Video and audio codec solutions company MainConcept has completed a management buyout which will return it to independent ownership.
The company has been part of Endeavor Group Holdings since 2018. There will be no changes to MainConcept’s leadership team and organisational structure, with the company maintaining its dual headquarters in Aachen, Germany and San Diego, USA, along with offices in the UK and Japan.
The buyout followed a strategic review by Endeavor in late 2023, with the MainConcept management team proposing the company be independently spun off. That process has now been completed.
“Being independent is ideal for several reasons,” Deacon Johnson, President and CEO of MainConcept tells TVBEurope.
“First, it is in our DNA, having spent about half of our business life operating on our own (we were founded in 1993). Second, our customers run the gamut across M&E and beyond. These customers are best served by us if we are not a part of a larger organisation that may conflict with their core business. Third, independence allows us to focus effort and investment on what is best for MainConcept and its customers. Endeavor was a strong partner to MainConcept even though our core businesses differed in that we have a much more technical customer base.”
Johnson says the transition will be “seamless” for the company’s customers, with its software codecs continuing to be available as before. “If anything, expect innovation to occur at a faster pace,” he adds.
Going forward, MainConcept plans to focus on its work with customers across broadcast, streaming, professional video and other markets, providing a portfolio of codec SDKs and applications.
“We expect to work even closer with many of [our customers] to solve complex challenges,” states Johnson. “These involve novel approaches to software deployments, closer alignment between hardware and software, and streamlining OTT delivery.”
The company also intends to focus on pursuing technical advancements, including being involved in initiatives such as DTV+ (aka, TV 3.0) in Brazil, VVC growth, unifying APIs, and expanding the utility of metrics like VMAF and PSNR. “And this doesn’t even touch on the impact AI is having on the industry, and where software codecs will come into play. For this, we are barely even getting started,” he adds.
Asked if he envisions any M&A activity in MainConcept’s future, Johnson states: “It is hard to predict what the future holds. For now, we are focused on enjoying our independence and working closely with key partners on some aggressive technical deliveries.”
