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Handmark®, a global leader in
mobile media, has closed a $5 million round of funding. Funds
advised by Apax Partners co-led the investment with Borealis
Ventures and Village Ventures and were joined by EU based
Argnor Wireless Ventures. The company’s founding investors,
including Hanna Ventures, also participated in this round
of funding.
Alan Patricof, Co-Founder of Apax
Partners said, “First I became a user of Pocket Express™,
then I got to know the company that built it, and now we are
an investor. Handmark Pocket Express provides a better way
to consume essential information services on a handset. Handmark
has packaged technology in a platform that does more than
deliver content; it creates a compelling experience that I
use everyday.” With the completion of this financing,
Mr. Patricof has joined the Handmark board of directors. Matt
Rightmire, former vice president and general manager of Yahoo,
has also joined the Handmark board of directors representing
Borealis.
The new funds will be used to expand
Handmark marketing and development resources as the company
launches its Pocket Express content publishing platform on
more devices and in new markets in North America and Europe.
Handmark Pocket Express is already deployed as a consumer
application in the U.S.; the company also provides technology,
content aggregation, and client/server management for carrier
delivered consumer services based on Pocket Express.
According to Handmark CEO August
Grasis, III, “This investment helps us accelerate growth,
and Handmark gains significant advantages from the addition
of Alan Patricof and Matt Rightmire to our board. We are delighted
to have the backing and global resources of investors with
our industry expertise and global resources to drive our expansion
plans.”
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