MeridianData holds a verified copy of your critical software source code in a GDPR-native, Irish-hosted vault. If your supplier becomes insolvent, ceases trading, or fails to maintain the software, the code releases to you automatically.
What Is Software Escrow
Every company that relies on third-party software has a hidden risk. If the supplier becomes insolvent, is acquired, or stops supporting the product, you lose access to the source code needed to maintain, modify, or migrate your systems.
Software escrow removes that risk. A verified copy of the source code is deposited into a neutral vault held by MeridianData. The code releases to you automatically when a defined trigger event occurs.
Until now, software escrow meant using a US-owned provider with your source code stored outside EU jurisdiction. MeridianData is built for Irish and European businesses who need escrow but require their data and IP to remain under EU law.
Liquidation, receivership, or bankruptcy of the software vendor
Supplier stops supporting or maintaining the software
Supplier fails to meet obligations under the software licence
Both parties agree to release the deposit
How It Works
The software supplier connects their GitLab repository to the MeridianData vault. Source code is deposited automatically on each new release. Deposits are encrypted and stored on OVHcloud Ireland infrastructure.
Every deposit is verified. We check the deposit is complete, readable, and matches the hash recorded at the time of deposit. Monthly integrity reports confirm the vault is intact. You have a full audit trail.
If a defined trigger event occurs, the beneficiary submits a release request with supporting documentation. Once validated, the source code is released directly to the beneficiary. No delays, no disputes, no lawyers required.
Who It Is For
Enterprise and financial services buyers increasingly require software escrow before signing a contract. MeridianData lets you offer escrow as a selling point, close deals faster, and demonstrate IP protection to investors at due diligence.
If your business-critical operations depend on third-party software, you have a continuity risk you may not have documented. MeridianData provides the escrow arrangement and the audit trail to prove your continuity planning to auditors and stakeholders.
DORA (in force January 2025) requires Irish financial entities to document exit strategies and continuity plans for critical ICT vendors. Software escrow satisfies that requirement directly and generates the documentation your compliance team needs.
Law firms advising on software licensing, SaaS procurement, and vendor contracts regularly recommend escrow to protect their clients. MeridianData provides an Irish, GDPR-native escrow option you can confidently recommend without the CLOUD Act exposure of US providers.
Regulatory Compliance
Two major EU regulations create direct demand for software escrow. MeridianData is designed to satisfy both.
Digital Operational Resilience Act - in force January 2025
DORA requires Irish and EU financial entities to have documented exit strategies and operational continuity plans for critical ICT third-party providers. Article 28 and Article 30 specifically address contractual arrangements with ICT vendors.
A MeridianData escrow arrangement provides a documented, contractually defined continuity mechanism that maps directly to these requirements and generates the audit trail your compliance team needs.
Network and Information Security Directive - Irish compliance deadline October 2026
NIS2 requires essential and important entities to implement supply chain security measures and documented business continuity plans. It does not just ask whether your own systems are secure - it asks whether you have assessed and documented continuity for every critical software supplier.
MeridianData provides the continuity mechanism and the documentation to evidence your NIS2 supply chain security obligations.
Pricing
Monthly subscriptions. Cancel any time. All plans include a three-party escrow agreement, deposit automation, and monthly integrity reports.
MeridianData is currently in development. The tiers and prices below reflect our planned offering. Register your interest to be notified at launch and to help shape the final product.
For early-stage companies entering enterprise sales or preparing for due diligence.
For established businesses with multiple software dependencies and compliance obligations.
For regulated financial entities, large organisations, or custom requirements.
EU Sovereignty
The market for software escrow has been dominated by US-owned providers and UK legacy firms. MeridianData is built specifically for businesses that need escrow but require their data and IP to stay within EU jurisdiction.
MeridianData Ltd is registered in Ireland. Irish law governs all escrow agreements. Your escrow is not subject to UK or US jurisdiction.
All vault data is stored on OVHcloud Ireland (France-incorporated, EU infrastructure). Disaster recovery on Hetzner Germany. No US cloud providers.
The US CLOUD Act allows US authorities to compel US companies to hand over data stored anywhere in the world. MeridianData is not subject to the CLOUD Act.
Every aspect of the service is designed around GDPR compliance. A GDPR Article 28 Data Processing Agreement is included with every plan.
The vault runs on Nextcloud (German), authentication on Hanko (German), and workflow automation on n8n (German). All self-hosted on EU infrastructure.
All escrow agreements and DPAs are signed digitally using Yousign (French), which is eIDAS-compliant and legally binding across the EU.
About MeridianData
MeridianData was founded by Charley Rutledge in Limerick, Ireland. The product was identified in response to a clear gap: Irish and EU businesses need software escrow, but the existing providers are either US-owned, UK-based, or legacy firms with outdated pricing and no GDPR-native offering.
MeridianData is designed from the ground up for the post-DORA, post-NIS2 regulatory environment in Ireland and the EU. Every technology choice, every legal structure, and every operational decision reflects the needs of Irish and European businesses who take data sovereignty seriously.
We are currently in the validation and build stage. We are talking to potential customers, mapping the regulatory landscape, and building the foundations. If you are an Irish or EU business that needs software escrow, or a software supplier whose customers are asking for it, we want to hear from you.
Register Your InterestWhere We Are
MeridianData is at an early stage. Here is exactly where we are and where we are going.
Talking to potential customers. Running an idea validation survey. Mapping the gap the existing providers are not filling. Understanding what Irish and EU businesses actually need from an escrow service before writing a line of production code.
Building the vault, the deposit automation, the three-party agreement workflow, and the compliance documentation. A small group of early adopters who register interest now will be invited into private beta before public launch.
Public launch with self-serve signup. Full DORA and NIS2 compliance documentation included. First enterprise contracts. Ongoing development driven directly by customer feedback.