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Company Profile
Hands-On Mobile, Inc. is a premier mobile technology company and award-winning developer and publisher of mobile entertainment. Its portfolio consists of the critically acclaimed Guitar Hero® III Mobile and WPT® Texas Hold 'Em games and the universally popular Astrology Zone® Premier and Billboard® Mobile applications. Hands-On offers global distribution of the world's best entertainment brands and content from partners including Activision, Billboard, CBS, Marvel, NBA, and World Poker Tour. In addition, the Hands-On Mobile Developer Network (HDN) allows third party developers to mobilize and monetize content rapidly and dynamically.
Products and Services
Games
Hands-On Mobile delivers a large catalog of Java, BREW, SMS, MMS, mophun, and WAP games. Whether developed by its internal development studio or in collaboration with top developer partners, Hands-On Mobile consistently turns out high quality titles, which have been universally praised and highly-rated by independent game reviewers.
Subscription Services
Hands-On Mobile delivers premium subscription lifestyle and personalization products, featuring sports news and fantasy sports, music news and ringtones, mobile 411, astrology and more.
Brand Management
Hands-On Mobile has unparalleled experience in mobilizing the brands of some of the world's leading entertainment and media companies and has successfully maximized revenue for all parties from branded entertainment properties, which include comics, video games, film, television, sports, and online media.
Distribution
Hands-On Mobile distributes content in virtually every corner of the globe and its distribution network is one of the world’s largest.
Porting
Hands-On Mobile can deliver a game in any language, on any handset, to any market, and delivers multiple thousands of product versions every month.
Platform Management
Hands-On Mobile's carrier-grade platform manages the deployment of downloadable games and applications for some of the world's largest networks.
Background
Hands-On Mobile was founded by Daniel Kranzler, a veteran wireless industry executive and entrepreneur, and his philanthropic venture fund, eFund, LLC, which combined the technology, content and talent of some of the early leaders in wireless entertainment to establish Hands-On Mobile in spring of 2001. Hands-On Mobile grew organically as well as through business combination when it acquired several leading mobile entertainment developer and technology companies: nGame Ltd and Blue Beck of the UK, MobileGame Korea, FingerTwitch (a U.S. mobile technology company), and two mobile entertainment content development companies in China. Hands-On Mobile also established a strategic partnership with Magus-Soft, a leading Chinese mobile games company. Hands-On Mobile is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Key Customers
AT&T, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, Alltel, US Cellular, Bell Mobility, Telefonica, VIVO, Claro, Movistar, 3, Mobilkom Austria, Mobistar, O2, Orange, SFR, T-Mobile Group, Vodafone, Westel, Wind, China Mobile, Globe Telecom, Telstra, and Smart Communications.
Key Media Partners
Activision, Billboard, CBS, Marvel, NBA, and World Poker Tour.
Hands-On Mobile Executive Team
Niccolo de Masi, Chief Executive Officer & President
Mr. de Masi serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of Hands-On Mobile. Prior to joining Hands-On, Niccolo was CEO of London-listed mobile entertainment player Monstermob Group PLC. Under his stewardship he grew Monstermob's EBITDA from $3m in 2004 to over $27m in 2006, consummating over $350m of acquisitions to expand headcount from 30 to 800 and its geographic footprint to 25 countries. Niccolo was responsible for formulating and implementing Monstermob's growth and product strategy for the future and under his watch grew revenues from $40m to over $200m during his tenure. Prior to Monstermob, Niccolo enjoyed a blend of corporate finance and operational experiences within the TMT sector, beginning his career with JP Morgan on both the TMT debt capital markets and mergers and acquisitions teams in London. Niccolo has also worked as a physicist with Siemens Solar and within the Strategic Planning and Development divisions of Technicolor. Niccolo holds a BA and MA in Physics, and an MSci in Electronic Engineering—all from Cambridge University.
Addo Barrows, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Addo Barrows oversees Hands-On Mobile's financial operations. Prior to joining Hands-On Mobile in 2007, he was Assistant Treasurer for Powerwave Technologies, Inc. a publicly traded global supplier of wireless solutions for wireless communications networks, where he oversaw the global treasury function from 2004 to 2007. Prior to Powerwave, Mr. Barrows was Vice President, Finance for Cable & Wireless, a multi-national telecommunications company based in London. Mr. Barrows served as the head of Revenue Management for Cable & Wireless' operations in the US. Prior to joining Cable & Wireless, Mr. Barrows was Vice President, Treasurer and Interim Chief Financial Officer for Digital Island, a publicly traded network, hosting and content delivery company. Prior to Digital Island Mr. Barrows was Director, Treasury and Investor Relations for SpeedFam-IPEC, a publicly traded global manufacturer of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, from 1995 to 2000. Mr. Barrows is a U.S. Navy veteran, serving full tours in the Persian Gulf, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and the Mediterranean, from 1985 to 1989. Mr. Barrows holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Dublin, Trinity College (Ireland) and a MBA in Global Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Board of Directors
Daniel Kranzler, Chairman, Managing Partner, Efund LLC
Daniel Kranzler is a wireless and technology industry entrepreneur who for 25 years has been managing, supporting, and financing startup high tech companies. One of the pioneers in the wireless industry, Kranzler founded the largest paging company in the Northwest, which was later acquired by McCaw Cellular Communications. Kranzler subsequently became McCaw’s first general manager for cellular and paging operations. In 1986, Kranzler became president and CEO of AccessLine Technologies, a telecommunications software company that originated the single number concept. Since 1984, Kranzler has been investing in and advising communications and Internet tech startups—companies whose combined equity values today exceed $20 billion. In 2001, Kranzler founded MFORMA (which later became Hands-On Mobile) and while president and CEO grew it to profitability with 700 employees on three continents. Today Hands-On Mobile is a global leader in mobile entertainment, delivering content to virtually every major wireless operator in the world. As executive chairman, Kranzler drives strategic initiatives for Hands-On Mobile and represents the company at industry conferences and other public events around the world. Kranzler is also managing partner of eFund LLC, an early-stage venture fund that donates profits to children’s charities.
John H. N. Fisher, Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
John H. N. Fisher is a Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. On behalf of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Mr. Fisher serves on the boards of Airprism, Cambridge Innovations, CMI Marketing, Entegrity Solutions, SafeView, Selectica (NASDAQ: SLTC), and Visto. He served on the boards of C2B until its acquisition by Inktomi (INKT), Convoy before its acquisition by Neon/Sybase (SY), Medior until its acquisition by America OnLine (AOL), RightPoint before its acquisition by E.piphany (EPNY), Webline until its acquisition by Cisco (CSCO), and Soundview Technology Group (SNDV) before its acquisition by Charles Schwab Corp (SCH). He was also an investor in Software Quality Automation (SQAX) before its acquisition by Rational Software (RATL). In addition, Mr. Fisher serves on the board of DFJ ePlanet Ventures, on the Investment Committee of DFJ New England, and on the board of Azimuth Trust Company. Previously, Mr. Fisher worked at ABS Ventures, where he was responsible for much of the firm's investment efforts in computer software and services. In addition to his venture capital experience, Mr. Fisher gained investment industry experience at Alex. Brown & Sons and Bank of America. Mr. Fisher graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard College, and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
John G. Simon, Managing Director, General Catalyst Partners
As a Managing Director of General Catalyst Partners, John Simon concentrates on technology-intensive, industry-leading software platforms. His areas of focus include: enterprise content management; mission critical enterprise software applications and subsystems; and software-based connectivity platforms. John currently is a board member of the following enterprise content management companies: Maven Networks, Inc.; and OutStart, Inc. He is a board member of the following mission critical enterprise software applications and subsystems companies: GTESS Corporation; ProfitLogic, Inc.; Taleo, Inc (f/k/a: Recruitsoft, Inc.); and Vette Corporation. John also is a board member of the following connectivity platform companies: BridgePort Networks, Inc.; m-Qube, Inc. (John and General Catalyst also are co-founders of the company) ; Millennial Net, Inc.; and Hands-On Mobile Group, Inc.
Prior to co-founding General Catalyst, John was founder, chairman and CEO of UroMed Corporation (NASDAQ: URMD), which was merged to form Alliant Medical Technologies. Prior to founding UroMed, John led marketing and sales at Adaptive Networks and was a venture capitalist with Highland Capital Partners and Charles River Ventures.
John is a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). He is a co-founder and current trustee of The Steppingstone Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides educational opportunities to deserving inner-city students. In addition to serving on the boards of Steppingstone and Steppingstone-Philadelphia, John has continued his involvement with the non-profit sector by founding the GreenLight Network Fund, which catalyzes the replication and growth of innovative non-profits.
John earned a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.A. from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.
Byron Deeter, Operating Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners
Byron Deeter is a Partner in BVP's Menlo Park office after having previously been a successful entrepreneur, investor, and consultant. At Bessemer, he focuses on investments in the software, Software as a Service (SaaS), Internet, and gaming sectors.
Most recently, Byron was an executive at IBM, as a result of its 2004 acquisition of Trigo Technologies, the product information management company that he co-founded. At Trigo, Byron served as founding President & CEO, then became Vice President of Business Development as the company grew to profitability, 150 employees, and a $40+ million run-rate. BVP worked closely with Byron and the executive team after Trigo's founding in 1999, and invested in all institutional financing rounds.
Prior to Trigo, Byron worked in private equity with TA Associates where he focused on technology investing with investments in companies such as Kintana (acquired by Mercury Interactive). He came to TA from McKinsey & Company, where he was involved with Fortune 500 clients in the media and technology markets, and was active in McKinsey's Innovation and Technology Management practice.
Byron holds a degree with honors from UC Berkeley in political economy. He was named a California Emerging Leader Scholar and an Alumni Scholar, and was a varsity member of Cal's national championship rugby team. Byron is the author of Bessemer's 10 Laws of Being "Sass-y", is on the board of the Private Equity Forum of the Software & Information Industry Association, and was recently named one of the ten "Thought Leaders of the SaaS Revolution."
Barry Schuler, Chairman & CEO, The Meteor Group
Barry Schuler has focused on developing emerging technologies into successful enterprises for the last 25 years. An Internet pioneer, Schuler spent more than seven years with AOL, where he was the chief architect of the company's success in developing products and services that enrich the lives of more than 25 million households. Most recently Schuler served as chairman and chief executive officer of AOL.
Schuler was CEO and co-founder of multimedia design firm Medior Inc. until its acquisition by AOL in 1995. Under his leadership, Medior pioneered the use of interactive multimedia for applications such as electronic commerce, entertainment, and corporate information systems. The company was recognized for its work in user-interface design including its creation of the navigation and design that helped AOL become the number one consumer online service.
Before co-founding Medior in 1989, Schuler served as president and CEO of Cricket Software, an early developer of Macintosh graphics software, where he oversaw breakthroughs in the development of software for business presentations and color graphics.
Today Schuler operates The Meteor Group, which invests in and helps build emerging technology companies.
Schuler has received many awards for his work including a Golden Reel Special Achievement Award in computer animation from the International Television Association. He is a co-founder of The Blue Oak School, an independent progessive school in Napa and sits on several corporate boards.
Investors
Career Opportunities with Hands-On Mobile
| Job Title | Location |
| User Experience Designer | San Francisco, CA, US |