Harman Connected Services

Harman Connected Services, commonly abbreviated as HCS, is a software engineering and connected-device services business associated with Harman International Industries, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics. The business traces its roots to Teleca, a software company founded in Manchester in 1992 by a team of engineers. Teleca initially developed telecommunications software used by technology companies including Motorola, Racal, Digital, GEC, Hewlett-Packard, Psion and Siemens. Its work later expanded into software for mobile-phone manufacturers, including Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson. Teleca was acquired by Swedish engineering-services company Sigma AB around 2000 and became its UK subsidiary. It expanded internationally, including into Poland and South Korea, and acquired the Russian software company Telma Soft in 2006. Teleca subsequently added operations in India and China. In 2008, Symphony Technology Group acquired Teleca and removed it from the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The company reported more than 9,000 employees in 35 countries by 2013, with a particularly substantial presence in India. A parallel business, Symphony Services, was founded in 2002 with financial backing from Symphony Technology Group founder Romesh T. Wadhwani. Symphony Services expanded through acquisitions including Stonehouse Technologies, Proteans Software Solutions, CoreObjects Software and JPC Software. In 2012, Symphony Services and Teleca were merged to create Symphony Teleca Corporation. The combined business focused on outsourced software product engineering and on the convergence of software, cloud computing and mobile technologies. It was headquartered in Palo Alto and operated major delivery centers in the United States, India and China. Symphony Teleca acquired Aditi Technologies in April 2014. Aditi became an independent business unit within the broader organization, with Sanjay Dhawan taking the chief executive role and Pradeep Rathinam becoming Aditi's president. On January 22, 2015, Harman International Industries agreed to acquire Symphony Teleca from Symphony Technology Group for approximately US$780 million. Harman subsequently integrated and rebranded the business as Harman Connected Services. The unit was intended to provide software capabilities supporting Harman's connected products and broader automotive, mobile and embedded-technology activities. Harman also acquired Red Bend Software during this period and later acquired TowerSec, an automotive cybersecurity company; these assets were brought together within Harman's connected-services and software activities. Samsung Electronics acquired Harman in 2016 for approximately US$8 billion, and Harman became a wholly owned Samsung subsidiary in March 2017. As a result, Harman Connected Services became part of Samsung's wider technology group. Its business scope has centered on software product engineering, embedded systems, cloud and mobility software, connected-device platforms, automotive software and related engineering services. The historical organization also maintained ISO 9001:2008 certification and a globally distributed workforce across the Americas, Europe and Asia.

The history of Harman Connected Services is rooted in two software-services organizations: Teleca and Symphony Services. Teleca began in Manchester in 1992, founded by software engineers and initially serving the telecommunications industry. Its software was used by a range of communications and technology companies, and its customer base later included major mobile-device manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson. This progression reflected the industry's movement from network and telecommunications software toward increasingly sophisticated mobile-device platforms. Around 2000, Sigma AB acquired Teleca, making it a UK subsidiary. The company expanded its geographic footprint and grew operations in locations including Łódź and Seoul. In 2006, Teleca acquired Telma Soft, a Russian software company. The Russian operation was later rebranded under the Teleca name, while further delivery and engineering sites were established in India and China. Symphony Technology Group acquired Teleca in 2008 and delisted it from the Stockholm Stock Exchange. By 2013, Teleca reported a workforce of more than 9,000 employees across 35 countries, with India representing its largest concentration of employees. Symphony Services was established in 2002 with initial support from Romesh T. Wadhwani, the founder and chairman of Symphony Technology Group. It raised additional growth capital in 2003 and expanded through a series of acquisitions. Stonehouse Technologies was acquired in 2004, followed by Proteans Software Solutions and CoreObjects Software in 2010, and JPC Software in 2011. These transactions broadened the company's engineering, embedded-software, consulting and support capabilities across North America, India and Latin America. In 2012, Symphony Services and Teleca were combined to form Symphony Teleca Corporation. The new organization positioned itself as a global software product engineering partner, helping technology companies address the convergence of cloud computing, mobility and software-defined products. It was headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and maintained significant operations in the United States, India and China. Its delivery model relied on distributed engineering centers and outsourced product-development relationships, and the company was assessed at CMMI Level 3. Symphony Teleca continued expanding in 2014 through its acquisition of Aditi Technologies. The acquired company became an independent business unit, with Sanjay Dhawan appointed chief executive of Symphony Teleca and Pradeep Rathinam appointed president of Aditi. The transaction strengthened Symphony Teleca's digital engineering and technology-services portfolio. Harman International Industries acquired Symphony Teleca in January 2015 in a transaction valued at approximately US$780 million. Harman integrated the business and rebranded it Harman Connected Services. Harman also added Red Bend Software and, in 2016, TowerSec, bringing together software, device-management and automotive-cybersecurity capabilities. The resulting organization supported software development for Harman's connected products and for customers in mobile, embedded and automotive markets. Samsung Electronics acquired Harman in 2016, and the transaction was completed with Harman becoming a wholly owned Samsung subsidiary in March 2017. Harman Connected Services therefore became part of Samsung's global technology structure. Its historical identity as Symphony Teleca remains significant because it describes the organization before Harman's integration, while its later identity reflects the business's role within Harman's connected-product and software portfolio.

• 2017

  Harman became wholly owned by Samsung

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Harman became a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, placing Harman Connected Services within the Samsung group.

• 2015

  Harman acquired Symphony Teleca

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Harman acquired Symphony Teleca for approximately US$780 million and subsequently rebranded it Harman Connected Services.

• 2014

  Aditi Technologies acquisition announced

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Symphony Teleca announced the acquisition of Aditi Technologies and made it an independent business unit.

• 2012

  Symphony Teleca Corporation created

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Symphony Services and Teleca merged into a combined global software engineering business.

• 2008

  Symphony Technology Group acquired Teleca

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Teleca was acquired and delisted from the Stockholm Stock Exchange.

• 2006

  Teleca acquired Telma Soft

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  The acquisition expanded Teleca's software operations in Russia.

• 2002

  Symphony Services founded

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Symphony Services was established with initial financial support from Romesh T. Wadhwani.

• 2000

  Sigma AB acquired Teleca

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  Teleca became a UK subsidiary of Swedish engineering-services company Sigma AB.

• 1992

  Teleca founded in Manchester

  [1]Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org

  A team of software engineers established Teleca as a telecommunications-software company.

A global engineering-services and software-development partner for connected products, mobile platforms, cloud systems, embedded technologies and automotive applications.

• Telecommunications software · 1992

  Telecommunications software

  Teleca's early business centered on software for telecommunications companies and network-related technology providers. Its engineering work was used by customers including Motorola, Racal, Digital, GEC, Hewlett-Packard, Psion and Siemens, helping establish the technical base from which the company expanded into mobile-device software.

• Mobile software

  Mobile-device software

  As mobile phones became software-intensive products, Teleca developed services for device manufacturers and mobile platforms. Its customer relationships included Nokia, Motorola and Sony Ericsson, reflecting a focus on embedded software, device integration and the engineering required to bring mobile products to market.

• IT and engineering services · 2012

  Software product engineering services

  Symphony Teleca's principal combined offering was outsourced software product engineering. The business supplied distributed development, embedded engineering, consulting and support services to technology companies managing products across software, cloud and mobile environments.

• Connected-device software · 2015

  Connected-services software

  Under Harman, the organization focused on software supporting connected products and digital experiences. Its capabilities covered cloud-connected systems, embedded software, mobile integration and engineering services linked to Harman's product portfolio and external technology customers.

• Automotive technology · 2016

  Automotive software and cybersecurity

  Harman's broader connected-services activities incorporated automotive software and cybersecurity capabilities, including those associated with the acquisition of TowerSec. This expanded the historical Symphony Teleca engineering portfolio into connected-vehicle security and software-defined automotive systems.

• 2017

  Harman became part of Samsung ElectronicsM&A

  Background

  Samsung Electronics acquired Harman to expand its position in connected technologies and related markets.

  Action taken

  Harman became a wholly owned Samsung subsidiary in March 2017.

  Aftermath

  Harman Connected Services became part of Samsung's global technology group.

  Source

• 2015

  Harman acquired Symphony TelecaM&A

  Background

  Harman wanted to strengthen its software capabilities for connected products and related technology markets.

  Action taken

  Harman International Industries acquired Symphony Teleca from Symphony Technology Group and integrated it as Harman Connected Services.

  Aftermath

  The business became part of Harman's software and connected-services organization and later entered Samsung's group structure through Samsung's acquisition of Harman.

  Transaction value. US$780 million (January 22, 2015)

  Source

• 2014

  Acquired Aditi TechnologiesM&A

  Background

  Symphony Teleca sought to expand its software engineering and digital-services capabilities.

  Action taken

  The company announced the acquisition of Aditi Technologies for an undisclosed amount and operated it as an independent business unit.

  Aftermath

  Sanjay Dhawan became Symphony Teleca's chief executive, while Pradeep Rathinam became president of Aditi.

  Source

• 2012

  Merged Symphony Services with TelecaM&A

  Background

  Both organizations operated in software engineering and technology services, with complementary geographic and technical capabilities.

  Action taken

  The businesses were combined as Symphony Teleca Corporation, focused on software product engineering and the convergence of cloud, mobility and software.

  Aftermath

  The combined company operated from Palo Alto with major engineering centers in the United States, India and China.

  Source

1. 1Harman Connected Servicesen.wikipedia.org