Synchronica

Synchronica plc operated as a publicly listed software vendor specializing in mobile messaging solutions for mobile network operators and device manufacturers. The company's trajectory began with the founding of Synchronica Software GmbH in Berlin, Germany, in 2004 by Carsten Brinkschulte and Nicole Meissner. Brinkschulte, a serial entrepreneur with a background in software development and mobile network infrastructure, served as the CEO, leveraging his experience from a prior software venture to guide the company's technical and strategic direction. A significant early achievement was securing a major deal with Siemens Mobile for a firmware over-the-air (FOTA) update system, which showcased the company's technical capabilities and was successfully launched in October 2004.

In March 2005, the German entity was acquired by DAT Group PLC, an AIM-listed infrastructure consultancy in the UK. This led to a corporate restructuring and rebranding as Synchronica plc, with Brinkschulte initially appointed as CTO and later taking the helm as CEO in October 2005. The business model centered on licensing its software to mobile carriers and handset manufacturers, enabling them to offer value-added messaging services directly to their subscriber base. This strategy was designed to help operators retain control over their customer relationships in the face of growing competition from device-specific services. Revenue was generated through these licensing deals, with the company showing significant year-on-year growth, scaling from $1.7 million in 2006 to a projected $23 million by 2011.

The company's core product was Mobile Gateway, a versatile messaging platform. Initially focused on synchronization based on open industry standards like SyncML, the platform evolved into a comprehensive suite branded as Unity. It provided push email, instant messaging (IM), and social networking capabilities to a vast array of mobile phones, from basic models to smartphones. A key feature was its device-agnostic nature, allowing operators to deploy these services across their entire customer base without requiring subscribers to purchase high-end devices. The Mobile Gateway connected to both mass-market mailboxes like Gmail and Yahoo and enterprise accounts such as Microsoft Exchange. The company aggressively expanded its technology portfolio and market share through a series of strategic acquisitions, including AxisMobile in 2008, Colibria's IM business in 2010, and Nokia's operator-branded messaging assets in 2011. After Brinkschulte's departure in September 2011, Synchronica was acquired by Switzerland's Myriad Group in an all-share deal valued at approximately $38 million, which was completed in April 2012.

Keywords: mobile messaging, push email, synchronization software, SyncML, OMA DM, mobile network operators, device manufacturers, firmware over-the-air, FOTA, Mobile Gateway, Carsten Brinkschulte, mobile middleware, instant messaging, social networking, value-added services, carrier-grade software, telecom software, messaging platform, DAT Group, Myriad Group, mobile email, data synchronization, operator-branded messaging