Softpro
Encyclopedia
The Softpro Group is a specialized vendor in the niche of systems for capture and verification of handwritten signatures - one segment of Biometrics
.
The company is based in Böblingen
, Germany
with local subsidiaries in North America (Bear, Delaware
), the United Kingdom (London
), and Asia-Pacific (Singapore
). The group employs an international staff of 60 people.
The "eSign Workflow" product line provides solutions for securing the authenticity and integrity of documents within electronic processes, such as those required for legal contracts. For this purpose, a unique signature technology is used to extract and evaluate both the static and dynamic (biometric) characteristics of handwritten signatures.
"Fraud Prevention Solutions" allow to detect and prevent fraud in paper-based processes (such as payment transactions, in particular cheque fraud), as well as increasing operational efficiency using signature management and verification solutions.
's labs in nearby Schönaich and APP Informatik Davos from Switzerland. The automatic verification is based on a neural network and fuzzy logic. The first automatic verification went into production in 1994 at Credit Suisse
. Intellectual property rights for the automatic signature verification were acquired from IBM in 1998.
In recent years SOFTPRO extended its product range through a check fraud prevention suite branded FraudOne and products to create electronic signatures based on the use and verification of dynamic (biometric) characteristics of signatures.
Alain Sarraf was named new Chief technical officer
in April 2008
and AdCapital have sold their shares in SOFTPRO in August 2009.
Biometrics
Biometrics As Jain & Ross point out, "the term biometric authentication is perhaps more appropriate than biometrics since the latter has been historically used in the field of statistics to refer to the analysis of biological data [36]" . consists of methods...
.
The company is based in Böblingen
Böblingen
Böblingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, seat of Böblingen District. Physically Sindelfingen and Böblingen are continuous.-History:Böblingen was founded by Count Wilhelm von Tübingen-Böblingen in 1253. Württemberg acquired the town in 1357, and on 12 May 1525 one of the bloodiest battles...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with local subsidiaries in North America (Bear, Delaware
Bear, Delaware
Bear is a census-designated place in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 17,593 at the 2000 census.Originally a small crossroads in a rural area south of Wilmington, the area supported small farms growing mainly corn and cattle...
), the United Kingdom (London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
), and Asia-Pacific (Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
). The group employs an international staff of 60 people.
Products
Softpro has two major product divisions: the "eSign Workflow" and "Fraud Prevention Solutions"The "eSign Workflow" product line provides solutions for securing the authenticity and integrity of documents within electronic processes, such as those required for legal contracts. For this purpose, a unique signature technology is used to extract and evaluate both the static and dynamic (biometric) characteristics of handwritten signatures.
- Software Development Kit SignWare
- Document Security Software SignDoc
- Signature Capturing Device SignPad
"Fraud Prevention Solutions" allow to detect and prevent fraud in paper-based processes (such as payment transactions, in particular cheque fraud), as well as increasing operational efficiency using signature management and verification solutions.
- Signature Database SignBase
- Automatic Signature Verification SignCheck
Company history
The company was founded in 1983 by Heinz Reschke. It initially developed individual software solutions for various industries. Visual comparison of signatures supported by PCs was started in 1987, triggered by growing demand from major financial institutions. Shortly afterwards the development of automatic signature verification started along with IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
's labs in nearby Schönaich and APP Informatik Davos from Switzerland. The automatic verification is based on a neural network and fuzzy logic. The first automatic verification went into production in 1994 at Credit Suisse
Credit Suisse
The Credit Suisse Group AG is a Swiss multinational financial services company headquartered in Zurich, with more than 250 branches in Switzerland and operations in more than 50 countries.-History:...
. Intellectual property rights for the automatic signature verification were acquired from IBM in 1998.
In recent years SOFTPRO extended its product range through a check fraud prevention suite branded FraudOne and products to create electronic signatures based on the use and verification of dynamic (biometric) characteristics of signatures.
Management
Founder Heinz Reschke returned as CEO in early 2008.Alain Sarraf was named new Chief technical officer
Chief technical officer
A chief technology officer is an executive-level position in a company or other entity whose occupant is focused on scientific and technological issues within an organization....
in April 2008
Shareholders
Founders and management. GE CapitalGE Capital
GE Capital is the financial services unit of General Electric, one of five major units. Its various divisions include GE Capital Aviation Services, GE Capital Real Estate, GE Energy Financial Services and GE Money....
and AdCapital have sold their shares in SOFTPRO in August 2009.
External links
- Company website
- Info Security Magazine: SOFTPRO customer CECA receives TeleTrusT Innovation Award 2009 for E-Signing in Spanish Savings Banks 2009-10-14
- INTERPOL to set global standard in travel document security with new e-passport initiative 2009-09-21
- Bank Systems & Technology: Evolving Fraud Schemes Keep Pressure on Evolving Payments Instruments 2009-08-27 (The article quotes KeyBank about Softpro's Check Fraud Prevention Solutions)
- Financial Services Technology: Taking signatures seriously 2009-05
- Adobe: Description of partners for security software
- World of Photonics: The usage of handwritten biometric signatures in the digital world and its implications
- Newsdesk Sweden: Wacom LCD-signaturplatta: Säker lösning för digitala signaturer på Berliner Sparkasse 2007-11-01
- Analyst Frost and Sullivan about SOFTPRO 2007-10-17
- Microsoft: Microsoft Announces Winners of Tablet PC Developer Application Contest 2004-12-01
- Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN): Digital Ink Signatures - Concepts and Technologies 2004-10
- Tablet PC Talk: SOFTPRO wins Tablet PC Challenge 2004-02-25