Deal Enables Foxit to Strengthen its Cloud Services Portfolio as Company Builds on its Introduction of ConnectedPDF
FREMONT, Calif. – (July 12, 2016) — Foxit Software, a leading software provider of fast, affordable, secure, and connected PDF solutions, today announced the acquisition of Sumilux Technologies, creators of a cloud-hosted business messaging solution that allows teams and colleagues to stay in touch with each other through instant one-on-one messages, group chat, and presence/availability information.
Steven Li, president of Sumilux and an accomplished entrepreneur and technologist, has been appointed Chief Technology Officer for Foxit Software. Prior to founding Sumilux, Steven’s experiences included being the first VP of Engineering at WebEx Communications where he helped to build the first large scale commercially successful cloud service and was part of the executive team effecting the $3.2B acquisition by Cisco. Steven also served as VP of World-wide Site Platform at Amazon.com, overseeing all consumer traffic.
The deal will enable Foxit to expand its technology portfolio in cloud services at a time when the company is rapidly innovating within the cloud. Foxit has just introduced ConnectedPDF, a breakthrough technology that enables a wide range of cloud-supported capabilities, including document locating and tracking, file update notifications, shared and synchronized reviews, remote file protection, data collection, and much more.
“This deal comes at the perfect time for Sumilux, Foxit Software and PDF users,” said Steven. “The PDF market has been stagnant for too long and the introduction of ConnectedPDF will be a breakthrough solution that will change how we manage documents.”
The addition of Sumilux brings a variety of technology strengths and capabilities to Foxit. Key benefits of the acquisition include new technology and expertise across:
Secure document storage and collaboration
Large scale cloud operations
Seamless integration with Foxit’s portfolio projects
Compliance with open standards
“We are excited about the integration of the Sumilux team into the Foxit family,” said David Ronald, Head of Marketing at Foxit Software. “Their unique technology expertise and stand-out cloud experience will be a great asset to the company and our customers. Steven Li and his team have already been instrumental in the development of version 1.0 of our ConnectedPDF solution.”
Connected PDF
ConnectedPDF brings new levels of accountability, collaboration, and productivity to the creation, sharing, and tracking of PDF documents worldwide. A ConnectedPDF (cPDF) file is a regular PDF file with an embedded unique identification code. Office documents and legacy PDFs can be converted into ConnectedPDFs with a simple click using a cPDF-enabled application or service, such as Foxit’s applications and web services. The file is then registered in the cPDF cloud, which stores metadata to manage the document, including its ConnectedID, version information, view and change history, reviews, mark-ups, people connected to the document, related files, and location.
ConnectedPDF is simple and free to use, while delivering capabilities never available without the use of costly, complex, kludgy enterprise document management systems.
ConnectedPDF is available in beta immediately through free web utilities on the connectedpdf.com website, and with Foxit’s free PDF Reader 8.0. Advanced features are available in the company’s flagship PDF editor, PhantomPDF 8.0.
About Foxit Software
Foxit is a leading software provider of fast, affordable, and secure PDF solutions. Businesses and consumers increase productivity by using Foxit’s cost-effective products to securely work with PDF documents and forms. Foxit is the #1 pre-installed PDF software, shipped on one-third of all new Windows PCs, including those from HP®, Acer, and ASUS®.
Foxit’s Software Development Kits (SDKs) help developers reduce costs and improve time to market by easily integrating industry-leading PDF technology into application workflows. This technology shares the same underlying technology that powers Google’s open-source PDFium project, as well as PDF reading in the Chrome browser and Android phones.
Winner of numerous awards, Foxit has over 425 million users and has sold to over 100,000 customers located in more than 200 countries. Since Foxit products are compliant with the ISO 32000-1/PDF 1.7 standard, they are compatible with existing PDF documents and forms.
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