Milestone Systems is a company in fast growth, and that growth has been organic in response to the rapidly growing market demands of the security industry.

“Since release of the first Milestone IP-based software in 1999, a lot has happened in the security world. Hardly anyone was manufacturing IP cameras then, and the established security industry using Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) regarded IP-based surveillance as a mere child's toy, at best, or as a threat to their proprietary hardware and cable installations, at worst,” explains Lars Thinggaard, CEO at Milestone Systems.  “By the new millennium, however, the many advantages of new technology had become evident.”

The Milestone open platform solutions for IP video surveillance continue to be on the forefront of developments in the security industry, sold and implemented through an international channel of authorized partners. These efforts have garnered thousands of satisfied customers in a wide spectrum of businesses worldwide.

Milestone Systems is the leading global developer of open platform software for managing IP network-based video surveillance. Milestone XProtect™ software is powerful and advanced yet easy to use, reliable and proven.  The open platform allows best-of-breed solutions to ‘video enable’ business: reducing costs, optimizing processes, protecting people and assets - and ultimately increasing value in your organization’s products and services.

In offerings scaled to different customer needs, XProtect solutions support the widest choice in network hardware like ACTi, Arecont, Axis, Bosch, D-Link, FLIR, Infinova, IQinVision, JVC, Lumenera, Mobotix, Panasonic, Pelco, Pixord, Sony, Samsung, Sanyo, Toshiba, VCS, Verint, Vivotek.

In addition, Application Program Interfaces (APIs) enable value-adding integration with other systems data like Point Of Sale, Automatic Teller Machines, Access Control, Gates, Lighting, HVAC, Fire Alarms, Analytics, biometrics, etc.

Milestone solutions are in more than 50,000 customer installations worldwide, from all industry sectors: retail, hospitality, finance, manufacturing, distribution, education, healthcare, utilities, property management, transportation, government, and the military.

XProtect software is sold through authorized and certified partners in 100 countries. Since its inception, the company has focused on an international approach with this strong partner channel strategy, where local representation brings closer understanding of each customer’s needs. Strong alliances with the leading hardware manufacturers are also an important link in the business model, with support of the latest network devices one of our highest priorities.

Milestone Systems was founded in 1998 upon a dream to build a software development company that could improve business through managing and distributing digital video data regardless of time or location. Co-founders Henrik Friborg and John Blem saw that their experience in developing IP technology for real-time data systems in the European financial sector could also be applied to the handling of video images.

At that time, digital video technology was not in use in the security surveillance industry. Milestone had to overcome much skepticism in the market about their pioneering ideas: people doubted their vision would revolutionize the industry. These people were in for a big surprise.

Coming from such a small country as Denmark, Milestone set up its business from the outset with an international scope.  In order to efficiently reach customers in distant markets, they organized selling their software through regional and local partners who believed in their dream and welcomed the technological advances.  The business took off around the globe.

To fuel the commercial development of the organization, more like-minded professionals were hired: CEO Lars Thinggaard and a sales team of account managers, top software system architects, expert support staff, marketing and technical documentation talent. Everyone in the Milestone universe shares the same entrepreneurial spirit and belief in the benefits to be gained from IP technology.

Today, Milestone Systems is established as a world-leading provider of true open platform IP video management software, with alliance and solution partners on the forefront of the industry.  Business operations reach out from the headquarters in Copenhagen to subsidiaries and sales offices currently in Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and the U.S.

We want to drive the global convergence of video surveillance and IP-based business systems.

Milestone Systems wants to tell the world what business we are in and where our business is headed. At successful companies, people know this and are focused because everyone has a clearly defined purpose and future direction to strive for. 

In the same way, a set of shared values gets everyone moving to the same beat.  Values are the shared beliefs and ethics that people live by on a daily basis.  Defining these values makes it clear how we want to act and what should drive our decisions, making sure our organizational culture contributes to our strategic objectives.

When you have fulfilling and progressive mission, vision and values statements, they become the lifeblood of the company and the reason for the way things get done. 

We believe our entire network of Milestone stakeholders – employees, partners and customers alike – share our enthusiasm and commitment: we are all doing our part to help make the world safer with new technology.

Milestone Systems is an international company that sells video surveillance management software in many countries around the world.  Our platform is used to ensure greater safety and security for people, products and assets, to help manage environmental issues, and to optimize business processes.  One of its main uses is as a tool to help police and other security personnel resolve crimes.  Our software is distributed and sold through an authorized partner channel and through the internet, which is a traditional and standard business model for software companies.

This business model means that we primarily have contact with the distributors and resellers, and do not directly handle the sales to end users.  We have therefore chosen to include a number of clauses in our contract agreements with partners to help ensure proper use of Milestone Systems’ video management software. Milestone Systems requires that the partners do not sell our solutions for abusive purposes, for example, for use in ways that would abuse human rights or in any way break existing international laws.

Our rules among other things are intended to provide greater transparency regarding our end customers.  This is evident in the fact that from the start of 2009, Milestone has required detailed customer information for every software license sold, and all licenses include clauses on proper ethical and legal use of our software. Any misuse of our software in regard to the United Nation’s declaration on human rights will result in the immediate deactivation of the license.  For more information please see www.un.org/events/humanrights.

Milestone Systems upholds in every way the export laws for the countries to which we export.  We are also in ongoing dialogue with the Danish and international authorities regarding existing and future export restrictions.  The security industry has associations in most countries that publish applicable laws regarding surveillance, which we expect our partners to follow, as well. 

Read an article on the subject of surveillance ethics, written by Milestone CEO Lars Thinggaard (and originally a blog in Danish on) in the section of the Milestone website