Ontela
Technology infrastructure for wireless carriers that allow consumers to unlock photos in camera phones.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Seed | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Ontela, founded in 2006 by Dan Shapiro and Brian Schultz, emerged from Seattle to address the disconnect between camera phones and personal computers. Shapiro, who previously managed development for RealArcade at RealNetworks and worked on several Windows versions at Microsoft, co-founded the venture, which would mark a significant point in his entrepreneurial journey before he went on to create other successful companies.
The company's core business was providing a technology service that allowed mobile phone users to seamlessly transfer photos from their devices to computers, email, and other storage destinations. Ontela’s flagship product, PicDeck, was a software application designed for this purpose, aiming to simplify the mobile imaging experience. The technology enabled automatic picture transfers to pre-selected locations without requiring extra steps from the user.
Ontela operated on a B2B2C business model, selling its technology directly to wireless carriers. These carriers would then brand the service and offer it to their subscribers for a monthly fee, typically around $2.99, with Ontela receiving a share of the revenue. This model was intended to increase the carriers' average revenue per user (ARPU) and subscriber loyalty by encouraging more use of their data services. The company secured partnerships with carriers like Alltel, Cellular South, and Cincinnati Bell Wireless. By 2009, Ontela had also arranged to have its software pre-installed on handsets from major manufacturers, including Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung. The firm raised approximately $15 million in venture capital from investors such as Steamboat Ventures, Oak Investment Partners, and Voyager Capital. Ontela was eventually acquired and became part of Photobucket Inc.
Keywords: mobile imaging, photo transfer, PicDeck, wireless carriers, B2B2C, mobile software, Dan Shapiro, photo synchronization, mobile subscribers, ARPU, cellular technology, image management, Seattle startup, Photobucket, mobile data services, subscription service, telecom software, automatic photo backup, mobile to PC, venture capital