InishTech, a new Irish start-up, has been launched to handle Microsoft's software licensing and protection services (SLP), through collaboration with Microsoft's IP Ventures Programme, Enterprise Ireland and entrepreneurs Aidan Gallagher, John O'Sullivan and David Smyth.

InishTech has assumed responsibility for the existing customer base and has acquired all rights to SLP services and licensed related intellectual property from Microsoft. Microsoft will have an ongoing minority interest in the firm.

"We are committed to offering our customers the most flexible licensing and IP assurance solutions possible,” said Aidan Gallagher, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of InishTech.“Software publishers have invested thousands of hours into their products and InishTech will help provide strong protection and flexible licensing for their code without adversely impacting their product development lifecycle or compromising the functionality of their applications. We believe the SLP service is the quickest to deploy, easiest to use and most feature rich solution in the market today”

“We are delighted that another Irish company is launching through Microsoft’s IP Ventures programme. This launch is a tangible example of how IP licensing and collaboration can significantly benefit the entrepreneurial and small business communities all around the world as well as the overall IT ecosystem,” said Paul Rellis, MD, Microsoft Ireland. “Ireland’s future economic success is intrinsically linked to us fully embracing the power of IP and of innovation. InishTech does both and is exactly the kind of company that the Irish economy needs if we are truly to become a Smart Economy. We are extremely pleased to have worked successfully again with Enterprise Ireland on this project and look forward to supporting Aidan and his team to ensure the success of InishTech in the future.”

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland welcomed the announcement, saying; “The establishment of InishTech as an Irish start-up company represents a significant milestone in the relationship between Enterprise Ireland and Microsoft.

InishTech is a prime example of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to enable Irish companies and entrepreneurs acquire technologies from global corporations in action. This is one of a number of agreements concluded between Irish enterprises and Microsoft with the support of Enterprise Ireland.”