Mobile Trailblazers 2020 – Shortlist

We have a bumper number of entries to the Tech Trailblazers Awards this year. 2020 has seen a considerable uptick since last year, an increase of over 50%, demonstrating that even more startups in the enterprise tech space are continuing to take positive steps to gain the recognition from awards in order to stand out from the crowd when it comes to seeking investment, clients, and potential acquirers.

The Mobile Trailblazers is open to mobile startups that offer innovative enterprise solutions to companies based anywhere around the world. The kind of topics that may be considered hot and innovative under mobile include: BYOD, smartphone, apps, mobility, productivity, m-payment, personalization, geofencing, M2M, m-coupons, m-advertising, location based services (LBS), telecom expense management, unified communications, usage controls, mobile commerce, LTE, NGN, hetnets, SON. However, any startup that considers itself innovating in the mobile space can be considered.

Congratulations to this year’s shortlist for the Mobile category:

• Avalance Global Solutions – Avalance aims to abolish the possibility of unauthorized access to databases by classifying the weaknesses in the digital space. Website Twitter LinkedIn
• SafeGuard Cyber – SafeGuard Cyber provides end-to-end digital risk protection, detecting, preventing, and defending against threats in all your digital channels. Website Twitter LinkedIn
• SlashNext – SlashNext is exclusively focused on phishing defense for business, delivered through real-time, end-to-end phishing defense services for users from anywhere – mobile, browser, or network. Website Twitter LinkedIn
• Volta Networks – With the Volta Networks solution, customers will now be able to purchase commercially available low cost, high performance switch hardware known as white box switching. Website Twitter LinkedIn
• VRTCAL – VRTCAL provides mobile app developers and publishers with innovative technology for the efficient delivery of advertising. Website Twitter LinkedIn

Mobile Trailblazers  success – the story so far

The Mobile Trailblazers is one of the categories that has been a part of the Tech Trailblazers Awards since the very beginning in 2012. Since then there has been a steady stream of five firms which have won or been shortlisted which have gone on to be acquired. One company, Jumio, went from runner-up in 2016 to winning the category in 2017 and was acquired by Centana Growth Partners.

However, there have been more runners-up for the Mobile Award which have been successful with being bought out.  Between 2012 and 2014 there were four firms which went on to be acquired. Mezeo Software, runner -up in 2012, went on to be purchsed by Zimbra for $24.5 million two years after entering. 2013 saw two firms, Appthority and MobileSpan, which went on to be acquired by Symantec in 2018 and Dropbox in 2014, respectively. Finally, Bluebox Security, runner-up in 2014, went on to be snapped up by Lookout in 2016.

This all goes to show how not only winners but also those recognised by our esteemed judges can catch the eye of a larger firm who then buys them up, often the startup founder’s dream exit.

Now we’re onto the second round of judging and the voting stage of the Awards. The public vote is now open, vote here now! Voting closes on Thursday 3rd December and the winners will be announced on Tuesday 8th December.

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Other shortlists

AI	Big Data	Blockchain
Cloud	Containers	Developer
Female CxO	FinTech	Firestarter
IoT	Male CxO	Mobile
Networking	Security	Storage