Interactive TV authoring tools provider Ensequence, which now describes itself as an interactive video company, has received a further $40 million in funding. The software company, based in Portland, Oregon, with an office in London, will use the money to open new offices in Los Angeles and New York and continue its worldwide expansion.

“With this investment, Ensequence is expanding to deliver interactive video across television, broadband and mobile platforms — offering advertisers, programmers and operators new content and transactional revenue opportunities,” said Ensequence chief executive Dalen Harrison.

“Ensequence is at the forefront of next generation video and is poised for rapid and continued growth,” added Bernee Strom, who chairs the Ensequence board.

Ensequence received $18 million of additional funding in August 2004. With this third round of funding, the total investment in the company will be over $80 million. The latest investment comes from an unidentified private equity firm.

Ensequence was established in the year 2000, based on original interactive television development work at Intel. Its on-Q software has been used to create interactive television programming since 2002, providing a comprehensive authoring environment for interactive video services.

The company recently extended the capabilities of its authoring tools to Blu-ray DVDs. This enables the creation of interactive video experiences using the potentially powerful high-definition disc format.

Ensequence has also been breaking into broadband, with interactive online services for Major League Baseball. It is also intending to engage in the mobile market.

The continued investment in Ensequence will enable it to complete operator deployments in cable and satellite and develop and market its next generation of on-Q software.

www.ensequence.com