Bundesdruckerei acquires shares in cryptography specialists cryptovision

Bundesdruckerei GmbH is acquiring a 25.1 percent share in cv cryptovision GmbH, headquartered in Gelsenkirchen. With this move, the Berlin-based company is not only expanding its expertise in the field of high-efficiency encryption techniques but also strengthening its market standing as a full-service provider of complex ID security systems. The involvement takes retroactive effect as of 1 January 2013.

Bundesdruckerei has gained world-wide repute as an innovation driver in the field of secure ID technology. In acquiring shares in cryptovision, it is strengthening its technological know-how in the development of forward-looking cryptography technologies, thus securing significant competitive advantages. "Protection of personal and other confidential information plays a central role in our digital society. The security requirements placed on electronic ID solutions are increasing continuously," Ulrich Hamann, CEO of Bundesdruckerei GmbH explained. "With our investment in cryptovision, we are expanding our range of solutions and products along the entire ID process chain."

cryptovision is one of the leading providers of secure electronic identity and digital information protection solutions. Founded as a spin-off of Essen University, the company specializes in modern cryptography methods and public key infrastructures (PKI) for government authorities and private commercial sectors. cryptovision was commissioned by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) to participate in developing the EAC (Extended Access Control) standard for electronic passports and played a key role in this project. Among the products attracting high international demand is the cv act ePasslet suite, a comprehensive collection of applications for sovereign electronic documents. It is used, for example, for the eID cards of Rwanda and Armenia and electronic passports of Moldova and Ecuador. Apart from this, the company is currently setting up a PKI to be used for issuing, distributing and verifying digital certificates preceding the introduction of eID cards in Nigeria.

The solutions offered by the two companies complement each other ideally, as has already been demonstrated in a number of joint projects: Bundesdruckerei uses cryptovision's basic cryptography technology in its VISOTEC® Border Control product range, for instance. "In view of our excellent cooperation in the past, we are happy to welcome Bundesdruckerei as one of our shareholders," Markus Hoffmeister, cryptovision's CEO, stated. "Now we will be able to exploit further synergy effects in future, particularly in the field of cutting-edge eID technology."

The share was acquired from funds managed by Sobera Capital.