IPICO

IPICO develops and markets RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) systems primarily for race timing and asset tracking. The company's business model revolves around selling its hardware, including RFID readers, mats, antennas, and tags, directly to event organizers, timing companies, and industrial clients. This approach enables a sustainable revenue stream as customers purchase initial packages and expand their equipment inventory over time. IPICO serves a diverse client base, ranging from small local running clubs to major international events like the London and Tokyo Marathons. Beyond sports, its technology is robust enough for industrial applications such as tracking railway assets at high speeds.

The company's core product is a comprehensive timing system that includes readers, antennas, and tags, all managed by its software. The key technological differentiator is its patented dual-frequency (DF) RFID system, which combines low frequency (125KHz) for energizing tags at a distance and a higher frequency (6.8MHz) for rapid data transmission. This IP-X protocol allows for high read rates, overcoming signal loss in environments with high moisture or crowding—common challenges in both human sports and industrial settings. The system can reliably read up to 120 tags per second with over 99.99% accuracy. IPICO offers various hardware tiers, such as the entry-level "Lite Reader" for smaller events and the "Super Elite" readers for large-scale races.

The sports division, IPICO Sports, was formed in November 2008 after the Canadian-based IPICO Inc. acquired Mercury Sports Group (MSG), a Peoria-based company founded by Philip Lockwood in May 2003. Lockwood, a race director himself, aimed to simplify race timing and became the Vice President and CTO of the newly formed IPICO Sports. The original IPICO Inc. grew out of a South African government research center focused on RFID guidance systems. In February 2015, IPICO Sports was acquired by ACTIVE Network, a major player in event management software, which was in turn owned by Vista Equity Partners.

Keywords: RFID race timing, sports technology, dual frequency RFID, asset tracking, event timing solutions, IP-X protocol, RFID readers, passive RFID tags, marathon timing, sports data capture, industrial RFID, high-speed asset identification, ACTIVE Network, Philip Lockwood, Mercury Sports Group, live results, participant tracking, race management hardware, endurance sports timing, railway asset management