Netkey

About Netkey

The story of Netkey begins not in a garage, but at a university technology incubator. In 1983, at Yale University's Science Park, Alex Richardson founded a company called Lexitech. For years, the company grew, but in 2000, a significant shift occurred. After securing a substantial venture capital investment from five firms, Richardson rebranded the company as Netkey. Netkey's focus was on the burgeoning world of self-service. The company provided a comprehensive software platform for developing, managing, and monitoring applications for kiosks and digital signs. This allowed businesses in retail, finance, and other sectors to deploy interactive tools like gift registries, endless aisle shopping, and HR portals for employees without PC access. The platform was a key piece of the puzzle for companies wanting to create a seamless customer experience across different channels. By 2009, over 75,000 kiosks and digital signs were running on Netkey's software. This success and established client base, which included names like Cabela's, Carnival Cruise Lines, and Toys R Us, did not go unnoticed. In November 2009, the journey took its next logical step. NCR Corporation, a major player in transaction technologies like ATMs and point-of-sale systems, announced it was purchasing the assets of Netkey. The acquisition allowed NCR to integrate Netkey's market-leading software with its own hardware and services, offering an end-to-end solution for the self-service industry.