Forterra Systems

Forterra Systems is a venture-backed software company providing online distributed virtual world technology for the corporate, healthcare, government, and entertainment industries. Forterra's software and services enable organizations to build their own virtual worlds to train, plan, rehearse, and collaborate in ways previously considered impossible or impractical. Using the OLIVE (On-Line Interactive Virtual Environment) platform and industry standard PC hardware, customers can rapidly generate realistic, collaborative, 3D Internet solutions. Forterra is committed to meeting the requirements of both public and private sector organizations for an easy-to-use, yet powerful and secure collaboration platform.

In September 2007, Forterra announced a strategic investment and technology advancement agreement with Washington, DC-based In-Q-Tel (IQT), the strategic investment firm that works to identify, adapt, and deliver innovative technology solutions to support the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC).

It is frequently noted by leaders of U.S. government agencies -- even those charged with protecting the nation in military and intelligence roles — that their agencies often are hampered in their efforts to work together by the use of different communications systems and procedures. The ability to instantly share information for planning and real-time action in support of U.S. interests, including the War on Terror, has become a leading objective of many government agencies.

Imagine an example in which intelligence agents are training to take down a terrorist cell. The mission requires cooperation from MI5, the FBI and local operatives on the ground. Through OLIVE's virtual reality capabilities, the agencies are able to recreate the location of the terrorists and rehearse the mission. By integrating UC2 (Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC2™) capabilities into the virtual reality model, the team instantly knows which experts are available and their location to harness the necessary resources in real-time to gain the necessary approvals for any changes as the rehearsal is taking place. They can also share and integrate into the training new information from operatives in the field such as streaming video, images from drone planes and audio files.

To meet this challenge, IBM and Forterra have entered into a teaming agreement under which Forterra will integrate its OLIVE™ 3D platform with the IBM Lotus® Sametime® software and the IBM Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC2™) platform. The new system will give online collaborators instant insight through the display and discussion of multiple data forms in parallel including documents, graphic displays, and human expertise via anytime, anywhere connectivity through the Internet or a mobile phone.

By integrating Sametime capabilities into their platform, Forterra can potentially save 12-18 months of development time and increase their speed to market. Furthermore, Forterra is leveraging the client insight it receives from IBM's sales and marketing teams to help shape the product and to increase its presence in the market. IBM and Forterra are currently working on a joint sales pipeline in both the public and private sectors.

The Forterra solution, including IBM technology, carries the potential to become the primary collaboration platform used throughout the intelligence community, as well as other industries and environments that require greater collaboration and real-time information sharing.

The company's investors include Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), Sutter Hill and private investors. "IBM's Venture Capital Group facilitated Forterra's introduction into IBM's ecosystem," said Erel N. Margalit, founder and managing partner of JVP. "The result is that we were able to quickly integrate Forterra's breakthrough platform with IBM's deep technical and business prowess to bring to market an unprecedented and innovative set of new workplace collaboration tools."