BizSpark Startup of the Day - Cardmobili

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The BizSpark startup of the day is Cardmobili, based in Portugal. Below you will find an interview with Helena Leite, CEO of Cardmobili. All the best to them and congratulations for being the startup of the day!

Cardmobili Logo

Website: www.cardmobili.com

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Tell us who you are and your role in the company:

I’m the CEO.

What did you do before creating your company?

I’ve been working in IT and Retail since I started my professional life, 16 years ago. I’ve worked for large retail companies and IT retail consulting companies in several roles, including Account Management, Organizational Development Department and Change Management Lead, in Europe and in the US.

How do you feel being the most promising ‘Startup of the Day’ per Microsoft BizSpark?

We feel happy and honored to be considered “Startup of the Day”. It is a great opportunity to show our work and to build awareness around the service.

What is your company’s mission?

Cardmobili creates solutions for the consumers’ digital wallet. We are focused on relationship marketing (loyalty, promotions) offering digital and mobile service to replace all plastic and paper transactions between brands and consumers with actionable events on their mobile phones: vouchers, coupons, promotions, rewards, location based interactions and other social interactions that enhance the shopper’s social experience.

How did you get the idea for your company?

By simply experiencing all the trouble of having a lot of cards on my wallet and thinking it made no sense that, with all the technology available, companies and brands were still communicating with me using mail, plastic cards, paper vouchers and coupons, etc… That had to be solved!

Tell us about your funding history. Are you currently looking for funding? If so, how much?

Cardmobili is privately held and venture backed. We are currently looking for funding of $2M.

How many employees do you have? How many developers?

Currently, Cardmobili has 12 employees, and 8 are developers.

Are you hiring?If yes, what are you hiring for and where?

Yes, sales and marketing for the US.

Which platform are you building on?Why?

The mobile applications are available for iOS, Windows Mobile, WindowsPhone7, JAVA, Android and Blackberry. We also provide a mobile optimized website, which can be accessed from any mobile device. Our goal is to provide mobile loyalty for everyone, anywhere, anytime, on any cell phone.

Where do you see opportunities today in the Software/Internet area?

Mobile payments, cloud computing, the social web.

What do you think about the BizSpark Program?

A great initiative both from development and marketing standpoints! The BizSpark Program has enabled us to use great development tools, accelerating our product development cycle, and getting the service ready to be used! It has also facilitated raising awareness and visibility about our company.

Do you have any advice for young Software entrepreneurs?

Be passionate about what you do and get as much feedback as possible about it. Listen and learn. Work hard.

Who’s your role model?

I truly admire hard working people who don’t give up and don’t allow the circumstances in their lives (where they were born, the education they got access to, any disadvantages or prejudice) to limit their dreams or stop them from making a difference, no matter how famous they become.

What’s the ONE THING you would like readers to take away from this interview?

It’s never about the technology but what you can do with it and how will it make life simpler and easier for people.

Published: 10/13/2010 11:09 AM

Company: Cardmobili