Handy.de Vertriebs GmbH
Beste Handys & Tarife nur vom Original | handy.de.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | N/A | Acquisition | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| EUR | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| % growth | 91707 % | (13 %) | 25 % | 5 % | 4 % | 24 % | 19 % |
| EBITDA | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| % profit margin | (1 %) | 1 % | 11 % | 4 % | - | 5 % | 9 % |
| EV | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 | 0000 |
Source: Company filings or news article
Handy.de Vertriebs GmbH, established in 1999, emerged as a pioneering vertical portal in Germany's burgeoning wireless communication sector. The company was founded by Dirk Freise and Thorsten Rehling, who were studying for their MBAs in Berkeley at the time, along with Martin Ostermayer. The venture was famously initiated when Rehling, who owned the "handy.de" domain, suggested they build a business around it, leading to the company's registration at the German consulate.
Initially conceived as an online shop for mobile phones, handy.de quickly pivoted to capitalize on the nascent mobile entertainment market. It became a primary destination for consumers seeking to personalize their devices with downloadable ringtones and logos, a segment that proved to be more lucrative than handset sales. The business model centered on a comprehensive offering encompassing content, community, commerce, and communication. Revenue was generated through the sale of mobile phones, service contracts, prepaid offers, and a vast catalog of accessories, in addition to premium content like ringtones, games, and news alerts. For ringtones, a new market at the time, the company established a price point of 1.40 DM against costs of approximately 20 Pfennig.
The company's trajectory included several key milestones and ownership changes. In February 2001, it was acquired by Gruner + Jahr. A subsequent sale to Bertelsmann followed in 2002. The founders then leveraged their experience to launch blau.de in 2005, Germany's first independent mobile phone discounter. By the end of 2002, founder Martin Ostermayer departed, with his responsibilities being absorbed by Dr. Christoph Hartlieb of Bertelsmann's Be.Mobile GmbH. In 2006, the 'Handsets & Service Plans' division of Bertelsmann's arvato mobile, which operated the online shops and direct marketing for handy.de, was acquired by The Phone House.
Keywords: mobile content, ringtones, logos, mobile entertainment, e-commerce, wireless communication portal, mobile phone sales, mobile service contracts, prepaid offers, mobile accessories, Java games, SMS services, WAP portal, Bertelsmann, Dirk Freise, Thorsten Rehling, Martin Ostermayer, Gruner + Jahr, Be.Mobile, arvato mobile