Ricoh has announced the acquisition of natif.ai, a German software startup, offering artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled Intelligent Capture, advanced image recognition and optical character recognition (OCR) technologies. The acquisition was made by Ricoh Group company DocuWare, also headquartered in Germany, which Ricoh acquired in 2019.

Ricoh says the acquisition enhances the data extraction function of its Process Automation portfolio from various documents, including paper and handwritten documents, enabling Ricoh to offer automation and sophistication in a wide range of business processes.

Ricoh states the Process Automation business is one its growth areas, beginning with data capture and processing with its portfolio of edge devices (including multifunction printers (MFP) and scanners), as well as the management of document and workflow management applications, outsourcing services, and intelligence process automation.

natif.ai is a software startup with 46 employees founded in Germany in 2019. In addition to its strength in Intelligent Capture, leading image recognition and OCR technologies that utilize AI, natif.ai provides a service platform for document classification and data extraction, as well as research and development of high-performance AI models and advanced OCR technology through machine learning.

These technologies enable improved accuracy in reading unstructured data and automatic data extraction from a variety of non-standard business documents such as invoices, order forms, and contracts.

By combining DocuWare and natif.ai's Intelligent Indexing technologies, Ricoh claims a new level of AI powered capture and automation will be available, which can be applied to a wider range of business areas.

Takahiro Irisa, Senior Corporate Officer and President of Ricoh Digital Services Business Unit, Ricoh Company, Ltd., says, “We are delighted to welcome natif.ai to the Ricoh Group. natif.ai's advanced technology is imperative to our growth, and this has been a strategic decision to cater Ricoh solutions to evolving customer needs.

“As a global workplace services provider, we are dedicated in liberating people from task work by leveraging AI technology, in addition to the document and process technologies we have cultivated over the years. Ricoh will continue to work closely with our customers to provide new value, unleash their creativity, and realize a sustainable society where people feel fulfillment through their work.”