The Glasgow-born serial entrepreneur had sold his safety software company Lexware International for a “seven-figure sum” and could have comfortably given up work for the rest of his life.
He found inspiration in his 14-year-old daughter who, like many of her ilk, was glued to her computer screen and a regular user of instant messaging.
The problem would lead Hewitt to form a new company called NetIDme and develop a software system, launched to the world last week, which allows youngsters to check the identity and age of people online.
The obvious appeal of being able to stop internet paedophiles in their tracks has attracted media attention from around the world. And NetIDme signed a £750,000 funding deal with Glasgow-based venture capitalists Northern Edge last week to roll out the product across the UK, US, Canada and Australia. It has opened offices in Toronto, New York, San Francisco and Sydney to help with the expansion push. The East Kilbride company expects its staff to more than double to 50 people within the next six months.
Children register for NetIDme online. They are then sent a paper form that they must fill out with their parents. The information on the form has to be stamped by a school official or other professional before it is accepted. NetIDme then carries out background checks before issuing them a virtual ID that states their first name, age, gender and general location.
When the child then goes online in a chat room or to instant message they can ask whoever they chat with for their NetIDme, the details of which only they can see. The service costs £9.99 a year. Parents can also buy an additional software licence for a product called ChatShield for £19.98 that restricts younger children from instant messaging to anyone who does not have a NetIDme. It can also specify that chat mates have to be under a certain age; and block anyone else from making contact.
Hewitt – who lives in Newton Mearns, south of Glasgow, with his wife and three children – and a small number of private investors have already put in nearly £1 million to develop the system.
His extensive career in IT went a long way to helping him come up with the solution. In 1964, Hewitt began his career as an electronics engineer with Ferranti. He started his first business, software company Lexware International, in 1996 after a management buy-out from Motherwell Bridge. During his time with Lexware, he grew the company from a start-up to an international business .
Hewitt, 42, is confident that this latest venture will be just as successful, and in a short space of time. The company aims to have 100,000 users by the end of 2007. The product has been test piloted in a dozen UK schools and the system currently has 800 subscribers. It seems like a major leap, but Hewitt says there are no other products like it on the market.
NetIDme has also signed on Andrew Lloyd, ex-vice-president of security at global giant Computer Associates, as a non-executive director to help with the company’s US strategy.
While individuals can sign up with the service through www.netidme.com, Hewitt is counting on the major growth coming from partnership agreements with other major online players. The business is already in talks with several major household names about integrating its product into their services.
This is cache, read story here
