through their Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution. With more than 20 years of experience, FotoWare has become a leading provider of DAM-solutions and is well established in the international market with customers including The Financial Times, Volkswagen, The White House Historical Association, The Economist, Metropolitan Police and over 4 000 more.
Today, FotoWare has more than 50 employees from 14 different nationalities, working in Norway, Sweden, and Australia. In 2020 FotoWare was awarded as one of the best places to work in Norway and Europe by Great Place to Work. FotoWare has a solid network, with reselling partners in 34 different countries, and FotoWare is a Microsoft Gold Partner.

About Buildpix
Buildpix AB together with our partner FotoWare AS is one of the leading companies in the market segment for handling digital assets in the form of images, text, graphics, PDF and moving images. Together with FotoWare and their cloud service in Microsoft Azure, we can offer a high level of security for operation and storage of digital assets.