Purple Labs Closes 52 Million Euro License and Development Agreement following aquisition of Sagem Mobile Software
Also names ex-Motorola executive as new VP Software Engineering
Chambéry, France - Purple Labs, the leading software provider for mass-market mobile phones, announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of the mobile applications suite and software engineering team of Sagem Wireless, a French manufacturer that develops mobile phones branded by Sony Ericsson, Orange, Vodafone and other customers. In parallel, the companies have entered into a multi-product license and development agreement, under which Purple Labs will provide software and engineering services to Sagem in a 3-year deal totaling more than 52 million euros.
"Sagem has long been at the forefront of mobile phone innovation in Europe," said Simon Wilkinson, Purple Labs CEO. "Completing the acquisition of the Sagem portfolio and engineering team crowns a fantastic 2008 for our company, and opens 2009 by clearly positioning Purple Labs as an industry leader in creating rich user experiences on mass market devices."
Purple Labs is now the first vendor in the world able to provide a complete software platform for both 2G and 3G devices, enabling phone manufacturers to create new mass market phones rapidly and affordably. Additionally, Purple Labs now offers a full suite of applications that meet the unique requirements of Vodafone, Orange and other network operators.
The newly acquired software engineering team is based in Cergy, near Paris. The facility becomes Purple Labs’ second office in France and its eighth globally. The 150 employees joining the company bring its total number of staff to approximately 400.
Reflecting the more than doubling of the Purple Labs development team, Regis Adjamah has been named to the newly created role of VP Software Engineering. Adjamah joins the company from Motorola, where he was the senior director heading development of Symbian-based phones. At Purple Labs he will lead the company’s 200-strong global software development organisation, including the newly acquired Cergy-based team.
Advisors to Purple Labs
Eversheds LLP represented Purple Labs in its agreement with Sagem Wireless.
Ernst & Young and Preuilh & Vidonne Associés acted as financial and legal advisors to Purple Labs.
Purple Labs at Mobile World Congress 2009
Purple Labs will be exhibiting on The Avenue (Stand AV97) at the Mobile World Congress, a premier industry event to be held 16-19 February in Barcelona, Spain. The company will also sponsor the GSMA "Best mobile phone / device" award, the most coveted of the prestigious awards to be announced during the event. Purple Labs invites customers, analysts and journalists to request a meeting at the Mobile World Congress by sending an email to MWC@purplelabs.com
About Purple Labs
Purple Labs is a world leader in mobile software, including industry-leading browser and messaging applications that have powered more than 1.5 billion phones for the top 5 phone manufacturers and other global customers. The company is the only vendor able to provide complete software solutions for both RTOS and Linux-based mobile devices, including specific applications required by KDDI, Vodafone, Orange, KTF and other network operators.
Purple Labs is a global organisation employing 400 people with offices in France, UK, USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is funded by three European Venture Capital Firms: Sofinnova Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital and Partners Group.
For more information, visit www.purplelabs.com
Chambéry, France - Purple Labs, the leading software provider for mass-market mobile phones, announced that it has successfully completed the acquisition of the mobile applications suite and software engineering team of Sagem Wireless, a French manufacturer that develops mobile phones branded by Sony Ericsson, Orange, Vodafone and other customers. In parallel, the companies have entered into a multi-product license and development agreement, under which Purple Labs will provide software and engineering services to Sagem in a 3-year deal totaling more than 52 million euros.
"Sagem has long been at the forefront of mobile phone innovation in Europe," said Simon Wilkinson, Purple Labs CEO. "Completing the acquisition of the Sagem portfolio and engineering team crowns a fantastic 2008 for our company, and opens 2009 by clearly positioning Purple Labs as an industry leader in creating rich user experiences on mass market devices."
Purple Labs is now the first vendor in the world able to provide a complete software platform for both 2G and 3G devices, enabling phone manufacturers to create new mass market phones rapidly and affordably. Additionally, Purple Labs now offers a full suite of applications that meet the unique requirements of Vodafone, Orange and other network operators.
The newly acquired software engineering team is based in Cergy, near Paris. The facility becomes Purple Labs’ second office in France and its eighth globally. The 150 employees joining the company bring its total number of staff to approximately 400.
Reflecting the more than doubling of the Purple Labs development team, Regis Adjamah has been named to the newly created role of VP Software Engineering. Adjamah joins the company from Motorola, where he was the senior director heading development of Symbian-based phones. At Purple Labs he will lead the company’s 200-strong global software development organisation, including the newly acquired Cergy-based team.
Advisors to Purple Labs
Eversheds LLP represented Purple Labs in its agreement with Sagem Wireless.
Ernst & Young and Preuilh & Vidonne Associés acted as financial and legal advisors to Purple Labs.
Purple Labs at Mobile World Congress 2009
Purple Labs will be exhibiting on The Avenue (Stand AV97) at the Mobile World Congress, a premier industry event to be held 16-19 February in Barcelona, Spain. The company will also sponsor the GSMA "Best mobile phone / device" award, the most coveted of the prestigious awards to be announced during the event. Purple Labs invites customers, analysts and journalists to request a meeting at the Mobile World Congress by sending an email to MWC@purplelabs.com
About Purple Labs
Purple Labs is a world leader in mobile software, including industry-leading browser and messaging applications that have powered more than 1.5 billion phones for the top 5 phone manufacturers and other global customers. The company is the only vendor able to provide complete software solutions for both RTOS and Linux-based mobile devices, including specific applications required by KDDI, Vodafone, Orange, KTF and other network operators.
Purple Labs is a global organisation employing 400 people with offices in France, UK, USA, Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. It is funded by three European Venture Capital Firms: Sofinnova Partners, Earlybird Venture Capital and Partners Group.
For more information, visit www.purplelabs.com
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