Axle AI acquires Portfolio digital asset management software from Extensis
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Axle AI, a leader in the on-premise MAM (media asset management) space, has purchased the Portfolio product line from Extensis, a Monotype company. Axle AI has formed a new division, Portfolio DAM, LLC, to focus on the product. The company expects to maintain Portfolio’s long-time core emphasis on easy-to-use, on-premise DAM software for workgroups and enterprises, while expanding Portfolio’s capabilities in a modular fashion based on new advances in on-premise AI, process automation and video handling.
Axle AI sees a clear shift underway in the creative industry towards keeping media assets on-premise, as a reaction to the costs and security concerns that accompany cloud solutions. Creative teams are increasingly concerned with possible exposure to cloud-based AI tools that may ‘scrape’ images and videos for later generative use, the company claims. By contrast, Axle AI’s solutions are designed to run completely on premise, without accessing any cloud services.
“We’re capitalizing on the worldwide trend towards on-premise creative workflows, which have driven accelerating double-digit annual growth for Axle AI since its founding,” said Sam Bogoch, CEO of Axle AI. “As file sizes get larger and social media necessitates faster turnaround times, there’s no substitute for having all your assets centralized, whether physically on-premise or in a private cloud. In addition, the proliferation of public-cloud services and tools, from Dropbox to ChatGPT, have created a ‘cloud sprawl’ scenario where many content teams and IT departments don’t even know the full extent of their company’s assets and where they’re stored. Portfolio DAM is key to bringing back a central source of truth for branding and other purposes.”
Following Monotype’s acquisition of Extensis in November 2024, the companies evaluated how best to support Extensis’ digital asset management product, Portfolio. To ensure continued innovation and dedicated expertise for Portfolio customers, the product will transition to Axle AI, a leader in media and digital asset management solutions.
“Portfolio has built an incredibly loyal community over the years, and it was important to us to find the right long-term home for both the product and its customers,” said Bernie Gracy, Managing Director of Extensis and Chief Digital Officer of Monotype. “Axle AI’s deep focus on digital asset management makes them a natural fit to continue evolving Portfolio while ensuring customers remain well supported as their needs grow.”
As part of the transition, Axle AI has hired Richard Bamford, a longtime Portfolio product specialist and thought leader in the DAM industry, as Product Manager for Portfolio DAM. Based in the United Kingdom, Bamford will be working closely with the development and support teams as well as customers worldwide. The team has begun working on the codebase prior to the announcement, and is making a new version of the software, Portfolio 4.1.1, available for beta testing. Portfolio 4.1.1 includes the following changes from previous versions of the DAM software:
• Major upgrade to Apache Tomcat internals, addressing vulnerabilities of previous versions.
• Major upgrade to Java Runtime Environment internals, with performance and security enhancements.
• Removed requirement for Windows Server. Portfolio’s server can now run on Windows 10 and 11 desktop OS’s for smaller workgroup configurations (5-10 users), making Portfolio an even more cost-effective option for the wider market.
• The client browser (Chrome/Safari/Edge) and drag-and-drop application user interfaces are now tested on the latest MacOS and Windows releases.
Portfolio customers and current users of other DAM solutions who are interested in beta testing the new version are encouraged to contact the product team at info@portfoliodam.com.
About Axle AI
Axle AI, Inc. is dedicated to making media smarter. As the leading developer of radically simple media search software that runs on premise, Axle AI has empowered its customers to solve the key problem of finding and repurposing their video content. Axle AI’s solutions are renowned for their ease of installation, use, and affordability, catering to diverse sectors including video post-production, education, broadcast, corporate, sports, house of worship, non-profit, advertising, and government organizations worldwide.
Axle AI is a privately held company, whose founders have extensive industry experience in DAM and MAM. Investors include Stadia Ventures, Jason Calacanis’ LAUNCH accelerator, and Quake Capital. Axle AI’s CEO, Sam Bogoch, formerly led Avid’s Interplay Workgroup and Media Central product lines; Axle AI’s core team includes members with decades of work in the media management and storage industry. Richard Bamford, who is heading up product management for the new Portfolio DAM division, has been a product specialist and thought leader for Extensis Portfolio for more than two decades.
WOBURN, Mass., March 9, 2026 — Extensis, a Monotype company, and Axle AI, a leader in on-premise media asset management and digital asset management software, today announced that Axle AI has acquired Extensis Portfolio®, a flexible, easy-to-use digital asset management system used by prominent companies and cultural institutions across the globe. The product will retain the Portfolio branding and software platform, and going forward will be developed, sold, and supported by a dedicated division of Axle AI, Portfolio DAM, LLC.
Monotype acquired Extensis in November 2024 to deliver enhanced value to both companies’ customers by offering a unified font management and operations solution.
Alongside its font-related products, Extensis also provided a distinct digital asset management (DAM) product, Portfolio. As part of aligning product groups following the acquisition, Extensis and Monotype carefully evaluated where the DAM product and its customers would be best supported long-term.
Bernie Gracy, Managing Director of Extensis and Chief Digital Officer of Monotype, noted: “Axle AI was selected for its deep, dedicated expertise in digital asset management, ensuring that Portfolio will continue to be well-supported, actively enhanced, and aligned with customers’ evolving needs.”
Sam Bogoch, CEO of Axle AI, stated: “We are thrilled to be taking on responsibility for this tremendous product and distinguished customer base. We look forward to reaching out to the entire DAM community to help drive the momentum of Portfolio’s on-premise solution, which already offers clear advantages over its cloud-based DAM competition. We also look forward to developing new options that may supplement Portfolio’s on-premise video, AI, and workflow capabilities, without disrupting what has been a remarkably robust DAM platform over the years.”
Monotype and Extensis will continue to advance integrated font management solutions for customers, while Axle AI will steward the Portfolio digital asset management product to maintain and grow its value for customers. Portfolio DAM, LLC will provide continuity of service, product licensing and pricing models going forward, and current contracts will be fulfilled by Portfolio’s team.
Founded in 2018, privately-held Axle AI provides AI-powered Media Asset Management and automation software for on-premise as well as cloud and hybrid deployments. Investors include Stadia Ventures, Jason Calacanis’ LAUNCH accelerator, and Quake Capital. Axle AI’s CEO, Sam Bogoch, formerly led Avid’s Interplay Workgroup and Media Central product lines; Axle AI’s core team includes members with decades of work in the media management and storage industry. Bamford, who is heading up product management for the new Portfolio DAM division, has been a product specialist and thought leader for Extensis Portfolio for more than two decades.
