Cambridge technology pioneer DisplayLink is doing multiple millions in deals a quarter as its harder commercial edge reaps long overdue dividends.

Eight years after its birth, the Cambridge tech brainchild has matured at last. And chairman Graham O’Keeffe is the first to admit it was about time.

A pioneer of network display technology that creates simple connections between computers and multiple monitors via USB, DisplayLink appeared to have the world at its fingertips when it launched in 2003. It has hovered on the cusp of potential greatness ever since.

After a period of stasis, a rush of technology innovations and a revamped senior management have combined to effect a stunning evolution in the company’s fortunes.

Now, as O’Keeffe revealed to Business Weekly, DisplayLink is leveraging a transatlantic business model that offers the best of both worlds.

He said: “People look at DisplayLink and see a US chip company yet around two-thirds of our people are based in Cambridge from where we drive much of the sales and research effort. Cambridge remains integral to our global growth ambitions.”

Founders Dr Andrew Fisher and Tim Glauert left the company after what the chairman described as an amicable discussion about the future direction of the business.

A number of battle-hardened industry veterans were drafted in, among them Paul Murphy as European managing director. Murphy has developed over 30 world's-first products and patented 10 inventions. He played a transformational role with Flextronics Mobile and Consumer in Hong Kong, helping to restructure the $6 billion business, developing a completely new product roadmap and returning it to profitability.

It was exactly the commercial jumpstart DisplayLink needed to get the sales engine ticking over.

O’Keeffe said: “I am always a little nervous about jettisoning founders of a company because they can be very passionate about the business and you have to look at various angles.

“It’s often the nature of startup companies to involve themselves more with the R & D than hard commercial sales and both Tim and Andy are bright, creative engineers. To put it simply, we needed to become a proper grown-up business and get away from the research cycle. We had a discussion and felt it best to part company.

“We see it so many times in technology; the ideas you started out with evolve into something completely new and sooner rather than later you have to leave what you started with behind and grow the business with a clear commercial focus.”

O’Keeffe, a partner in Atlas Ventures, has handled many turnarounds in the UK technology sector, particularly in the wireless and semiconductor segments. He also sits on the boards of Atlas portfolio companies Icera Semiconductor, picoChip, Ubiquisys and Zinwave. Importantly, he has experience at the hi-tech coalface having previously held engineering and operational roles at Nokia.

He has just overseen a $14m fundraising from un-named private investors and is encouraged by such a hefty show of faith. “It’s a nice position to be in. There may be circumstances where if an IPO were mooted we would consider it but at the moment there is plenty of private money about and strong sentiment for our company and our marketplace so we are content to pursue our current strategy as a private business.”

O’Keeffe is further encouraged by opportunities endemic in the degree of headroom, both in DisplayLink’s potential technology advances and the marketplace.

“One of the things I find interesting in computing is that requirements are becoming much more mobile. Our technology can be extended for mobile devices and that’s what end users want to see. The market is evolving and our technology is evolving in parallel.

“In terms of users, our chips are used by Toshiba, Lenova and a host of household names. And in terms of territories, the majority of our sales continue to be in North America but Europe is very strong and Asia is getting stronger.”

With DisplayLink’s patented technology, a simple USB cable behaves like a digital DVI output, with the added ease-of-use of plug-and-play connectivity that USB brings. Power saving capability is also proving appealing to eco-conscious customers.

DisplayLink's virtual graphics technology allows multiple users to use one PC at the same time, each with their own Windows or Linux desktop experience. Using a simple PC or notebook as the server and a DisplayLink USB virtual graphics-enabled thin client device, monitors, mice and keyboards, up to 14 people can enjoy high-performance computing. That capability is also liable to stretch as DisplayLink continues to reinvent the way devices communicate with displays.

For the mobile executive for whom the laptop is vital, DisplayLink is already at the core of innovation. Toshiba recently launched a 14-inch, DisplayLink-powered USB mobile monitor which earned excellent reviews.

Also, the DisplayLink iPad app turns an iPad into an extended monitor for a PC and has the bonus of freeing up desktop space on your notebook or desktop computer.

Financial institutions, healthcare providers, graphics designers, software developers and other industries are already benefiting from multi-monitor computing using DisplayLink technology and O’Keeffe is confident that the company can identify many more end markets.

• Photograph shows: DisplayLink chairman, Graham O’Keeffe