Season’s Greetings 2022 from Imint CEO

Laying the Foundation for Future Growth

As I mentioned already back in 2021, and frequently repeated this year – 2023 will be an investment year, where we lay the foundation for future, long-term and endurable growth for Imint. Growth is part of our DNA, because that signals that we firmly believe that we can continue to bring value to more and more humans. We are lucky to have been able to attract new super-talents, and thus substantially strengthen our capabilities. For a while now, we have been talking about addressing other market verticals beyond smartphones, and this year we have really started to gear that up, leading to the announcement we made in November, about introducing two business units at Imint from 2023; Consumer and Professional. 

Working for our Vision – to Liberate Visual Storytelling

We continued to be the leading force for enabling consumers world wide to have their visual stories spring to life. This year we passed the 800 million mark on the number of smartphones in consumer hands that were “Powered by Vidhance”. Our 4th generation of video stabilization has been rolling out in new flagship phones, and our Selfie Mode product really hit the market with perfect timing, as both video calls and video blogs have become more of the default use of the smartphone cameras. This year, we also introduced new products, such as Photo Zoom Stabilization, to make ultra-zoom cameras really useful, and Infinite Horizon Correction, allowing not only for stable, but fully horizontal video recording, regardless of how you hold your phone. 

In general, the consumer tech market has had quite some headwind this year, and many of the tech giants have put on the brakes temporarily. But we remain optimistic, both in terms of new camera-oriented consumer products, like smartwatches and smart glasses. The debate on what the Metaverse will be like, and when it will materialize for the masses continues, but we know one thing: cameras will be a critical sensor, and new types of products and solutions are being invented. Trust that Imint will be center stage in this bridge building. 

Video Enhancements – Like a Pro!

Over the last few years, we’ve been eyeing interesting opportunities where the value of Vidhance can make a real business critical difference. Several technology macro trends of today converge to make live video more important, and more critical. The roll-out of 5G networks enable low latency and high bandwidth data communication. Connected and smart devices under the umbrella of IoT are either camera focused, or can extend its capabilities by adding camera sensors. The smartphone industry, with its massive volumes, have driven standardization of high performance and versatile chipsets and operating systems, enabling industrial and professional devices to be developed and manufactured at a fraction of the cost of the past.

This technology shift works in synergy with societal macro trends. Let me give two examples from different industries to clarify this point. The covid pandemic made it harder, and often impossible, to send a product or service expert out to customer’s sites. Instead, you have to rely on the local staff, but they can be guided in their field work by smart glasses or other head mounted camera devices by a remote expert. This enables quicker and more efficient resolutions – and not to forget the reduced carbon footprint by reduced need for travel! In medicine, we see constant advancement in technology, skills and experience in treating complicated and life-threatening diseases; either in the surgical theaters or by medical first responders out in the field. By the use of cameras, for example head mounted, the surgeon can get live advice from a more senior expert in a complicated procedure, and the first responder can provide more comprehensive information back to the emergency room. In these use cases, and many more like them, Imint is uniquely positioned with our Vidhance software to address the very specific needs and hurdles of these professional users and consumers of video. 

Two Business Units – One Imint, and one Scaleable Vidhance Platform

Imint is undergoing quite a radical transformation. To increase clarity and transparency to the market, we will from 2023 in our public reports present our business in two separate business units – Consumer and Professional. We’ve also communicated bold ambitions for 2025, and are working hard to have the Professional business unit reach 50% of Imint’s total revenue by the end of 2025. We have also set ambitious profit margin goals, and to reach this we need to build for scale in a clever way. We will remain one Imint, and the modular Vidhance software platform will continue to evolve both through innovation, and adaptations for the very specific needs of each market vertical we address. 

Keeping our Soul Intact – Thanks to You!

We have set a few strategic and visionary themes for Imint. To start with, we are a growth oriented company. That is because we see that the fruit of our labor has so many untapped potentials to add value in new places. We also keep sustainability high on our agenda, in the broadest sense. Sustainable and longer term business model, a sustainable planet with more efficient resource requirements, and not at least – sustainable and balanced life for all of us working at Imint. Our third theme is around product focus and product excellence – at the core of it, we are a product company, packaging both constantly growing IP as well as our own expertise into a scalable format. And what is an excellent product is ultimately not up to us to judge – it is you as a customer and partner who will have the last word. Close customer dialogue has always been central to our innovation and our way of working. Finally, we believe in the power of empowered humans. When all employees feel trust and confidence, then we will grow as humans and professionals. In achieving this, it becomes clear that Imint is a sum vastly greater than its parts.

What guides us in this empowerment journey is all the interactions we have daily – with suppliers, partners, customers, owners. As the saying goes – companies sign agreements, humans do business. It is this constant interaction that shapes us and makes us what we are. For that I am truly grateful, and want to thank everyone reading this for your support, mutual respect, constructive feedback and ideas that are accelerating our learning. Let’s continue on this path, and to great things together in 2023!

Uppsala in December 2022

Andreas Lifvendahl, CEO Imint Image Intelligence AB