Findev

Findev's corporate history spans two substantially different businesses. The organization began as TransGaming Inc., a Canadian technology company founded by Gavriel State, who had previously run Corel's Linux product division. Its early activities centered on software that allowed video games designed for Microsoft Windows to operate on alternative platforms. This work placed the company within the game-porting and compatibility-software sector rather than the property industry associated with the present Findev business. One of TransGaming's principal technologies was Cider, a proprietary fork of Wine marketed to game developers and publishers. Cider was designed for porting Windows games to Mac OS X and shared technical ancestry with Cedega, although it was oriented toward commercial game production rather than end-user Linux compatibility. At the 2007 Worldwide Developers Conference, Electronic Arts announced that it would publish several titles simultaneously for Windows and Mac using Cider. Later that year, TransGaming stated that improvements made to Cider would be merged back into Cedega. TransGaming also operated GameTree Linux, a developer program intended to advance Cedega, a compatibility layer for running Windows games on Linux. The company pursued graphics technology as well as portability software. SwiftShader was a high-performance, CPU-based implementation of graphics capabilities that later included Vulkan support and was intended to provide hardware independence for advanced 3D rendering. Its architecture emphasized runtime code generation, specialization of processing routines, multicore parallelism, and SIMD vector processing. The company expanded beyond desktop game portability into connected entertainment. In 2010 it launched GameTree TV, a cloud-based, on-demand platform for smart televisions. In 2012 it acquired Oberon Media's connected-TV division and incorporated that business into GameTree TV. TransGaming also announced the use of Sony DADC's SecuROM digital-rights-management solution for Mac games enabled through Cider, applying the technology across enabled titles regardless of whether they were distributed digitally or at retail. A major restructuring of the technology business occurred in 2015. NVIDIA acquired TransGaming's Graphics and Portability Group, and the transaction helped establish NVIDIA's first Toronto office. SwiftShader was sold to Google in the same year for US$1.25 million according to the supplied reference material. These transactions reduced the scope of the original technology portfolio. In 2016, TransGaming chose to change its central business strategy from gaming and technology to real estate financing. In August, the remaining gaming division, GameTree TV, along with subsidiaries and offices in Tel Aviv and Kyiv, was sold to TransGaming Interactive UK Limited, a General Media Ventures subsidiary based in the United Kingdom. The purchaser later became PlayWorks Digital Ltd. and continued the former GameTree TV business under the PlayWorks name. Following the strategic transition, the company became Findev Inc. and developed a real estate-oriented identity. Its current activities are described as property development in the Greater Toronto Area. Findev is aligned with Plazacorp, which is identified as its major shareholder, and Sruli Weinreb is identified as its current chief executive officer. The supplied reference material does not provide a complete account of Findev's individual projects, current financial results, ownership percentages, or detailed organizational chronology.

• 2016

  Strategic move into real estate financing

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  TransGaming decided to change its business focus from technology and gaming to real estate financing.

• 2016

  GameTree TV divested

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  The remaining GameTree TV business and related international operations were sold to TransGaming Interactive UK Limited.

• 2015

  Graphics and Portability Group acquired by NVIDIA

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  NVIDIA acquired TransGaming's Graphics and Portability Group, contributing to the opening of NVIDIA's first Toronto office.

• 2015

  SwiftShader sold to Google

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  SwiftShader was sold to Google for US$1.25 million according to the supplied reference material.

• 2012

  Oberon Media connected-TV division acquired

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  TransGaming acquired Oberon Media's connected-TV division and integrated it into GameTree TV.

• 2010

  GameTree TV launched

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  The company launched GameTree TV as a cloud-based, on-demand entertainment platform for smart televisions.

• 2008

  SecuROM integration announced

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  TransGaming announced the use of Sony DADC's SecuROM digital-rights-management solution for Mac games enabled through Cider.

• 2007

  Cider gains prominent Mac publishing use

  [1]Findeven.wikipedia.org

  Electronic Arts announced simultaneous PC and Mac publishing for various titles using TransGaming's Cider portability technology. TransGaming later stated that Cider improvements would be merged back into Cedega.

A Toronto-based real estate investment and development company focused on the Greater Toronto Area, with corporate roots in the former TransGaming technology business and an alignment with Plazacorp.

• Game-porting technology

  Cider

  Cider was a proprietary technology derived from Wine and marketed to developers and publishers seeking to bring Windows games to Mac OS X. Unlike end-user compatibility products, it was positioned as a production and porting tool. Its use by major publishers helped TransGaming establish a role in the commercial Mac game ecosystem during the late 2000s.

• Linux game compatibility program

  GameTree Linux

  GameTree Linux was a developer-focused program associated with Cedega, a compatibility layer for running Microsoft Windows games on Linux. It supported the continued development and cataloging of games that could run through Cedega, although compatibility varied between Cedega and the open-source Wine project.

• Software graphics renderer

  SwiftShader

  SwiftShader was a high-performance CPU-based implementation of graphics capabilities, including Vulkan support, designed to provide hardware-independent 3D rendering. Its technology used dynamic code generation and parallel processing to specialize rendering routines and exploit multicore CPUs and SIMD vector units. The asset was sold to Google in 2015.

• Connected-TV entertainment platform · 2010

  GameTree TV

  GameTree TV was a cloud-based, on-demand entertainment application for smart televisions launched by the former TransGaming business. TransGaming expanded the platform through the acquisition of Oberon Media's connected-TV division in 2012. The business was sold in 2016 and subsequently continued under the PlayWorks name.

• 2016

  Strategic shift from technology and gaming to real estateStrategy

  Background

  After the sale of significant technology assets and the narrowing of its gaming portfolio, TransGaming reassessed its business direction.

  Action taken

  The company decided to focus on real estate financing and subsequently operated as Findev, with activities centered on property development in the Greater Toronto Area.

  Aftermath

  The company became a real estate-oriented corporate brand aligned with Plazacorp, while its former gaming business was separately sold and continued under PlayWorks.

  Source

• 2016

  Sale of GameTree TVM&A

  Background

  GameTree TV was the last remaining gaming division after the disposal of other technology assets.

  Action taken

  The division, its subsidiaries, and offices in Tel Aviv and Kyiv were sold to TransGaming Interactive UK Limited, a subsidiary of General Media Ventures.

  Aftermath

  The purchaser was later renamed PlayWorks Digital Ltd. and continued the business under the PlayWorks name.

  Source

• 2015

  Divestment of the Graphics and Portability GroupM&A

  Background

  TransGaming's technology operations included graphics and game-portability assets such as SwiftShader. NVIDIA sought the relevant group as part of its expansion of graphics capabilities and Toronto operations.

  Action taken

  NVIDIA acquired TransGaming's Graphics and Portability Group.

  Aftermath

  The transaction contributed to NVIDIA's first Toronto office and separated the acquired technology assets from the later Findev real estate business.

  Source

1. 1Findeven.wikipedia.org