What Optaglio does

Optaglio a.s. (formerly Czech Holography, s.r.o.) is a Czech Republic-based manufacturer of holographic security features for government documents, banknotes, tax stamps, and brand protection applications. Founded in 1994 by scientists from the Czech Academy of Science, the company has built its position around proprietary e-beam lithography that achieves resolution up to 2.5 million DPI — far exceeding the ~10,000 DPI physical limit of conventional holograms — combined with patented microhologram (OVDot) and OVMesh technologies that enable adhesive-free integration of holograms into polycarbonate ID cards. Its product portfolio spans the OVMesh family (Unlimited, Smart, Exclusive) for polycarbonate cards, μH Layer/Overlay modules, OVImage document fingerprinting, holographic seals/stripes/hot stamping foils, OVDot Paper security paper, and application machines (PP-ID, MF-ID, MP-ID, MM Substrate Applicators) sold to in-house producers.

The company monetizes through four streams: physical security hologram product sales (one-time), custom application machinery sales, a security consulting practice, and licensing/technology transfer of its e-beam lithography methods. All sales are quote-based, direct, and B2B — primarily to governments, central banks, security printers, brand owners, and pharmaceutical manufacturers across more than 50 countries. Distribution is direct from a Czech manufacturing and R&D hub in Lochovice with a UK sales/support entity (Optaglio Limited, Basingstoke). Go-to-market relies heavily on major security document industry conferences (SDW, Trustech, Cartes, Label Expo, Security Document Summit Beijing) and thought-leadership content, consistent with long enterprise/government procurement cycles.

Operationally, Optaglio has consolidated all R&D into Optaglio Labs (since 2015), added a behaviour research laboratory, opened a Forensic Protection Research Center (2017), and in March 2017 converted from s.r.o. to a.s. (joint-stock company) explicitly to attract investment and prepare for a possible future stock exchange listing. Volume signals point to meaningful scale: security elements delivered for ~20 million polycarbonate ID cards/passports/driving licenses in H1 2017 (a 30%+ YoY increase) and protection for 10 million+ drug packets in Q4 2017, against a backdrop of hundreds of millions of holograms cumulatively delivered worldwide.

Name

Optaglio

Legal name

Optaglio a.s.

Website

https://optaglio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Optaglio manufactures proprietary e-beam-lithography security holograms, microholograms, and OVImage document-fingerprinting solutions for polycarbonate ID cards, banknotes, tax stamps, and pharmaceutical packaging. It sells directly to governments, central banks, security printers, and brand owners across 50+ countries from its Czech R&D and manufacturing base.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Security Holograms

NAICS

Photographic Film, Paper, Plate, Chemical, and Copy Toner Manufacturing (325992)

SIC

Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Anti-Counterfeit & Authentication Packaging (Holograms, QR/NFC, Track-and-Trace) (IMALANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Security, Tamper-Evident & Track-and-Trace Printing (IMALAKAJ), Anti-Counterfeit & Track-and-Trace Packaging (Serialization, Security Features) (IMALAIAJ), Pressure-Sensitive Labels (PSL) (IMALAKAA)

Keywords

• Security holograms
• Anti-counterfeit solutions
• Polycarbonate ID cards
• Document protection
• Banknote security

Headquarters

HQ city

Basingstoke

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Security Hologram Products: Sale of physical security holograms, microholograms, and holographic products for document protection. Products include overlays, patches, stripes, and specialized holographic elements sold to government document producers, security printers, and brand owners.
2. Consulting Services: Security consulting practice offering expertise in identity protection, document security strategy, technology selection, tender organization, and project management for governments and organizations implementing anti-counterfeit solutions.
3. Application Machines: Sale of application equipment (MP-ID, MF-ID, PP-ID Card Hologram Applicators, MM Security Substrate Applicator) that enables customers to apply holograms in-house. Machines are customized for customer production requirements.
4. Licensing and Technology Transfer: Licensing of proprietary technologies including e-beam lithography methods and specialized manufacturing processes to partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Optaglio manufactures holographic security features for government documents and physical products, using proprietary e-beam lithography and patented microhologram (OVDot) technologies to provide anti-counterfeit protection. The company sells security holograms, OVImage document fingerprinting solutions, OVMesh polycarbonate card integration systems, µH Layer and µH Overlay microhologram products, holographic seals/stripes/paper/hot stamping foil, achromatic holograms, and customized application machines (PP-ID, MF-ID, MP-ID, MM Security Substrate Applicators) to governments, central banks, security printers, brand owners, and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Product overview

Optaglio is a manufacturer of holographic security features for government documents, offering a comprehensive portfolio of anti-counterfeit protection solutions. The core technology is e-beam lithography capable of 2.5 million DPI resolution. Product portfolio includes: OVMesh family (OVMesh Unlimited, OVMesh Smart, OVMesh Exclusive) for polycarbonate card protection; µH Layer and µH Overlay for microhologram application; OVImage for document fingerprinting; various holographic products (seals, stripes, hot stamping foil, paper); and application machines (PP-ID, MF-ID, MP-ID, MM applicators). The company operates primarily in government ID documents, banknotes, tax stamps, and brand protection markets, delivering to more than 50 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OVImage Document fingerprinting solution using microholograms scattered in defined areas of documents, enabling unique identification of individual documents based on random distribution patterns that can be registered and compared against a database. Targeted at government document producers, security printers, and brand owners needing forensic-level authentication.
• OVMesh Unlimited Hologram solution for production of millions of polycarbonate ID cards. The hologram is divided into miniature parts and printed directly into polycarbonate foil; during lamination, melted polycarbonate flows through the hologram creating a single homogeneous unit without adhesive. Designed for high-volume ID card, passport, and driving license producers.
• OVMesh Smart Solution for tens of millions of polycarbonate ID cards with holographic elements on polycarbonate foil, divided into miniature parts for seamless lamination into cards.
• OVMesh Exclusive Premium solution for hundreds of thousands of polycarbonate cards with metallic security hologram laminated into documents, featuring high durability and aging resistance.
• µH Layer Polycarbonate layer with microholograms scattered inside for integration into polycarbonate cards during lamination. Can include other security elements such as OVMesh and security print.
• µH Overlay Ultraslim polycarbonate layer (down to several micrometers) containing microholograms, delivered with carrier PET foil for easy handling during card lamination.
• Microholograms (OVDot) Extremely small metallic particles (from 40 micrometers) with regular shape and holographic surface. Enable multiple levels of inspection from naked eye to forensic examination. Can be applied via µH Layer, µH Overlay, hot stamping, holographic paper, or holographic stripes.
• Achromatic Hologram Unique three-dimensional visually tactile image providing optical security not experienced with traditional holography, optimized for poor lighting conditions for public recognition.
• Holographic Seals Self-destructive holographic stickers that leave only an ultrathin layer after application; any attempt at removal results in destruction and evidence of attack. Available in opaque and transparent versions.
• Holographic Stripes Precisely cut holographic foil stripes down to 1mm width for cost-effective security solutions. Can be combined with security inks and microholograms.
• Holographic Hot Stamping Foil Foil for machine application on rolls or sheets of paper or plastic via heat and pressure. Types include silver, gold, HRI transparent, partially metalized, and scratch-off variants.
• Holographic Paper (OVDot Paper) Security paper with microholograms mixed into the paper-making process, providing protection at the material level. Microholograms remain intact even when paper is damaged.
• PP-ID Card Hologram Applicator High-capacity adhesive-free application machine for polycarbonate holographic elements, designed for producers of tens of millions of polycarbonate ID cards, passports, and driving licenses.
• MF-ID Card Hologram Applicator Machine for applying OVImage microholograms onto polycarbonate film, joining anti-counterfeit protection with unique document identification in a single production step.
• MP-ID Card Hologram Applicator Application machine for exclusive card producers enabling in-house application of metallic security elements onto polycarbonate documents without heterogeneous adhesive.
• MM Security Substrate Hologram Applicator Machine for in-house production of substrates secured by holographic security microparticles, enabling manufacturers to add microholograms during the substrate production process.
• Optaglio Consulting Practice Security consulting practice offering expertise in identity protection, document security strategy, technology selection, tender organization, and project management for governments and organizations implementing anti-counterfeit solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero documented successful counterfeiting attacks on Optaglio-protected documents
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Neograph ŠtětícoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Czech security paper mill that became a key partner for microhologram integration into security paper. Neograph used Optaglio's microhologram technology to create security paper for tax stamps (kolky), enabling authenticity verification from basic material level and forensic analysis of damaged documents.
• Academic Institutions and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation with Czech Academy of Sciences, universities, and international scientists. The company's origin from Academy scientists and high proportion of employees with academic degrees reflects ongoing academic partnerships for research collaboration.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Toppan Printing: Toppan Printing is a Japanese conglomerate with significant security printing operations producing passports, banknotes, and identity documents. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same government security document market with extensive Asia-Pacific footprint.
• De La Rue: De La Rue is a global incumbent in currency printing and security document production, supplying banknotes, identity documents, and tax stamps to governments worldwide. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same anti-counterfeit security printing space though operating at significantly larger scale across the full document production value chain.
• HID Global (Assa Abloy): HID Global, part of Assa Abloy, produces secure identity credentials, RFID, and card personalization solutions for government and enterprise. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the secure credential and authentication market with overlapping government ID customers.
• Thales Group: Thales provides digital identity and security solutions including e-passports, smart cards, and border management systems for governments globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent with overlapping government ID and secure document offerings, though at much larger scale and broader technology portfolio.
• IDEMIA: IDEMIA is a major global player in identity and security solutions, producing e-passports, ID cards, and secure credentials for governments. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving the same government ID document market, though IDEMIA operates across the full identity ecosystem while Optaglio focuses specifically on holographic security features.

Direct peers

• SICPA: SICPA is the dominant supplier of security inks and authentication solutions for banknotes, tax stamps, and identity documents globally. Directly comparable to Optaglio as both serve the same anti-counterfeit market with overlapping customers (governments, central banks, security printers) and complementary security feature portfolios.
• Leonhard Kurz: Leonhard Kurz is a leading manufacturer of hot stamping foils, security foils, and holographic features used in ID cards, banknotes, and brand protection. Directly comparable as both produce holographic security elements for polycarbonate cards and government documents, with overlapping customer base of security printers.
• CCL Industries: CCL Industries is a major producer of specialty labels including security labels and authentication solutions for brand protection. Comparable as a direct peer in the security/authentication label space, particularly for brand protection and anti-counterfeit applications.

Emerging players

• Covectra: Covectra provides serialization, track-and-trace, and authentication solutions for pharmaceutical and consumer goods supply chains. Comparable as an emerging player in pharmaceutical anti-counterfeit - directly relevant given Optaglio's expansion into drug packet protection.
• Authentic Vision: Authentic Vision provides anti-counterfeit and brand protection solutions using mobile authentication and unique fingerprint technology. Comparable as an emerging player in the anti-counterfeit authentication space, though focused on mobile/digital verification rather than holographic physical features.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/optaglio-ltd-124112370990054
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/optaglio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Optaglio