Entrepreneur Mike Lynch has unveiled exciting plans to build ‘the new Autonomy’ from Cambridge – with next generation information management software that takes the world by storm. It’s called HP!

 Cutting through the cynicism in some circles that HP’s $11bn acquisition of Autonomy could wreck a good business, Lynch says the opposite will be the case.

And he says Autonomy will control the new power play – from Cambridge, with Cambridge talent. Rather than sitting counting their millions, everyone at Autonomy has bought into the new vision, he told Business Weekly.

Critics both sides of the Atlantic claim that HP as a hardware seller lacks the expertise to run a software business but Lynch – no starry-eyed dreamer – begs to differ.

He told me: “HP has spoken publicly about its strategy to lead in the software space and Autonomy will play an absolutely crucial role in this vision to create next-generation information management. We are excited to be able to use all the brilliant resources that HP has to make that vision a reality.

“Autonomy will remain headquartered in Cambridge and all key R & D will remain in Cambridge, too. Our R & D teams in Cambridge are incredibly valuable and will continue to be key to our success going forward.

“Rather than letting go, we are now ready to take Autonomy to the next level – so this transaction marks one of the most exciting moments of our history.

“As you know, Autonomy was founded 15 years ago and the reason it was started was that my co-founder and I believed that the IT industry would fundamentally change to a model when computers could understand the world we live in and make sense of the information we use on a daily basis.

“To have seen the company grow at the rate it has to the point where it will become a core division to the world’s largest technology company, HP, is incredibly validating.”
 
Most students of the Cambridge tech cluster are familiar with Lynch’s early battle to kickstart the enterprise. He started the business from his bedroom at a Cambridge college but VCs didn’t want to know the proposition – that’s assuming they understood it, which many didn’t.

He wasn’t so much bootstrapped as beerstrapped. Pouring out his troubles in a local bar, the guy next to him saw the opportunity and advanced the princely sum of £2,000 to get things going. That was some pint – and $11bn froth pulled by HP is some head!

Did he realise the fabulous opportunity he was cradling? Lynch says: “Perhaps not in the early days. But it became rapidly clear to us that we had a technology that was unique and would shake up the software industry.

“We are now in a position where virtually every major software company builds products around our technology and our customer base includes over 25,000 organisations – that is worth a lot.”

While Lynch continues to hold the Autonomy reins, reporting only to HP’s CEO, entrepreneurs with his brainpower and determination have often walked away after a megadeal and looked for a completely new challenge.

Lynch is bound by certain confidentiality clauses inherent in thetakeover deal but pledges commitment – at least for now. He said: “For legal reasons, I am unable to comment on the deal terms itself, but I have said publicly that I am committed to this new chapter of our history.”

And what of Aurasma, the augmented reality platform based on Autonomy technology that we understand forms part of the deal? It is winning major contracts with global advertising tycoons and Hollywood movie promoters and is currently a division of Autonomy at the Cambridge HQ.

Aurasma is powered by pattern recognition technology using some of the most advanced systems in the world to bring the physical and virtual worlds together for the first time on mobile devices.

Again Lynch is handicapped in what he can and can’t say but he appears confident that Aurasma’s sensational progress will be maintained.

He said: “At this stage, I am unable to comment on the deal itself. Aurasma is, however, continuing to flourish in its own right and we are seeing increasing adoption of the technology.”

Aurasma is a premier brand in anyone’s book and its credentials were further underlined by Premiership soccer team Spurs. As part of the club's partnership with Autonomy, Tottenham’s 2011-2012 Barclays Premier League match shirt will feature Aurasma’s name.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said: "We are pleased to be supporting Autonomy and its revolutionary Aurasma platform. Autonomy continues to push the boundaries of new technology and with Aurasma we are seeing the future of augmented reality and mobile technology.”

Fans can look forward to future developments – including bringing Tottenham Hotspur content to life with interactive features using Aurasma.
 
• PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS: Autonomy CEO Mike Lynch