Data Rescue
DataRescue sa/nv is a founder-owned Belgian software company that sells PhotoRescue, a niche data-recovery tool for corrupted flash memory cards used by amateur and professional photographers, primarily through low-cost perpetual licenses and an affiliate channel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLiège, Belgium
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Data Rescue does
DataRescue sa/nv is a privately held Belgian software company founded in 1997 and headquartered in Liège, specializing in data recovery for digital flash media. Its flagship commercial product line, PhotoRescue (offered in Wizard and Expert tiers), recovers lost, deleted, corrupted, or formatted photos and RAW image files from SD cards, Compact Flash, Memory Sticks, SmartMedia, and XD cards on Windows and Mac OS X. The company's technical differentiation rests on proprietary 'unfragmenting' technology that reassembles fragmented file data and a capability to recover from media that is no longer visible as a drive letter but remains electrically responsive, both of which have produced independent benchmark wins over larger recovery software competitors (88% vs 81% on erased-file recovery, 90% vs 83% on formatted-card recovery, 78% vs 76% on corrupt-card recovery). PhotoRescue has received industry recognition including a 4.5-star PC Magazine review (2004), American Photo Editor's Choice (2004), CHIP Magazine Recovery Test Winner (2005), and Personal Computer Magazine Best Buy/Best Product (2003).
The company's revenue model is built on non-expiring perpetual software licenses (individual $29, multi-user packs priced up to $249 for 50 users), a $19 annual upgrade subscription after the first free year, and an affiliate program paying $8 per sale to digital photography websites. Distribution is primarily self-serve direct download via the company website with Share-IT handling payment processing, supplemented by a German Sales channel partner for DACH and an associate/affiliate network targeting photography sites. Beyond PhotoRescue, DataRescue publishes DRDD, a freeware disk-imaging utility for partially corrupted storage devices, and historically developed/ distributed IDA Pro (now Hex-Rays' disassembler); it also resells F-Secure corporate security products in Belgium and Luxembourg.
DataRescue operates as a founder-owned micro-enterprise led by Pierre Vandevenne, with no disclosed external funding, no institutional investors, and no M&A activity. The company explicitly characterizes itself as a small operation relying on word-of-mouth marketing rather than paid advertising. The most recent documented product update was PhotoRescue Wizard 3.4.0 in February 2014, and website content carries 'last updated' timestamps from 2008-2009, indicating a maintenance-mode posture with limited ongoing development or commercial expansion.
Data Rescue firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Data Rescue
- Legal name
- DataRescue sa/nv
- Website
- https://www.datarescue.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- DataRescue sa/nv is a founder-owned Belgian software company that sells PhotoRescue, a niche data-recovery tool for corrupted flash memory cards used by amateur and professional photographers, primarily through low-cost perpetual licenses and an affiliate channel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Data Rescue industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Data Recovery Software
- NAICS
- Computer Storage Device Manufacturing (334112)
- SIC
- Computer Storage Devices (3572), Photographic Equipment & Supplies (3861)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Removable Storage for Cameras & Drones (High-Speed Capture Media) (HDACAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Memory Cards (SD/microSD/CFexpress) (HDACAIAD), Storage Components & Media (Platters, NAND, Heads, Tape Media) (HDACACAK)
Keywords
Where Data Rescue is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Liège
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Data Rescue business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses: Non-expiring perpetual licenses for PhotoRescue software sold directly online. Single user license at $29, with discounts for multi-user packs. Includes 1 year of free upgrades and support.
- Associate/Affiliate Program: Commission-based program where digital photography websites and software sellers earn $8 per sale by promoting PhotoRescue through custom demo versions with embedded purchase links.
- Upgrade Renewals: After initial 1-year free upgrade period, customers can extend support/upgrade coverage for $19 for PhotoRescue 3.x upgrades.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Individual License |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | 10-50 User Licenses |
| Subscription | Annual | Version Upgrade |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Data Rescue product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DataRescue develops and sells the PhotoRescue family of data recovery software that recovers lost, deleted, formatted, or corrupted photos and images from flash memory cards (SD, Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, XD). Products include PhotoRescue Wizard (standard GUI), PhotoRescue Expert (advanced version with RAW and longer movie support), and DRDD freeware disk imager, available for Windows and Mac OS X under non-expiring perpetual licenses with annual upgrade options.
Product overview
DataRescue is a Belgian software company that specializes in data recovery solutions, primarily known for its PhotoRescue product line. The company offers three tiers of its flagship PhotoRescue software: PhotoRescue Wizard (standard GUI version), PhotoRescue Expert (advanced professional version), and PhotoRescue Advanced. These products recover photos, images, and video files from corrupted, erased, or damaged flash memory cards (SD, Compact Flash, Memory Sticks, SmartMedia, XD). The company also offers DRDD, a free disk imaging utility that creates backup images of damaged storage devices for safer recovery attempts. The products are available for both Windows (XP through Windows 8) and Mac OS X, and feature proprietary 'unfragmenting' technology that rebuilds fragmented files. PhotoRescue consistently outperformed competitors in independent data recovery tests (Computer Bild, CHIP Magazine, PC Magazine awards).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PhotoRescue: Digital photo and picture recovery software for flash memory cards (SD cards, compact flash, memory sticks, smartmedia, XD cards). Award-winning data recovery solution for Windows and Mac OS X.
- DRDD
Products and services
- PhotoRescue Wizard Standard GUI-based digital photo and picture recovery software for Windows and Mac OS X that recovers images from corrupted, erased, or damaged memory cards including SD cards, Compact Flash, Memory Sticks, SmartMedia, and XD cards. Features innovative recovery algorithms with reliable previews and a 'what you see is what you recover' approach.
- PhotoRescue Expert Advanced version of PhotoRescue aimed at professional photographers, with enhanced recovery capabilities for RAW file formats and longer movie files from damaged flash memory media.
- DRDD (DataRescue's DD) Freeware Free graphical disk imager for data recovery and backup of partially corrupted storage devices. Creates complete or partial images of disks or memory cards in raw (.dd) or PhotoRescue-specific (.cib) formats, enabling safer multiple recovery attempts on damaged media.
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% erased files recovered vs 81% for best competitor
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Data Rescue
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Data Rescue technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Data Rescue partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered regional and minor.
- German SalesregionalRegional sales partner handling distribution in Germany and German-speaking countries. Contact via http://www.german-sales.com
- F-SecureregionalDataRescue distributes and supports F-Secure Corporate Products line in Belgium and Luxembourg
- IDA Pro (Hex-Rays)minorDataRescue historically developed and published IDA Pro, described as the best tool for low-level malware analysis. Mentioned in hostile code analysis documentation.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Data Rescue competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Stellar Information Technology: Stellar sells dedicated photo and video recovery software (Stellar Photo Recovery) for memory cards and storage media, directly competing with PhotoRescue on the same professional and consumer photographer use cases.
- EaseUS: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard targets the same lost/deleted photo recovery use case on SD cards and other storage, sold as a one-time licensed consumer/prosumer utility with comparable positioning to PhotoRescue.
- CleverFiles (Disk Drill): Disk Drill is a consumer-focused data recovery application with photo and memory-card recovery features that overlaps directly with PhotoRescue's functionality and SMB/photographer target market.
- R-Tools Technology (R-Studio): R-Studio is a professional-grade data recovery suite that recovers photos and files from corrupted or formatted flash media, serving the same IT/photographer recovery workflow as PhotoRescue Expert.
- Wondershare (Recoverit): Wondershare Recoverit is a mass-market photo and video recovery tool for memory cards and storage devices, sold via similar one-time licensing and competing for the same end-user recovery use case.
- Piriform / Gen Digital (Recuva): Recuva is a widely distributed free file-recovery utility covering memory cards and photos, serving as the most prominent free alternative to PhotoRescue and competing for the same consumer segment.
- CGSecurity (PhotoRec / TestDisk): PhotoRec and TestDisk are open-source photo and disk recovery tools often recommended as free substitutes for PhotoRescue, addressing the same memory-card recovery workflow.
- Remo Software (Remo Recover): Remo Recover offers photo, video, and file recovery from SD cards and storage devices for both consumers and professionals, directly competing with PhotoRescue on similar price points and use cases.
- SysDev Laboratories (UFS Explorer): UFS Explorer is a professional data recovery platform that handles complex photo and storage recovery scenarios, competing with PhotoRescue Expert for advanced users and IT professionals.
Broad incumbents
- KLDiscovery (Ontrack Data Recovery): Ontrack is a much larger, established data recovery services and software provider covering enterprise, legal, and consumer recovery; it addresses the same underlying market as PhotoRescue but at significantly broader scale and price points.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Data Rescue social profiles
Digital presenceData Rescue financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Data Rescue leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Data Rescue funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Data Rescue M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Data Rescue
What does Data Rescue do?
DataRescue develops and sells the PhotoRescue family of data recovery software that recovers lost, deleted, formatted, or corrupted photos and images from flash memory cards (SD, Compact Flash, Memory Stick, SmartMedia, XD). Products include PhotoRescue Wizard (standard GUI), PhotoRescue Expert (advanced version with RAW and longer movie support), and DRDD freeware disk imager, available for Windows and Mac OS X under non-expiring perpetual licenses with annual upgrade options.
Is Data Rescue a public or private company?
Data Rescue is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Data Rescue founded?
Data Rescue was founded in 2001.
Where is Data Rescue based?
Data Rescue is headquartered in Liège, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Data Rescue make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses are the primary driver. The others are associate/Affiliate Program and upgrade Renewals.
Who are Data Rescue's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Stellar Information Technology, EaseUS, CleverFiles (Disk Drill), R-Tools Technology (R-Studio), Wondershare (Recoverit), Piriform / Gen Digital (Recuva), CGSecurity (PhotoRec / TestDisk), Remo Software (Remo Recover) and SysDev Laboratories (UFS Explorer). KLDiscovery (Ontrack Data Recovery) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Data Rescue have an API?
No public API is recorded for Data Rescue.
What industry is Data Rescue in?
Data Rescue's product category is Data Recovery Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAIAJ, Removable Storage for Cameras & Drones (High-Speed Capture Media), with a secondary code of HDACAIAD, Memory Cards (SD/microSD/CFexpress). Its NAICS code is 334112 and its SIC code is 3572.