Followap

About Followap

Followap emerged in 1999 as a pioneering force in the nascent mobile internet landscape, specializing in mobile Instant Messaging and Presence solutions for the telecommunications industry. The company was established and managed by brothers Dan and Ben Volach, with its headquarters situated in London, UK. The Volachs steered the company from its inception, identifying the potential for rich communication services on mobile devices long before the widespread adoption of smartphones. This foresight allowed them to carve out a significant niche, providing critical infrastructure to mobile network operators.

The firm's business model centered on supplying its proprietary mobile Messenger platform to telecommunications companies. Its client roster included prominent tier-one operators such as the Vodafone Group, Hutchison 3G Group, BT Group, and Telecom Italia, ultimately serving a combined subscriber base of over 200 million users. Revenue was generated by licensing this technology to the operators, who in turn offered advanced, interoperable messaging services to their customers. This was a strategic move for operators to enhance their service offerings and prepare for the next generation of mobile networks. Followap's first commercial mobile Messenger service was successfully launched in 2000 with Eircell, Ireland's largest mobile network at the time.

Followap's product suite enabled mobile operators to deploy presence-enhanced services, which indicate a user's availability status, a key feature of modern messaging apps. The company's strong intellectual property portfolio, which included numerous patents, provided a distinct competitive advantage. Furthermore, Followap actively shaped the future of mobile communication by contributing to standardization bodies like the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA), IETF, and 3GPP, and collaborating with major device manufacturers such as Nokia, Samsung, and LG. In November 2006, having established itself as a leader in its field and backed by investors like Sequoia Capital and Carmel Ventures, Followap was acquired by NeuStar for approximately $139 million.