Skype buys group mobile messaging company, GroupMe

Stuart Corner
Monday, 22 August 2011 08:35

IT Industry - Deals

Skype is to acquire mobile group messaging service provider GroupMe, which provides a range of services that enable mobile phone users to connect and share locations and photos with friends across networks and mobile platforms.

The move follows Skype's acquisition earlier this year of mobile video provider Qik. Skype CEO, Tony Bates, said: "The GroupMe team has created an incredibly sticky group messaging experience that works across mobile devices and platforms, making this a perfect addition to the voice, video and text products in the Skype family."

GroupMe runs on iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7. Once the client has been downloaded, users can create groups from members of their contact list and then broadcast a text message to all group members. Users of other devices can create and manage groups 'in the cloud' by sending commands via text messages.

Each group has a unique phone number. A text message sent to that number goes to everyone in the group, and a call placed to it becomes an instant conference call. A location features enables a user to broadcast their location to all group members and to see other group members' locations on a map.

According to its web site the service works on all three Australian networks, and the Pivotel satellite service. It also claims to be "totally free" and nowhere does the web site give any indication of how GroupMe generates its revenues.

GroupMe was founded by Jared Hecht and Steve Martocci in the mid 2010, inspired by a project conceived at the TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon. It is backed by a number of investors including Khosla Ventures, First Round Capital, Betaworks, SV Angel, Lerer Ventures, General Catalyst Partners, Founder Collective and a group of angel investors.