WITTE Automotive Increases Equity Participation in Tech-Company Tapkey

Vienna, 10th September 2018 – WITTE Automotive, one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers, relies on Tapkey’s access platform and increases its equity participation. The additional capital will be used to integrate the access software into applications in the fields of connected car, coworking, holiday rental and property management.

The aim of the share is to develop new fields of business and accelerate innovation for the fast-growing digital access market segment. “Tapkey technology permits fast, simple and cost-effective integration of smartphone-based access with car sharing, connected car and fleet management services,” explains Gilbert Hoedl, CEO of Tapkey GmbH.

“This is just the very beginning of an exciting journey and we are starting with the automotive world,” explains Christian Kaczmarczyk, Managing Director of WITTE Automotive. “WITTE’s strategic share in Tapkey represents the door to other markets – and we know how to open doors!” Tapkey will use this increase in capital to develop further innovations and open up new fields of business. The aim is to broaden the presence of the open Tapkey access platform, for instance with cars, doors and delivery boxes.

“Ultimately Tapkey technology transforms a smartphone into a digital key ring, which can essentially be used to operate all everyday items that can be locked,” explains Gilbert Hoedl in a nutshell. For WITTE, having a share in a young, dynamic and extremely innovative company, like Tapkey, represents a major advance in digital technologies for secure locking systems—both in and outside the automotive industry.

WITTE Digital is the locking system specialist’s newest division, which offers totally innovative vehicle access with its first product, the WAVE system. This represents a jointly developed system, in which traditional locking technology is equipped with Tapkey’s digital technology and is already being tested by a number of customers. “The launch of WAVE is imminent,” explains Christian Kaczmarczyk, emphasizing the next milestone. “And we are already looking forward to the many forthcoming innovations that we will jointly develop and launch.

About WITTE Automotive

WITTE Automotive—convincing concepts for the automotive world! WITTE Automotive has stood out for many decades on account of its creative and innovative locking and latching technology solutions and has thus grown to become a global corporation. Today WITTE Automotive is among the technological leaders in the field of mechatronic locking systems, and continuously invests in the development of innovative system solutions for doors, hoods and tailgates, interiors and seats. The results of its engineering work are the most sophisticated products that combine mechanics, electrics, and electronics in a unique way and are to be found in all well-known automotive brands.

In addition to the four sites in Germany, WITTE Automotive has subsidiaries throughout Europe in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and in Sweden. Witte Automotive has a global presence in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, India, China, Japan and Korea as part of VAST, the Vehicle Access Systems Technology Alliance.

Tapkey ist eine offene Plattform für Mobile Access. Offene API, Mobile und Lock SDK ermöglichen es Partnern, Smartphone-basierten Zutritt nahtlos in bestehende Apps zu integrieren und neue Zutrittslösungen für die vernetzte Welt zu entwickeln. 

Die Zutrittstechnologie bietet exzellente Features wie Smartphone Keys. Diese können mit nur einem Klick aus der Ferne vergeben, entzogen sowie zeitlich und räumlich beschränkt werden. NFC Transponder – verfügbar als Tags, Karten und Wristbands – können direkt mit dem Handy beschrieben werden. Near Field Communication (NFC) und Bluetooth (BLE) ermöglicht es Usern Türen ohne Internetverbindung zu öffnen. Zusätzlich bietet Tapkey hohe Sicherheitsstandards. 

Hinzu kommt ein Ökosystem an kompatibler Hardware wie Zylinder, Wandleser, Vorhänge-, Möbelschlösser und Carsharing-Boxen. International erfolgreiche Partner wie DOM, EMKA, WITTE, Garmin, NXP, Conrad Connect und Cobot vertrauen auf die Tapkey-Technologie.

Pressekontakt 
Tapkey GmbH
Chiara Wehinger
Brucknerstraße 2/6
1040 Wien
Mobil: +43 (0) 660 870 37 73
E-Mail: chiara.wehinger@tapkey.com