Acompli

Acompli emerged in 2013 as a mobile-first email application designed to address the needs of business users who managed both personal and work accounts. The company was established in San Francisco by three seasoned engineers: CEO Javier Soltero, formerly CTO at VMWare; CTO JJ Zhuang; and VP of Engineering Kevin Henrikson. Soltero's background includes co-founding and leading Hyperic, an infrastructure management software firm acquired by SpringSource, which was later bought by VMware. This experience in enterprise software shaped Acompli's strategic focus on a market segment they felt was underserved by existing consumer-focused email apps.

The venture secured $7.3 million in Series A funding from investors including Redpoint Ventures, Harrison Metal, and Felicis Ventures. Acompli operated with a lean, engineering-heavy team, prioritizing product development to solve the technical challenges of creating a unified mobile email experience. The free app launched for iOS in April 2014, followed by an Android version in September 2014. Acompli's core offering was an integrated platform that combined email, a full calendar, file management, and a smart contact list into a single interface, eliminating the need to switch between multiple apps. Its 'Focused Inbox' intelligently sorted important messages, while features like swipe gestures, integrated scheduling, and direct access to cloud storage services like Dropbox and OneDrive enhanced productivity for mobile professionals.

The app's targeted approach for professional users, particularly its robust support for Microsoft Exchange, quickly gained traction. This success culminated in its acquisition by Microsoft for over $200 million, a deal officially announced on December 1, 2014, just 18 months after the company's founding. Following the acquisition, the Acompli app was rebranded on January 29, 2015, becoming the foundation for what is now known as Outlook Mobile, extending its functionality and integration within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Keywords: Acompli, Outlook Mobile, Javier Soltero, Kevin Henrikson, JJ Zhuang, mobile email client, productivity app, Microsoft acquisition, integrated calendar, focused inbox, Exchange support, file management, venture capital, Redpoint Ventures, enterprise email, iOS email app, Android email app, smart contacts, email productivity, cloud integration