Entrust.net, EcomEnable float JV

BANGALORE: Entrust.net Ltd., the e-security business unit of Entrust

Technologies, Inc. of Canada, has set up a joint venture in India in

collaboration with EcomEnable, an enterprise e-security solutions provider from

Baroda. The joint venture will offer its suite of Web products and services to

Indian companies migrating onto the Internet and e-commerce businesses.

Armed with the first-mover advantage, Entrust is eyeing a chunk of the

Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) solution market in India. As an exclusive

affiliate partner of the $85-million global company, EcomEnable will offer the

Entrust range of products and services to enable users conduct secure e-business

transactions and relationships over the Web as well as wireless networks, using

digital certificates and digital signatures.

Though both the partners have claimed that they were still working out the

upfront investments as well as their holding pattern in the joint venture, it is

believed that the initial contribution from Entrust would be around $2 million

with EcomEnable holding the majority equity stake. While the government of India

is all set to implement the IT Act, 2000, from next month, and the cyber laws

coming into force as a result, the JV partners are planning for digital

businesses when companies launch their B2B and B2C services for online

transactions, including e-tailing or retailing.

EcomEnable CEO Ashok Tandon said that the year-old start-up, being funded by

angel investors and young entrepreneurs from Gujarat, would offer Entrust

solutions such as Web and wireless server certificates to help Indian

organizations lower costs and manage trusted e-business transactions between

customers, partners and employees. "To keep pace with the demands of

companies wanting to get e-transformed, EcomEnable has set up a network of

offices in eight major cities across the country for providing PKI

services," he added.

Entrust is also exploring the possibility of setting up an R&D facility

in India, preferably in Baroda for the development of its next generation

products and solutions. The timeframe and investment figures were, however, not

disclosed.

Though it was first established in 1994 as the Secure Networks group by

Nortel Networks in Ottawa, Entrust evolved into an entrepreneurial spin-off, and

is headquartered since 1997 at Plano in Texas, US. Entrust also has offices in

Europe and Japan.