WTD Backstory- Part 5: Retained CenTradeX Core Technologies & Licenses

Even though the ultimate UBM/ PIERS purchase represented a fraction of the intrinsic worth of the CenTradeX technology (IMHO), the agreed upon list of itemized assets along with their valuation had been further marginalized by the fact that what we considered to be our most important technological assets, namely our unique A.I. (artificial intelligence) engine and vast data repositories of company, product and statistical information, was not on their shopping list. They had their own (newly revamped) databases and engine into which they had invested sizeable resources. In fact, the first order of the day for our (now their) tech folks was to “hook up” our (now their) web applications to their engine and databases.

CenTradeX Prospects acquired and now marketed by PIERS

Thus, PIERS ultimately acquired several CenTradeX web applications along with our “book of business and tech folks along with assorted code and documentation. Two web applications have been taken to market: StatsPlus and Prospects. An annual single user license runs around $20,000 each depending upon the particular options chosen.

As partial consideration, I retain the rights to 13 licenses of my (now their) software for five years: 13 licenses to StatsPlus, 13 licenses to Prospects and 13 licenses to Dashboards (which they have yet to bring to market). Said rights expire July 1, 2015.

Under the terms of that agreement, 12 licenses are eligible for redistribution. Redistribution being “employees (of Robert Thompson/Centradex), independent contractors and consultants (of Robert Thompson/Centradex), “clients of the licensee, for whom, from time to time, the licensee or his appointees are carrying out consulting or other commercial engagements”. Currently I have assigned 4. 2 which will expire June 30, 2011. The other 2 are set to expire a year later.

CenTradeX Stats Plus acquired and now marketed by PIERS

So, as a result, we retain several valuable resources: the core technology, A.I. Engine and Data repositories, upon which all our innovative web applications had been built and into which we invested many hundreds of thousands of dollars over a 10-year span as well as a dozen licenses to cutting-edge trade information technology. In addition, we were able to preserve another, though often overlooked asset (wink, wink)… me.

At any rate, it is my intention to use these powers, resources and assets for the good of humankind as long as I am able and before the chip (and licenses) expire and the A.I. engine rusts. I would like to offer “open source” access and utilization to all our resident data repositories and A.I. Engine… setting it free, but shepherding its’ growth and development. I would like to facilitate/catalyze the growth of a global community of those invested in trade information and technology by providing a forum of connection and exchange.

If you would like to help, let me know.