Interactive Intelligence

Interactive Intelligence

Company type	Public
Industry	Telecommunications software, cloud computing
Founded	1 October 1994 (1994-10-01) in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Founder	Donald E Brown
Fate	Acquired by Genesys
Successor	Genesys
Headquarters	Indianapolis , United States
Products	Interaction Center Platform (cloud-based and on-premises unified communications solutions)

Interactive Intelligence operated as a company specializing in telecommunications software and cloud computing, focusing on unified communications solutions tailored for call center operations, Voice over IP providers, and business process automation.

In December 2016, Genesys acquired the company for $1.4 billion. Following the acquisition, its offerings were incorporated into Genesys’ customer engagement platforms: PureCloud, PureConnect, and PureEngage.

Products

At the core of Interactive Intelligence’s portfolio was the Interaction Center Platform, designed to consolidate multi-channel business communications and workflows. Available both as cloud-based and on-premises deployments, the platform was backed by comprehensive professional services, customer support, and training programs. The company collaborated with leading technology providers such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Polycom, and Salesforce.com.

After being acquired, Genesys utilized this technology to enhance its suite of customer experience solutions: PureCloud, a cloud contact center as a service (CCaaS); PureConnect, an all-in-one customer engagement platform; and PureEngage, an omnichannel system aimed at large-scale enterprises.

History

Interactive Intelligence was founded in October 1994 by Donald E Brown in Indianapolis, Indiana, who took on the roles of president and CEO in 1995.

By 1997, the company had developed one of the first comprehensive customer engagement software suites.

The firm went public in September 1999 amid the dot-com bubble, raising $29 million through its initial public offering. Its stock price increased by 141% on opening day.

In 2007, Interactive Intelligence extended its offerings to include cloud-based contact center solutions.

From 2009 through 2015, the company strategically expanded through acquisitions to enhance its product range and international presence: AcroSoft (insurance content management) in 2009; Latitude Software (debt collection software) for $14 million in 2010; Agori Communications (German reseller) in 2011; CallTime (Australian reseller) also in 2011; Bay Bridge Decision Technologies (capacity planning software) in 2012; OrgSpan (social and business communication tools) in 2014; and Customer 360 (based in Mumbai) for approximately $10 million in 2015.

In May 2016, AcroSoft was sold to Hyland Software.

By August 2016, Interactive Intelligence agreed to be acquired by Genesys for $1.4 billion, with the transaction concluding in December that year. Its products and services were subsequently integrated into Genesys’ worldwide operations.

Philanthropy

The Interactive Intelligence Foundation was launched in 2010 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting at-risk youth through technology education initiatives both within Indiana and internationally. Funding was generated via annual gala events and silent auctions.

Awards and recognition

Industry analysts such as Datamonitor, Frost & Sullivan, and Gartner acknowledged the company as a "market leader." It consistently featured on Software Magazine's list of Top 500 Software and Services Companies for twelve consecutive years.

In 2011, it achieved the 8th position on Forbes America's 100 Best Small Companies ranking. The acquisition by Genesys in 2016 represented the largest technology-sector deal for an Indiana-based firm since 2013.