FinovateEurope 2011 / BOKU
Presenter Profile:
How they describe themselves: BOKU is a provider of direct mobile payment solutions, allowing consumers in 65 countries to make purchases online using their mobile phone number. The BOKU service works across more than 220 different mobile carriers. The service enables online payments for consumers worldwide, and has a presence in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
BOKU mobile payments provide a mechanism for payments that are highly secured and simple to use. In addition, mobile payments enable unbanked consumers who may have a mobile phone, but no credit card or traditional bank account, to make purchases online.
How they describe their product/innovation: The BOKU service enables merchants and publishers to drive incremental revenue by offering carrier billing as a payment option to their customers. The process for making a payment is simple and convenient – users simply click BOKU to purchase and then 1. Enter their mobile number, 2. Receive a text message to confirm, and 3. Reply with the letter “y.”
Contacts:
Bus. Dev.: Ron Hirson, Co-Founder, SVP of Marketing & Business Development, ron@boku.com
Press: Gregg Delman, Media & Marketing Strategist, gregg@drs650.com
Website: www.boku.com
Blog: blog.boku.com
HQ Location: San Francisco, CA
Company Founded: 2008
Product Being Demoed: BOKU Mobile Payment Service
Product Launched: June 2009
Metrics: $40 Million raised, 60 employees
- Key Executives
Mark Britto (CEO), Ron Hirson (SVP Product & Marketing), Paul McGuire (SVP Business Development), Margaret Mackenzie (COO), Javier Martell (General Counsel), James Patmore (Managing Director, EMEA), Erich Ringewald (CTO), Kevin Grant (SVP Sales), David Yoo (SVP Strategy) Key Investors: Andreesen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures, Khosla Ventures
Key Stats
- Key Investors
Mark Britto (CEO), Ron Hirson (SVP Product & Marketing), Paul McGuire (SVP Business Development), Margaret Mackenzie (COO), Javier Martell (General Counsel), James Patmore (Managing Director, EMEA), Erich Ringewald (CTO), Kevin Grant (SVP Sales), David Yoo (SVP Strategy) Key Investors: Andreesen Horowitz, Benchmark Capital, DAG Ventures, Index Ventures, Khosla Ventures
- Key Partnerships
Facebook, AT&T, Vodafone, Mobilians, Bouygues, Telecom, Orange France, SFR & Globe Telecom
- Key Customers
BOKU reaches more than 2 billion customers in 65 countries over 220 carrier networks. Our key customers are those who consume virtual and digital goods, subscriptions and other online services.