TMCnet Feature

Urban Airship recently raised $15.1 Million from key investors – such as Verizon (News - Alert) and Salesforce.com – and recent news analysis is explaining why the trend is occurring.

The recent Verizon investment in Urban Airship shows how carriers want to be “active players” as mobile services continue to grow, according to media reports.

MocoNewsNet speculates that Verizon may want to provide billing and location services to Urban Airship (News - Alert) – if it is not being done already. In a related matter, Salesforce.com’s investment in Urban Airship may provide the company “wider framework enabling enterprise support systems,” MocoNewsNet speculated.

Also taking part in the funding round at Urban Airship were Foundry Group and True Ventures – both current investors, according to a report from TechZone 360.

The Business Insider reported that the money from investors will help increase the company's sales force and help it grow in Europe and Asia. It is also interested in purchasing additional companies.

In addition, Urban Airship’s recent acquisition of SimpleGeo is an example of the consolidation taking place in the sector, according to MocoNewsNet. "In the mobile market things are really heating up, so consolidation is inevitable. SimpleGeo is the first of many acquisitions we'll be doing," Scott Kveton (News - Alert), CEO, Urban Airship, told BusinessInsider. “We wanted to take a significant round because we feel there’s a pretty unique opportunity to grab some market share right now,” Kveton added in an interview with VentureBeat.

The new money from investors brings the total raised by the company to $21.6 million, according to a company press release.

In other recent investment activity in the technology sector, MocoNewsNet reports that $10 million has been raised by Strangeloop in a recent funding round. It so far has raised about $22 million from investors. Strangeloop CEO Jonathan Bixby says the company experienced 200 percent growth quarter vs. quarter. The new money from investors will be used to expand business in Europe, Asia and Latin America, according to news reports.