Vindigo

Vindigo was a software developer that specialized in applications for handheld devices, founded in 1999 by David Joerg and Peter Steinberg. The company was headquartered in New York and initially focused on providing city guides for Palm Pilots.

The Vindigo application served as a digital concierge for metropolitan areas across the United States and London, offering users access to locations, maps, and directions for restaurants, shops, attractions, and services on their PDAs and mobile phones. The service operated on a subscription model, with an annual fee for access to guides for multiple cities. The app allowed users to find destinations, get walking and driving directions, and view street-level maps. Vindigo also expanded into mobile content generation, developing mobile applications and advertising solutions for clients such as Cadillac, Marriott, and MasterCard.

The company secured funding from investors including General Atlantic, Flatiron Partners, and Time Warner Investments. In August 2004, Vindigo was acquired by the Japanese software company For-Side.com for $36.5 million in an all-cash deal. Following the acquisition, Vindigo was expected to maintain its management and brand while aiming to expand into the Asian market.

Keywords: mobile city guide, handheld device applications, location-based services, digital maps, mobile content provider, PDA software, travel application, mobile advertising solutions, Vindigo, For-Side.com, David Joerg, Peter Steinberg, early mobile apps