HIGHLIGHTS
1989 – 2019:
Wibu-Systems at 30
2019
1989
Over the last three decades, a simple and user-friendly copy protection product for PC software launched in 1989 has evolved
into a multiple award-winning portfolio of patented solutions for copy and know-how protection, licensing, and security for
micro-controllers, embedded and PLC systems, traditional PCs, and the cloud.
Marcellus Buchheit and Oliver Winzenried
met at the University of Karlsruhe, where
they studied computer science and electrical
engineering. In 1987, the idea was born
to develop a copy-protection dongle for PC
software that made uncompromising use of
cryptographic capabilities and offered greater
security than the products of German and
American competitors. The first chip was
developed in 1989, Wibu-Box was launched
as the first product, and the company
Wibu-Systems founded. After garnering massive
attention at CeBIT in 1990 and COMDEX/Fall in
the United States in 1993, the company started
on its trajectory of prolific growth. In 1995,
Wibu-Systems became a public company, and
our first own premises were completed in 1999.
The year 2003 saw the introduction of Code-
Meter and the ability to store licenses and keys in
software-only CmActLicense files, in CmDongles,
or in the Cloud. CodeMeter License Central offers
license creation, management, and distribution
in a database-driven application on premise or
from the cloud and guarantees a lean integra-
tion in existing business processes, like SAP or
e-commerce platforms.
Numerous awards and prizes, an unbeaten
track record in global hacking contests, and
our patents and partnerships with research
institutions like the KIT and the KASTEL com-
petence center for security, the IT research
center FZI, the Fraunhofer Institute, and the
Tongji University of Shanghai mark major
milestones in our company’s story. We have
continued to expand our sales capacities
and founded sales offices in Europe and
subsidiaries in the United States, China, and
Japan to offer optimum local support. We
are actively involved in industry associations
like VDMA, BITKOM, or the USB Implementers
Forum, the Trusted Computing Group, the OPC
Foundation, the Industrial Internet Consortium,
the Chinese Alliance Industrial Internet, and
the Japanese Robot Revolution Initiative to
form novel collaborations and stay abreast of
developments in our field.
Where does the story go from
here?
Wibu-Systems is proud to play an active role in
enabling the strength and securing the future
of the global economy. Our work represents
an important contribution to the protection
of intellectual property, the creation of novel
business models, and security everywhere.
We strive to inspire trust with transparency
and user-friendly solutions. We address the
challenges of the digital transformation and
connected infrastructures – going beyond the
legislative requirements and the commercial
interests of our own business – with our com-
mitment to digital sovereignty in our society.
Ongoing training, education, and the recruitment
of new talent are the foundations for our success.
We believe in getting students excited about
occupationsin the field of science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics and engaging
young people everywhere.
Wibu-Systems is demonstrating our commit-
ment to our future by investing in two
separate constructions projects: our new
headquarters and a dedicated House of IT
Security. Our purpose is to create stimulating
new jobs and a physical beacon to attract all
proponents of IT security, including enterprises,
startups, associations, and researchers.
Wibu-Systems has set its sights on market
leadership for digital product protections
with added value for makers, operators, and
users. Our technology is used everywhere from
industrial automation and CAD/CAM software
to the automotive and financial industry, medical
technology, and all of the many walks of life
that are touched by the digital transformation.
We are powering it as a dependable and tech-
nically competent partner. For 30 years, our
independent family business has remained
and will continue to remain committed to our
values of fairness, honesty, and loyalty.
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