|
|
|
|
|
|
@Mobile.com – (OpenWave Systems: Nasdaq - OPWV) @Mobile.com was acquired by Software.com, which, in turn
was shortly thereafter acquired Openwave Systems. @mobile.com was a leading
developer of brandable WAP & non-WAP Internet service applications that
integrate wireless devices with the Internet. Using an open technology
platform, they provided Mobile Web Services & secure eCommerce solutions
to telecom carriers, web-site operators and major portals. The company’s
eCommerce focus included affinity-marketing solutions for national and local
businesses. Retained
Search Projects (1998 - 2000) VP Marketing VP International
Sales Advisory Board
Members (2) Working for a combination of
equity & cash, we were retained by Sutter Hill Ventures and OVP Partners
in 1998 to help build the executive team for @mobile.com when it was still
called Global Mobility Solutions (GMS). While the GMS core technology was
very strong & innovative, it missed the window of opportunity for its
targeted value-proposition at that time. It became necessary to quickly
change strategies in a way that would dramatically leverage the Company’s
unique architecture. This was accomplished on a very limited rebuilding
budget, and under extremely aggressive time constraints. Working very closely with Mike
Buhrmann (founding CEO), and Board members from Sutter Hill and OVP Ventures,
I helped on a variety of levels ranging from highly-specific executive
search, to assisting the Board in finding potential buyers. Fortunately we
were able to execute this turnaround robustly…@mobile.com was sold for $400M,
yielding a huge ROI to investors in one of that years most lucrative
high-tech liquidity events. The press release below tells the rest of this
success story… March 09, 2000, 05:08 AM PST Bellevue, Wash.-based mobile.com is a
wireless Internet application service provider that offers Instant Messaging
technology and other wireless Internet expertise. Software.com said the mobile.com
acquisition will enable it to offer mobile service providers a broader array
of applications to create and deliver mobile Internet services. "We plan to integrate
mobile.com's suite of applications rapidly into Software.com's offerings
which we will then deliver as mobile Internet infrastructure software to
service providers worldwide," John MacFarlane, Software.com founder and
chief executive, said in a statement. With the acquisition, Software.com
plans to deliver wireless unified messaging, enabling mobile service
providers to tap the exploding wireless services market. Based on this technology,
wireless service providers can provide their customers with "access
anywhere" -- the ability to access voicemails, emails, pages and faxes
from a single mailbox regardless of location, time or device. The acquisition will allow
Software.com to deliver mobile.com's Instant Messaging service to providers.
The service allows subscribers to know who is online via mobile phone or
personal computer. Mobile.com's Instant Messaging enables wireless
subscribers to send and receive messages to mobile phones or PCs, create
lists of friends and colleagues, and create group lists -- such as accounting
department or soccer team, etc. -- to broadcast messages to groups. The terms of the merger call for
mobile.com's existing 70 employees to join Software.com immediately following
the close of the deal, which is expected in about six weeks. Mobile.com CEO
Michael Buhrmann will join Software.com's executive management team as
general manager of its wireless business. The acquisition is expected to be
accounted for as a pooling of interests and has been approved by the board of
directors of each company. Shares of Software.com closed at 114-1/8 on Wednesday
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
