Cardiff Software

In 1991, a founder named Joe Larson started Cardiff Software with a specific problem in mind: how to get information off of paper forms and into a computer without manual data entry. The company’s first product, TELEform, was ingeniously designed to capture data from faxed forms, a common business tool at the time. This was the core of Cardiff's business—automating the capture of information from paper and electronic forms. The company was based in Vista, California, and grew by developing a suite of products that included LiquidOffice and LiquidCapture. These tools expanded on the initial concept, creating a comprehensive system for electronic forms, document capture, and workflow-driven business processes. They found a strong market with government agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Energy. The significant event in Cardiff Software's journey came in early 2004 when it was acquired by Verity Inc. Verity, a leader in enterprise search and intellectual capital management, saw an opportunity to extend its capabilities into content capture and business process automation. The deal was valued at approximately $50 million in cash. Following the acquisition, Cardiff Software became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Verity, continuing its operations and contributing its specialized technology to Verity's broader platform. This journey from a niche solution for faxed forms to a key component in a larger enterprise software suite marked its successful evolution.