The story of a student startup. How they started, grew and become a successful international mobile service provider.

1. Mobi
from student startup to
successful mobile service
company
Veljo Otsason
Mobi Solutions
Mobile Monday @ Tartu 2009

2. Mobi Solutions
• Founded in 2001 by five students of
University of Tartu
• Offices in Tartu, Riga, Vilnius, Tallinn
• ~25 people
• Main areas:
– SMS gateway & services
– Software development for mobile devices
– Mobile marketing
– M-government solutions

3. Mobi in numbers
25
22
20
18.4
15
14.1
Revenue (mEEK)
10
Profit (mEEK)
8.7
7.1
5
3.7
2.9 2.5
1.24 0.9
0.8 0.8
0.12 0.2
0 0.02 -0.1
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
-5

4. How did we start?
www.phanitetali.com

6. Mobile advertising trial
• Registered people were called and played
advertisements. Prizes were drawn among
them
• About 1000 people and 10 sponsor
companies participated
• Feedback: 90% would like to listen to
advertisements in return of prizes or free
airtime

10. M-voting
• Novel way to make events more
interesting by allowing participants vote
using their mobile phone
• Used in ~100 conferences, concerts and
other events
– Ericsson Mobility World launch in Stockholm
– Eurovision event in Tallinn
– Elton John’s concert in Tallinn

11. SMS gateway
Mobi Service
SMS gateway provider
people operators

12. Igaühe M-äri
• Challenge
– Provision of mobile services expensive and gateway providers had to turn
down young entrepreneurs with ideas but without money
• Mobi Solutions
– In 2002, Mobi created a community portal that allows everyone to make
their own mobile services only on a revenue sharing basis.
• Results
– Over 800 service providers joined and created over 1000 services.
– Profitable by providing a low-end extension to Mobi SMS-gateway
– 2nd place in biggest achievement category of City of Tartu; 1st place in e-
business category of World Summit Awards 2005 Estonia.

17. Conclusions
• Be flexible with your idea
• It doesn’t take a lot of money to
start a company
• It’s good time to start up while
you’re student

18. Thank you!
Photo: Egert Kamenik