The world is hurtling forward at a tremendous pace. Digital transformation is molding the way we live, travel, and interacts. Perhaps most importantly, it is revolutionizing how individuals access their finances and how governments administer citizen services. Very few companies are at the nexus of technical proficiency, bleeding edge innovation, and decisive leadership to excel in this fast-paced arena. However, one Southeast Asian firm has already established a foothold here. It is forging a trailblazing path that will shape the ‘connected’ experience for millions around the world, far into the foreseeable future.
That company is Pradotec.
Impeccable Pedigree
Pradotec Corporation Sdn Bhd (Pte Ltd) is one of the world’s foremost electronic identification, access control, and secure payments specialists. The hardware development and manufacturing company is headquartered in Malaysia but 70% of its revenue is generated internationally.
While it was founded in 2007, Pradotec’s technical DNA is much older. It is an independent offshoot of IRIS, the company that developed the world’s first digital smart card in 1997, executed Malaysia’s ePassport program in 1998, and its Multi-Purpose National ID Card project in 2000.
The company’s Founder, Dato’ Tony Lee Kwee Hiang is a veritable legend in the Malaysian computing sphere.
Dato’ Lee began his journey into the world of technology almost four decades ago with a technical diploma. He went on to introduce Apple computers to Malaysia and was instrumental in establishing the country’s first computer manufacturing facility. Malaysian students learn about computing based on the ATOM1 syllabus Dato’ Lee designed. His achievements transcend national borders; Dato’ Lee’s invaluable contributions to Malaysia’s MyKad initiative created the world’s first chip-based multi-application identity card. This wealth of technical knowledge, practical experience, and an innate ability to foresee trends in technology give Pradotec the inspired leadership needed to dominate the industry.
Diversified Excellence
Pradotec has adopted an aggressive approach to diversifying its portfolio. Besides passports and eID documents themselves, it also develops and manufactures static and handled readers for such documents. The company’s expertise extends to biometric readers, mobile enrollment units, self-service kiosks, and ID printers, too.
Having dominated the government services sector for so long, Pradotec is ideally positioned to bring its world-leading technological solutions to a variety of industry segments.
“Peer-to-peer exchange transactions, a globalized society, and exponential increases in travel and border crossings have changed consumer behavior in terms of technology and how it impacts our identity and private life,” says Dato’ Lee.
Pradotec understands that its growth lies in being a part of every transaction made in this digital realm.
“Our goal is to develop trusted technology that can be relied upon to secure the identities of everyone in the community, be it in the realm of physical or digital exchange,” he explains.
The company is taking decisive strides towards this goal with its focus on innovation, trust, and stability.
“These three factors define and characterize each product we create and every decision we make. Our intention is to meet the demands of both the government and the private sectors.”
A Roadmap for Success
Pradotec is keeping abreast of the seismic shifts that are shaping the government and private sectors, including increasingly popular innovations like smart technology and the Internet of Things (IoT).
“My vision for Pradotec revolves around two key principles,” reveals Dato’ Lee, “Firstly, to become a global brand and, secondly, to deliver capabilities that matter just as much in the future as they do today.”
Dato’ Lee’s has a cohesive plan to make that vision a reality focuses on innovation driven by authentication, integration, and sustainability.
The Dato’ expounds, “Authentication involves the use of embedded software to verify that a person or source is who they say they are. Integration comprises a range of techniques that combine various identification roadmaps into a single, trusted information highway. Sustainability refers to our core design principle that aims to prolong the relevance and value of our products across traditional limitations of time and space.”
The competition is intense at the elite levels of any industry and the verification and eID ecosystems are no different. However, Pradotec has at its disposal a key advantage that its competitors do not – a holistic suite of products and services.
Most authentication specialists are completely software-driven. Their products have to be integrated into externally-produced hardware before they can be utilized. This discontinuity can potentially be the root of both incompatibility issues and security breaches.
With Pradotec, this situation does not arise. Their organically-developed symbiosis of hardware and software is unrivalled. In fact, companies that would otherwise be competitors often turn to Pradotec as customers of their products. Pradotec regards a recent ASEAN Defense Ministers’ meeting, which emphasized the need for biometric hardware to manage information in the fight against terrorism as the ideal opportunity to press its advantage internationally.
Crafting the Future
The world is witnessing a steady and inevitable shift from physical to digital solutions in every aspect of technology. The Internet of Things, Augmented Intelligence (AI), and the transition to the Cloud provide versatility, speed, and convenience hardly imaginable not long ago. With this change comes an increased potential for lapses in security. Dato’ Lee anticipated this and his efforts at Pradotec have focused on creating systems that are designed to address this inherent deficiency.
Another pressing need for security exists in the nascent world of smart, interconnected living. We already hear the term “smart cities” but Pradotec realizes that these cities will arise out of interconnected facilities. It is only when a network of smart facilities are interlinked will the smart city appear.
Pradotec is already developing secure systems for the IoT and for access and identity management. These components will form the backbone of the smart complex, however large or small.
The myriad developments will lead to what Pradotec calls “One Identification”. The One Identification concept will be an individual’s gateway to every government service and every private transaction they require. Through its clients, Pradotec will deliver faster, smoother transactions devoid of traditional bottlenecks.
The future looks bright indeed.
