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Esmertec announced plans to acquire OOVM, an Aarhus, Denmark startup building software for small embedded devices. The Register later reported that Esmertec had acquired the company in July 2004. The deal was about embedded software—not a consumer product—and the available records do not establish its full price or terms.
What was OOVM?
OOVM was founded in 2002 by Lars Bak and three other virtual-machine specialists associated with Java HotSpot and CLDC HotSpot, according to the acquisition announcement published by Embedded.com. Based in Aarhus, Denmark, the startup developed software platforms for embedded systems.
Its main product was an object-oriented platform incorporating an operating system or virtual machine. The announcement described it as a way to reduce software development, integration and maintenance costs for device and chipset manufacturers; that was the company’s stated aim, not an independently verified cost result.
What did the platform do?
OOVM designed its platform for devices with limited memory that were expected to stay on continuously. The announcement named home appliances, sensors, billboards, point-of-sale systems and vending machines as potential uses. A technical history of Self later characterized OOVM’s goal as creating an always-running Smalltalk platform for small embedded devices and reported a 128 KB memory footprint (David Ungar and Randall B. Smith, 2007; Self technical history).
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The practical idea was to let manufacturers change software remotely without stopping the device for a reboot. In a July 27, 2004 report, The Register described the virtual machine as enabling code updates while an embedded device continued running. It quoted OOVM founder Lars Bak: “If you have say, a small router or a dishwasher you can upgrade the code while it’s running, no reboot is required,” Bak told us today.
What happened to the acquisition?
The announcement’s wording was that Esmertec “is to acquire” OOVM, describing a planned transaction. The Register subsequently reported on July 27, 2004, that Esmertec had acquired OOVM. The sources establish that the acquisition was reported completed in July 2004, but do not specify the exact closing date or legal closing terms.
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What is known about the deal’s price and payment?
The available sources do not establish a purchase price or full transaction valuation. A Danish company filing says that part of the payment connected with OOVM’s sale consisted of shares in Swiss-listed Esmertec AG, but it does not provide the complete consideration structure. No more specific deal value or payment breakdown can be supported from these records.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who was Lars Bak?
Lars Bak was OOVM’s founder and one of the virtual-machine specialists behind the startup. The acquisition announcement says he founded OOVM with three other specialists in 2002; The Register later quoted him explaining the platform’s no-reboot update use case.
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