Sky is taking a stake in TV software and content protection business Synamedia, where Dr Abe Peled is chairman. Sky joins Synamedia’s existing major shareholder Permira in the company, which was bought out of Cisco and is perhaps better known under its old NDS name.

Both Sky and its parent company Comcast are long-time Synamedia customers as well as strategic development partners.  The size of Sky’s stake was not specified.

Andrew Griffith, Sky’s Group COO, said: “We’ve long collaborated with the team at Synamedia to help bring great content, products and entertainment to millions of customers across Europe and this investment will help deepen our innovative partnership.”

Yves Padrines CEO of Synamedia, added: “At a time of accelerated evolution in the pay-TV industry, this investment is a fantastic endorsement of our product vision, R&D roadmap and service portfolio from Sky, Europe’s leading media and entertainment company.”

Synamedia has over 200 pay-TV and media customers including: AT&T, Astro, beIN, Bharti Airtel, Charter, China DTH, Comcast, Cox, Disney, Foxtel, Get, Liberty Global, Oi, OSN, Rogers, Sky, Shaw, Tata Sky, Verizon, Viasat and Vodafone.

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