By Telecom Lead Team: T-Venture, a venture capital arm of
Deutsche Telekom, has invested $7.5 million in Pinger. The new investment will
be utilized for Pinger’s global expansion. At present, Pinger’s US
communication products are installed in 23 percent of iOS devices, putting
Pinger among the top 5 most installed apps on iOS.
Pinger is planning to build the first free global
communications network.
The T-Venture investment will provide capital to
accelerate Pinger’s penetration on other key platforms and around the world. In
2011, Pinger started its international initiatives in Germany with the launch
of Pinger DE.
At Pinger, we are working to build a free global
network, with carrier backing. Working with T-Venture as a strategic partner is
a testament to how over-the-top service providers like Pinger can work with
carriers to provide rich communications services,” said Greg Woock, CEO and
co-founder of Pinger.
By expanding the size of the mobile market with its free,
carrier-compatible communication service, Pinger brings new users to the
network (web users, iPod touch users, iPad users) in order to generate traffic
and therefore revenue for traditional carriers.
T-Venture has been impressed with Pinger’s success in
the United States. Our strategic investment is aimed to support Pinger’s
international expansion especially to Europe where we’re confident that the
company will replicate the success it orchestrated in the United States,” said
Bernhard Gold, T-Venture.
Previous investors include Kleiner Perkins Caulfield
& Byers and DAG Ventures.