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MEMBER NEWS – WIC’07 SPECIAL
Watch out for the little guys!
Krista Collins
Analyst, Canadian IT Innovation and Export, IDC Canada
With the number of global mobile subscribers exceeding 2 billion today and expected to surpass 3.5 billion by the end of the decade, the wireless market is ripe with opportunities for new services delivered or enabled through mobile devices (What's Hot in Mobility, IDC # TB20060907). Furthermore, as organizations look for new ways to improve customer experiences, reduce development and operational costs, and ultimately increase revenues, they are turning to the wireless market for innovative solutions. While there are a number of giants in the wireless industry that are addressing these opportunities, smaller companies are also making an impressive impact within their communities of interest.
At the 4th annual wireless innovation contest (WIC), the judges selected an impressive list of emerging wireless companies that are making a significant contribution to their communities and improving organizational efficiency. As a leading global provider of market intelligence in the ICT market, IDC was asked to conduct interviews with the winners and finalists as well their customers to complete the case studies for WIC 2007.
The winners and finalists this year exhibited some creative solutions to the key global mobile issues identified by IDC. One of the finalists, Gogomo, is addressing the issue of content interoperability with a unique digital content ID that tracks and manages digital assets. Mobile advertising, another hot issue, is addressed by Limbo 41414 and LOC-AID. Limbo 41414 is delivering an entertainment application that allows brands to engage with customers, while LOC-AID is delivering a location-aware mobile marketing platform.
Other winners and finalists have introduced new uses for cell phones. ComVu has turned mobile phones into live video streaming devices; Rave Wireless has turned them into personal security alarms; and Real Dice has transformed them into gaming devices.
Improving customer experiences and efficiency is top of mind for many of the companies IDC interviewed. Innoviti is reducing security risks in restaurants with a wireless point of sale solution that lets customers pay at their tables; Mobile Complete is bringing remote devices directly to the users' desktop, simplifying the development and deployment of applications and devices for developers and manufacturers; and SurfKitchen is delivering a solution for mobile operators and service providers that makes it easier for end users to discover and consume mobile content. Finally, one of this year's winners, In Motion Technology, is taking care of the community by enabling public safety organizations to stay connected to the Internet in a moving vehicle, improving response times.
This year's finalists and winners are not only developing impressive solutions, they have lists of impressive customers who are already using the technologies. Big names like PayPal and Verizon Wireless spoke with great enthusiasm about their experiences with these vendors. A number of the customers interviewed were quoted as saying, "I could not find any other provider offering a solution this compelling", and "this is the best service I've seen in the industry". While these large organizations could have turned to the "tried and true" vendors, they took a chance on smaller companies that demonstrated innovation, speed, power and flexibility. So while they may be considered "small", this year's winners and finalists have the potential to make a big impact on the burgeoning wireless market.
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WIC 2007 TESTIMONIAL
"Wireless companies across North America are proving that their creative and innovative solutions are driving economic and social changes not only on our continent, but around the world...We’re happy to see the Wireless Innovation Contest go from strength to strength and are proud to work with WINBC and other industry leaders to raise the profile of wireless innovation in North America."
Tom Nyberg
Director of Product Marketing, Multimedia
NOKIA
"We are honored to be recognized for technology that improves operational processes, user experiences and life-saving services to the public...This further validates the need for our technology that helps people better communicate while in motion."
Kirk Moir
President and CEO
In Motion Technology
WINBC EVENTS
momovan
2010 Opportunities - Vancouver, BC
April 23, 2007
WINBC PARTNER EVENTS
BCNet
2007 Conference - Making Connections: Sharing Knowledge for Greater Innovation
April 17 & 18, 2007
BC Angel Forum
21st Angel Forum - Vancouver, BC
April 24, 2007
INDUSTRY EVENTS
Canada Pavilion / ICT Partnering
Mission to Hong Kong ICT Expo - Hong Kong
April 13 - 16, 2007
Wireless Trade Mission to Hong Kong
International Trade Opportunies to
Hong Kong & Taiwan
April 16 - 20, 2007
MEM 2007
Mobile Entertainment Market
Monte Carlo
June 5 - 6, 2007
Wafritel 2007
UK Pavilion at West Africa Telecom
Lagos, Nigeria
June 5 - 7, 2007
communicasia 2007
Canada @ CommunicAsia 2007 - Singapore
June 19 - 22, 2007
EXPOCOMM 2007
Canada @ ExpoComm 2007
Buenos Aires, Argentina
October 9 - 12, 2007
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