SealedMedia

About SealedMedia

SealedMedia, founded in 1996 by Dr. Martin Lambert, developed software for enterprise digital rights management (EDRM). The company's core business was providing technology that enabled companies to track and secure data as files moved to desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. It operated in the business/productivity and network management software sectors, with a focus on SaaS and mobile verticals. SealedMedia's business model was centered on selling its EDRM solutions to large enterprises, with a base system price around $50,000 for 20 users, which included first-year maintenance and consulting.

The company's main product was the SealedMedia E-DRM, a client/server encryption solution. This system consisted of four main components: a license server for managing rights, a management website for user provisioning and documentation, a management console for administration, and a desktop tool for users to "seal" documents. A user would encrypt a file, and the recipient would need unsealer software which would contact the license server to enforce the assigned rights. This allowed the originator to control access, track usage through an audit log, and revoke rights at any time. The technology integrated directly with common enterprise applications like Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and Lotus Notes. The platform was particularly aimed at helping companies comply with regulations like Sarbanes-Oxley by allowing for detailed audits and segregated data access policies.

Throughout its history, SealedMedia was a venture-capital-backed firm, raising a total of at least $26.8 million from investors including 3i Group, Crescendo Ventures, and Pond Venture Partners. The company, formerly known as BreakerTech, went through several funding rounds, including a $10.2M round in April 2000 and a $16.5M round in October 2001. On August 2, 2006, SealedMedia was acquired by Stellent, a content management solutions provider, for $10 million in cash with a potential for an additional $5 million based on financial performance. As part of the acquisition, approximately 30 employees, including founder and CTO Dr. Martin Lambert, joined Stellent, where he became CTO for the new SealedMedia division. Stellent planned to integrate SealedMedia's DRM functionality into its Universal Content Management product suite while also continuing to market the standalone products. The technology was later referred to as Oracle IRM (Information Rights Management) after Oracle's acquisition of Stellent.