Volantis
Encyclopedia
Volantis is a mobile internet software company based in Guildford
, England
, but with offices in cities worldwide including Seattle in the United States
, Krakow
in Poland
, Pune
in India
, and in the special administrative region of Hong Kong
. Volantis provides mobile applications and software solutions which give operators and enterprises access to a content delivery platform
and a device database which contains over 7,000 handsets as of February 2010. Volantis is part of the W3C’s Mobile Web Initiative, a member of the Open Mobile Alliance
and an advocate of Open Standards.
) in the UK. In March 2000 the four founders resigned from IBM and approached investors under the name ‘Unwired Ltd’.
The company name was changed, a few months later, to Volantis Systems Ltd. - the company taking its name from the constellation Volans. To this day the company’s logo is a representation of the actual constellation.
The initial idea which the founders took to investors involved ‘developing a yellow pages-like directory service for mobile phones’. This was soon dropped in favour of creating ‘technologies to enable companies to build web sites for all sorts of devices—smart phones, kiosks, digital televisions, gaming consoles, and...mobile phones’.
The company received an initial investment of $3.2m from Kennet Partners
in mid-2000, and subsequently, in 2001, the company received another boost from a round of funding led by Softbank
Europe. The company grew quickly until the collapse of the Internet bubble and the events of September 11, 2001 forced Volantis to downsize and consolidate. Several significant Telecommunications account signings (including Telefonica
and Hutchison Whampoa
) helped the company to recover and led it to change from offering ‘a multi-device service to a single device service’, as “an enabler for mobile phone carriers.”
Another funding round, led by Accel Partners
, was completed in 2002, and and in July 2005, Volantis raised a further $7.5 million, bringing the total venture capital raised to $31.6 million. This achievement was recognised by Fast Track, who included the company in their Tech Track 100 (run in association with The Sunday Times
) in 2006.
In 2010 Volantis was selected as a Distinguished Honoree in the Telecoms category at the Stevie Awards for international business achievement in recognition of their mobile self-care solution.
in February 2011. The financial details of the acquisition were not released.
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, but with offices in cities worldwide including Seattle in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and in the special administrative region of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Volantis provides mobile applications and software solutions which give operators and enterprises access to a content delivery platform
Content Delivery Platform
A content delivery platform is a software as a service content service, similar to a content management system , that utilizes embedded software code to deliver web content...
and a device database which contains over 7,000 handsets as of February 2010. Volantis is part of the W3C’s Mobile Web Initiative, a member of the Open Mobile Alliance
Open Mobile Alliance
The Open Mobile Alliance is a standards body which develops open standards for the mobile phone industry.- Principles :Mission: To provide interoperable service enablers working across countries, operators and mobile terminals....
and an advocate of Open Standards.
History
Volantis was founded by Jennifer Bursack, Martin Gaffney, Brett Nulf, and Mark Watson, who had all worked together at Tivoli Systems (a subsidiary of IBMIBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
) in the UK. In March 2000 the four founders resigned from IBM and approached investors under the name ‘Unwired Ltd’.
The company name was changed, a few months later, to Volantis Systems Ltd. - the company taking its name from the constellation Volans. To this day the company’s logo is a representation of the actual constellation.
The initial idea which the founders took to investors involved ‘developing a yellow pages-like directory service for mobile phones’. This was soon dropped in favour of creating ‘technologies to enable companies to build web sites for all sorts of devices—smart phones, kiosks, digital televisions, gaming consoles, and...mobile phones’.
The company received an initial investment of $3.2m from Kennet Partners
Kennet Partners
Kennet Partners is a private equity investment firm that provides growth capital to information technology, Internet and business services companies in Europe and the US....
in mid-2000, and subsequently, in 2001, the company received another boost from a round of funding led by Softbank
SoftBank
is a Japanese telecommunications and internet corporation, with operations in broadband, fixed-line telecommunications, e-Commerce, Internet, broadmedia, technology services, finance, media and marketing, and other businesses....
Europe. The company grew quickly until the collapse of the Internet bubble and the events of September 11, 2001 forced Volantis to downsize and consolidate. Several significant Telecommunications account signings (including Telefonica
Telefónica
Telefónica, S.A. is a Spanish broadband and telecommunications provider in Europe and Latin America. Operating globally, it is the third largest provider in the world...
and Hutchison Whampoa
Hutchison Whampoa
Hutchison Whampoa Limited or HWL of Hong Kong is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. HWL is an international corporation with a diverse array of holdings which includes the world's biggest port and telecommunication operations in 14...
) helped the company to recover and led it to change from offering ‘a multi-device service to a single device service’, as “an enabler for mobile phone carriers.”
Another funding round, led by Accel Partners
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture and growth equity firm funding companies from inception through the growth stage.The firm is based in Palo Alto, California with major offices in Bangalore, Beijing, London, and Shanghai....
, was completed in 2002, and and in July 2005, Volantis raised a further $7.5 million, bringing the total venture capital raised to $31.6 million. This achievement was recognised by Fast Track, who included the company in their Tech Track 100 (run in association with The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
) in 2006.
Awards
Successful fund-raising, a series of high-profile client wins and expansion into America, which "helped to boost sales 120% a year from £1.6m in 2003 to £7.9m in 2005" led to the company's inclusion in Fast Track's Tech Track 100 in 2006.In 2010 Volantis was selected as a Distinguished Honoree in the Telecoms category at the Stevie Awards for international business achievement in recognition of their mobile self-care solution.
Acquisition
Volantis was acquired by Antenna SoftwareAntenna Software
Antenna is an independent mobile enterprise solutions provider based in Jersey City, NJ with offices in Boston, Toronto, Bothell, London, Guildford, Bangalore, Pune and Krakow....
in February 2011. The financial details of the acquisition were not released.