U.S. Technology Firm Variant Systems Group Receives Strategic Investment from FOR-A Company Limited

Portland, Oregon, October 10, 2019Variant Systems Group, a leading provider of live broadcast production tools for the sports media and entertainment industry, has received a strategic investment from FOR-A Company Limited, a worldwide provider of broadcast and video production technology. VSG and FOR-A have also finalized a global distribution agreement whereby FOR-A will offer, on an exclusive basis throughout the world, VSG’s Envivo family of products. The investment and the agreement are part of FOR-A’s ongoing strategy to invest in innovative companies that can bring new ideas, market knowledge and services into the company’s worldwide business.

Variant Systems Group provides best-in-class live production solutions for the ultimate in audience and fan engagement. The Envivo family of products is transforming the way media producers approach live production. Launched at the 2017 NAB SHOW, Envivo Replay offers a complete live event replay solution packaged in an intuitive user interface with continuous multiple iso-channel recording capabilities, simultaneous clip storage of multiple angles to clip bins, playlists for highlights playback, built-in branding capabilities, direct publishing to social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WeChat, and Sina Weibo as well as support for high speed super slow-motion cameras. Launched at the 2019 NAB SHOW, Envivo Studio offers the same intuitive interface in a product specifically designed to address the needs of fan and audience engagement in live production workflows.

Adolfo Rodriguez, Co-Founder and CEO at Variant Systems Group said: "This strategic investment allows Variant Systems Group to fast-track our development and innovation efforts and to partner with a well-established, global leader in television and media, while expanding our mutually strong US position across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Variant Systems Group and FOR-A have a very strong alignment on the requirements of live production workflows, and this investment ensures our two companies continue to innovate and grow together."

Katsuaki Kiyohara, President and Representative Director at FOR-A commented: “This investment demonstrates FOR-A’s ongoing commitment to identify and leverage emerging technologies that can enhance our products and provide our customers with improved workflows. This is an exciting opportunity to gain insights from a leader in live production solutions for the benefit of FOR-A’s customers and our mutual ongoing businesses.”

FOR-A, a worldwide, industry-leading manufacturer, offers a wide range of Broadcast and Production products with a focus on cutting-edge technologies including: HD, 4K and IP Products.

FOR-A continues to offer future-ready, cost effective, advanced technology solutions. Products include: Video Switchers, Routing Switchers, Multi Viewers, Full 4K High-Speed Cameras, IP Encoders/Decoders, Multi-Channel Signal Processors, 8K/4K/HD Test Signal Generators, Color Correctors, Frame Synchronizers, File-Based Products, Character Generators, Video Servers and much more.

For a full range of HD and 4K Production and Processing solutions, as well as IP-Based Products, visit www.for-a.com.

Headquartered in Portland, Oregon and founded by a team of video professionals with over 60 years of combined industry knowledge specific to the Live Production market and live event workflows, Variant Systems Group provides top-notch live production tools like “Envivo Replay” and “Envivo Studio” that fills a gap in the college sports market, as well as the high-end production market. Envivo Replay delivers a replay solution that offers ease of use, intuitive and ergonomic designs, and flexibility in addition to features, and workflows to support revenue-generating models. VSG’s Live Replay solution offers a proprietary user interface, which capitalizes on the effective interface of touch-screen user input, as well as mechanical hardware control input devices. Envivo Studio delivers a fan and audience engagement solution with the same intuitive interface in a product specifically designed to address the needs of live production workflows incorporating a Still Store, a Spot Box, Clip Store, a Live Switcher (For Cutting Camera Inputs), Loop Record, Internal Keyer (for Multi-layer Overlays), Switcher Support (Key/Fill Outputs), Drive Multiple Venue Screens (IMAG), VDCP Control, and many more capabilities.

For additional information please visit www.envivoreplay.com.