How a single dongle sale launched a global cybersecurity empire
In short: In 1988, Steve Chang turned the proceeds from a single copy protection dongle into the foundation of Trend Micro. From a Los Angeles startup to a global force, the company has evolved from basic anti-virus tools to advanced AI-driven security across 185 countries.
Trend Micro's journey began in 1988 when founders Steve Chang, Jenny Chang, and Eva Chen established the company in Los Angeles. The initial capital came from Chang's sale of a copy protection dongle to Rainbow Technologies. Shortly after its inception, the company moved its headquarters to Taipei, eventually establishing a major presence in Tokyo in 1992 through the acquisition of a Japanese software firm.
The company's growth was marked by strategic partnerships and acquisitions. In the early 1990s, Trend Micro entered a significant agreement with Intel, producing anti-virus products for local area networks sold under the Intel brand. By the mid-2000s, the company was aggressively expanding its capabilities, acquiring the US-based antispyware firm InterMute for $15 million in 2004 and the antispam developer Kelkea in June 2005.
In recent years, the company has pivoted toward artificial intelligence and specialized sectors. In March 2026, Trend Micro rebranded its enterprise business as TrendAI and launched the TrendAI Vision One platform. This evolution includes high-level integrations, such as gaining access to Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview model in June 2026. Today, the company operates with a massive footprint, including 14 research and development centers and a presence in 185 countries.
Despite its success, the company has faced scrutiny. In August 2018, researchers discovered that several MacOS consumer products were capturing and uploading user data, such as browser history and passwords, for security analysis. While Trend Micro admitted to the data capture, they noted the practice was disclosed in their end-user license agreements.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Trend Micro
- Also: find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk — TREND MICRO (UK) LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK
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