Rovi Corporation

In 1983, John O. Ryan and Victor Farrow founded Macrovision, a company that began with a core technology to prevent video piracy. This initial focus on copy protection for VHS tapes laid the groundwork for a future built on intellectual property. By the late 1980s, most major Hollywood studios were using Macrovision's services. The company went public in 1997, a move that transitioned it from a private entity with under $20 million in sales to a global corporation with a market cap exceeding $1 billion. In 2009, after acquiring Gemstar-TV Guide, Macrovision rebranded itself as Rovi Corporation, shifting its focus toward entertainment metadata and program guides. Rovi's business centered on licensing its vast portfolio of patents, covering everything from electronic program guides to digital rights management. This strategy led to a series of acquisitions to bolster its technology offerings. A pivotal moment came in 2016 when Rovi acquired TiVo Inc., the pioneer of the digital video recorder (DVR), for approximately $1.1 billion. Following the acquisition, Rovi made the strategic decision to adopt the more recognized TiVo brand name for the combined company. This move solidified its position as a leader in media discovery and analytics. The journey culminated in 2019 with a merger with Xperi, creating a combined entity valued at $3 billion, operating under the Xperi name.