Audinate to Acquire Silex Insight Video Business

Audinate, developer of the Dante media networking technology, has signed an agreement to acquire the video business of Silex Insight SA ("Silex"), based in Belgium. The Silex video business produces video networking products for manufacturers of AV equipment.

The acquisition includes a range of AV-over-IP products, including IP Cores, the VIPER Board, Video ASSP, and Design Services, as well as three Silex implementations of video codecs: Colibri, JPEG 2000, and VC-2 HQ. Audinate will also acquire a team of eight engineers with extensive video implementation expertise and remains committed to supporting the existing Silex products and customers.

The acquisition of the Silex video business will allow Audinate to accelerate its strategic vision for integrated audio and video over IP and will add breadth and depth to its AV-over-IP product line up. In addition, the transaction will increase video FPGA expertise within the company, and cement critical mass for its video engineering team in Europe.

"Since the development of our first Dante AV product we have been committed to bringing the simplicity and interoperability of Dante to the video-over-IP market," states Audinate co-founder and CEO Aidan Williams. "With this acquisition, we are doubling down on that strategy. The video codecs and deep product expertise in the team, in combination with our Dante networking technology, will enable us to go to market with a variety of full-service video offerings."

"Audinate is an excellent new home for our video team, customers and suppliers as there is a unique complement in know-how, competencies and expertise," comments Michel Van Maercke, CEO of Silex Insight. "Moreover, we see a great cultural fit and a similar customer-oriented mindset, which is critical for the success of an integration post acquisition. I am confident that the Silex video team will do very well as part of Audinate and will make a true difference in the exciting Pro AV market."

The proposed transaction is a carve-out of the video business from Silex, which will retain its existing security business and is expected to complete on January 31, 2022, the company says.