Rightsline, a rights and finance management platform for the media and entertainment industry, announced that it had acquired Real Software Systems to extend its core IP rights management services to fully support end-to-end financial and royalties workflows while simultaneously expanding its market from media and entertainment into gaming, publishing, consumer products, life sciences and high tech, among other global industries. 

"Before this acquisition, Rightsline was already the established leader for managing Hollywood's global IP rights," says Patrick Arkeveld, chief executive officer, Rightsline. "With this acquisition, we've assembled a product suite designed to manage the entire lifecycle of IP monetization for nearly any company, in any industry, anywhere in the world." 

Real Software Systems' flagship platform—Alliant—automates the contractual rights, royalties accounting, revenue sharing and profit-sharing of more than 70 notable companies with a wide range of underlying IP. 

Real's clients span pharmaceutical and life science firms including Gilead and Merck; tech companies including Dell and Infor; game creators such as EA and Ubisoft; publishers such as Getty Images and Thomson Reuters; media and entertainment brands such as Legendary and MGM; and consumer-focused companies such as Hallmark and American Greetings. 

"The wide range of industries using Real's Alliant platform reflects two essential takeaways," says Kira Baca, chief revenue officer, Rightsline. "First, it shows that the Alliant platform is highly adaptable to customers' unique business models. Second, it underscores how critical monetizing IP rights and managing royalties are across the entire economy. Whether you're in life sciences, consumer products, gaming, or entertainment, effectively managing the IP lifecycle provides an increasingly essential competitive edge in today's information economy." 

The integration of Rightsline's and Real's systems will provide expanded capabilities for their existing customers, including BBC Studios, AMC and the Public Broadcasting Service. Data exchange and complementary feature build-outs will provide operational efficiencies to teams already using both Rightsline and Alliant, allowing them to replace time-consuming multi-system workflows with higher-value strategic activities. 

"Combining Rightsline and Alliant from a product standpoint allows us to bring to market the first truly horizontally-integrated IP Commerce platform supporting robust Contract Lifecycle Management functions, availability and library maximization algorithms, as well as the myriad complexities of IP-based financial calculations on a scale never before achieved," says Matt Bricker, chief technology officer, Rightsline. "We have been signaling our commitment to unifying the IP supply chain by focusing on increasing our financial capabilities. This transaction demonstrates the reality and scope of that commitment."  

The terms of Rightsline's acquisition of Real were not disclosed. Real's employees will join Rightsline. According to company leadership, with the continued support of Klass Capital, Rightsline is looking to make new strategic acquisitions to expedite product roadmap initiatives and continue to deliver best-in-class products.