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Last Updated on September 24, 2021
Blackberry acquired Secusmart in December of 2014 after agreeing to the rate in July [1].
Secusmart was gaining steam as a tech asset at the time and was seen as a major prize among companies. Blackberry swooped in intending to move towards a future-friendly asset that was only going to strengthen with time.
At the time, this investment was seen as a no-brainer for Blackberry and a good way to re-enter the mobile market with a new angle.
With several years gone by, it’s time to assess how the acquisition turned out for Blackberry and whether or not it was worth the investment they made.
This article will dig through the details of the acquisition and what it meant for the company.
What is Secusmart?
Secusmart is a renowned company focused on various secure mobile communication services. This includes state-of-the-art encrypted speech and data communications solutions. The company gained popularity during the early 2010s due to its commitment to anti-eavesdropping features to help users protect themselves.
In its current state, the company continues to focus on similar solutions and is noted for being a top-tier option among some of the world’s largest companies and organizations.
This includes Fortune 500 companies, governments, and other high-scale organizations needed to secure their communications.
Secusmart is also noted for doing an excellent job when it comes to developing robust infrastructural setups to help with managing anti-eavesdropping requirements. This includes understanding how to implement them within an established system.
The goal is to keep clients safe and prevent eavesdropping attacks. For a lot of organizations, this does play a significant role due to the attention to online security in this day and age.
Benefits of Buying Secusmart for Blackberry
1. Future-Centric Investment
It was noted by several experts that Blackberry was gearing towards a security-heavy asset portfolio in 2014. The goal was to have robust security assets under the Blackberry name to become the go-to option for securing mobile devices [2].
The reason Secusmart has been a solid investment for the company has to do with its growth. With more and more mobile devices entering the market and this type of communication becoming mainstream, it has become important to prevent security lapses.
Some of the world’s largest organizations are always on the hunt for high-grade tech to keep their lines secure.
This is where Blackberry has been able to step in with its acquired asset in Secusmart. What it might not have been able to do in the past has become easy with Secusmart’s features.
Blackberry is now capable of going up to some of the world’s most renowned tech giants and give them an option to protect their services. This includes reaching out to governments to secure their lines from eavesdropping.
As you can imagine, the intrigue is high for something like this and that is what Blackberry has cashed in on as time has gone on.
2. Offers Key Value for Leading Tech Giants
It is the tech giants that have started to take notice of what Blackberry has to offer.
This is where most of the tech funding is going and there is always interest in security. Since Blackberry was on top of things in 2014, it is now able to put forward an impressive solution.
Their backing has allowed the company to grow rapidly and start taking up spots alongside some of the best tech giants in the world.
The reasons include:
- Numerous User-Centric Apps on the Open Market
- Helps Give Tech Giants a Competitive Edge
It is about building a mutually beneficial relationship and that is what Blackberry brings to the table with its acquisition.
It can showcase the features on offer with Secusmart and how it can help strengthen those company’s services or products.
With a lot of attention going towards this in recent years (i.e. Facebook hearings), it has become even more important for tech giants to look into this. For Blackberry, it is a great way to tap into a market that is demanding a good solution.
3. Helps Position Blackberry for Collaborations
The one thing Blackberry had its eye on was collaborations.
The goal was to build partnerships where both organizations could reap the rewards. Since security is always going to be combined with an asset that needs protecting, there is a symbiotic relationship at play.
Tech giants and governments have reached out to Secusmart because of their robust technology. It is the type of security that makes a real difference.
Due to the number of attention companies have been getting, they want to find a good solution. Secusmart offers that and more with its set of services. This ensures the level of protection is high for anyone that joins hands with Secusmart.
4. Increasing Value of Company
One of the more important benefits to think about is the value of the company.
Blackberry has seen a great rise in its asset and that alone makes it a good investment. When the company was purchased, it was on the up but there was risk associated with its growth.
This is not a problem any longer as Secusmart continues to trend in the right direction.
The reasons include:
- Rising Interest in Anti-Eavesdropping Tech
- Constant Adoption
It has also been good for Secusmart because they got the underlying support of Blackberry. Over time, it has been able to grow and develop its tech ensuring it works well in all situations.
5. Demand by Tech Users
Tech users tend to set the tone for what is required on the open market.
A lot of tech users are on the side of finding protective solutions. This includes controlling how mobile communication takes place and how protected a person is when they are communicating online.
Due to this intrigue and demand, it has become increasingly important for organizations to focus on this aspect.
Secusmart offers a way to protect tech users and organizations in a way that wasn’t as easy through other solutions. It is this benefit that stands out a lot.
6. Government Approval
One of the most important details that had to be taken into account was government approval.
Blackberry wasn’t sure at the time whether or not governments would approve this type of technology. However, a lot of governments are now welcoming Secusmart with open arms because it is a viable solution for their needs too.
This type of approval is a game-changer for Blackberry and its acquisition. It is a way towards big contracts and long-term deals that are going to last for a while due to how important Secusmart has become.
This is what companies look for when acquiring a smaller one. They want an asset that will grow and become increasingly important. This is what has happened with Secusmart.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to finding the right acquisition for Blackberry, this was a home run. They hit it out of the park because it was a bit ahead of its time and anti-eavesdropping has become a major topic in recent times.
Since they have such a strong asset in the form of Secusmart, it has become easier to remain ahead of the curve. They can help tech giants and governments with their security needs in a world that is increasingly going mobile.
With more and more companies trending in this direction, Secusmart has a bright future and that is what makes it an appealing investment.
Blackberry did well for itself when it came to Secusmart and it was one of the company’s better investments.
References:
1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-blackberry-security-idUSKBN0JX15Z20141219
2. https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/29/blackberry-snags-german-voice-encryption-firm-secusmart-but-years-too-late/