EFI

In 1989, a seasoned innovator named Efi Arazi decided to start over. After building Scitex into a world leader in computerized color printing, Arazi saw a new opportunity the large company couldn't pivot to address: making high-quality color printing accessible at the office level. He founded Electronics for Imaging, or EFI, to chase this vision. The company’s breakthrough came in 1991 with the Fiery print server. This product was a specialized box of hardware and software that connected color copiers to computers, effectively turning them into high-quality digital color printers. This move was pivotal, bridging the gap between desktop design and professional-grade color output. Major copier manufacturers like Canon and Xerox soon began incorporating Fiery systems, embedding EFI's technology into the workflow of businesses worldwide. EFI went public with a NASDAQ IPO, fueling its growth and a series of acquisitions that expanded its capabilities into different markets, including industrial inkjet printing for textiles, packaging, and ceramics. The company's journey took a significant turn in 2019 when it was acquired by private equity firm Siris Capital Group in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $1.7 billion, leading to its delisting from the stock exchange. This event marked a new chapter for EFI, shifting its operations from a public entity to a privately-held company focused on long-term growth in the digital imaging sector.