Vicente Capital Partners has taken a minority stake in an Emmy Award-winning TV graphics technology company in North Carolina that needs money to upgrade its technology and expand.

Vicente Capital, a Los Angeles venture capital firm, invested $12.5 million in SportsMedia Technology Corp. of Durham.

SportsMedia said it will use the funding to accelerate introduction of products, migrate to a next generation software platform, and introduce products to markets. The company’s clients now include ESPN/ABC, NBC, CBS, Versus, Turner, and TNT.

Among its more innovative products is the Giant On-Air Talent Operated Board (GOTO Board), a large touch-screen TV that announcers use to stop and pause video and drag-and-drop statistics.

Vicente Capital’s investment was led by managing partner Jay Ferguson.

This organization is poised for accelerated growth based upon the merits of its technology, its reputation in the industry and its clear vision for the future,” Ferguson said in a statement.