Pictured: Karen Aston, manager of the University of Warwick
Science Park's Venture Centre, with, left to right, Dr Li Wang and
Professor Roland Wilson, from Warwick Warp
A spin-off company from the University of Warwick is taking on
the global giants of fingerprint matching with its scientific
breakthrough.
In just five years, Warwick Warp has established itself as a
world-leader in fingerprint recognition and is now looking to build
on its international standing by expanding into East Asia.
The technology developed by its team of specialists based at the
University of Warwick Science Park's Venture Centre in Coventry
accurately and quickly matches the lowest quality fingerprints.
Dr Li Wang, Professor Roland Wilson and Dr Abhir Bhalerao, who
founded the company in 2006, created a mathematical solution to
overcoming distortions such as cuts and scars.
Their advancement significantly improves the chances of a
successful match to help reduce costs and consequences for
organisations using fingerprint matching, including police at
scenes of crime and immigration at border control.
The technology, which could also be applied to facial
recognition, has won awards for its accuracy from the National
Institute for Science & Technology.
Dr Wang, CEO of Warwick Warp, said: "We spent the first three
years developing the underlying technology and then started to
commercialise the product, working with companies to bring it to
market.
"We are very excited about the potential and our focus now is to
bring our commercial ranking in line with our technological ranking
of third best in the world, whilst continuing to develop and
improve our products.
"We have experienced a massive growth in a very short space of
time and being at the Venture Centre has played a significant part
in our development.
"We have close ties with the University of Warwick and, in
particular, the Department of Computer Science and so it has been
extremely helpful to be on their doorstep.
"Being here has also provided us with a range of very valuable
services such as help with raising private and government
investment, marketing and general business advice which is crucial
for a technology start-up."
Warwick Warp has developed partners and customers in the UK,
Europe, USA, India and China, where it has recently opened an
office to tap into the rapidly-expanding and lucrative East Asian
market.
In the UK, for instance, the company has developed a workforce
management system for 60 construction sites which uses the
technology for controlling access and monitoring working hours.
Dr Wang, who heads up a team of seven at the Venture Centre in
Sir William Lyons Road, said: "It is a hugely competitive market
worth billions of US dollars. We are a small fish in a big sea and
yet we are competing with global giants with far greater resources
than us.
"We are very proud of what we have achieved. We've developed
good technology which the market wants and it's a winning
formula."
Karen Aston, manager of the Venture Centre, said: "As a
fledgling company, Warwick Warp has made significant strides,
establishing itself as a global player in an extremely competitive
market due to the products that it has developed.
"We are delighted with the international success that it has
achieved from the Venture Centre, which provides starter space and
additional support for new technology companies."