AppCentral, Inc.
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| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Founded in 2007 by Ken Singer and Holger Assenmacher, AppCentral, Inc. carved a niche in the Mobile Application Management (MAM) sector. The San Francisco-based company, which initially started as Ondeego developing mobile apps for large enterprises, pivoted to focus on enabling enterprises to control their proprietary mobile apps and data, regardless of device ownership. This strategic shift allowed clients, including Fortune 100 and Fortune Global 500 companies, to establish customized, private app stores for employees and partners, ensuring secure management of mobile applications across various platforms like iOS, Android, and BlackBerry.
The core of AppCentral's offering was its patent-pending application wrapping technology, branded as AppGuardian®. This technology distinguished itself by inserting policy-control capabilities directly into any mobile application without requiring redevelopment work, thereby eliminating the need for Software Development Kits (SDKs) or Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). The business model centered on providing this MAM solution through a scalable, cloud-based platform, giving enterprises the tools for secure distribution, access, and management of their mobile applications and associated data.
The company's trajectory was significantly influenced by a Series A funding round on September 20, 2010, where it raised between $4 million and $4.35 million from BlueRun Ventures. This investment fueled its product development and market expansion. Ultimately, AppCentral's journey as an independent entity concluded on October 1, 2012, when it was acquired by Good Technology for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was a strategic move by Good Technology to enhance its Good Dynamics platform by integrating AppCentral's app wrapping and enterprise app storefront capabilities. Following the acquisition, the entire AppCentral team became employees of Good Technology, which was later acquired by BlackBerry in 2015.
Keywords: Mobile Application Management, MAM, application wrapping, enterprise app store, mobile security, data control, AppGuardian, bring your own device, BYOD security, policy control, Good Technology acquisition, BlueRun Ventures, Ken Singer, Holger Assenmacher, enterprise mobility, mobile data security, app distribution, application security, cloud-based platform, mobile device management