WinVista CEO Wayne Leonard predicts the security concept will beaccepted readily by major corporations dealing daily in Internetbusiness transactions. He plans to add 14 software engineers overthe next six months to his staff of 30 in offices in Boca Raton, FLDallas, Washington, San Francisco and London. Boca Raton is 60miles north of Downtown Miami.

California-based New Vista Capital Fund sees potential in thefive-year-old firm, which only began to grow in the last 18 months.New Vista invested $600,000 in the firm. An unidentified Londonventure capitalist gave the company $2.5 million last year.WinVista only entered the security software arena in February whenit bought HM Software in Newcastle, England for an undisclosedprice.

The British firm designs and sells software that frustratesthieves who plan to sell the electronic contents of laptops afterstealing the computer. The software locks the contents. WinVista'se-mail security program tweaked and polished the Britishconcept.