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Blyk

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Blyk is a new mobile network funded by advertising, targeted at 16-24 year olds. The company, based in UK, gives users free text messages and minutes in exchange for receiving messages from brands relevant to teenagers.

Blyk has signed up advertisers including Coca-Cola, L’Oréal and Buena Vista, and will attempt to tap into the world’s second-largest ad market in Britain. Company executives promise that the ads will not be intrusive and will not interfere with the phones’ primary function.

Blyk is a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO– while it markets service under its own brand, it uses the wireless network of Nokia Siemens Network.

Blyk was co-founded by veterans of the mobile industry– CEO Pekka Ala-Pietilä, former president of Nokia Corporation, and Antti Öhrling, Chairman and CEO of Contra Group. Significant investors include Sofinnova Partners, one of the largest European venture capital firms, and Hasso Plattner, chairman of German software maker SAP.

Milestones

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• Received €40M in Series C funding. (11/18/08)
  Posted 11/21/08 at 5:12pm
• Received in Series B funding. (1/30/08)
  Posted 3/7/08 at 4:04pm
• Received €30M in Series A funding. (2006)
  Posted 11/16/07 at 3:24am
• Ann Sarimo, Strategic Planning of Ad Products added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Timo Romppanen, Subscription added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• David Wilkinson, UK Finance added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Johanna Sarviharju, User Experience added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Janne Aaltonen, IPR added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Sean Butler, Projects added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Marko Ahtisaari, Brand and Design added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Kai Friman, Member Operations added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Timo Ahopelto, Strategy and Business Development added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Antti Öhrling, Co-founder added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:27am
• Pekka Ala-Pietilä, Co-founder and CEO added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:27am
• Laura Laamanen, Brand and Design Projects added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:28am
• Shaun Gregory, UK CEO added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:29am
• Leif Fågelstedt, COO added.
  Posted 5/14/08 at 9:29am

Videos

Screenshots

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Products

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Blyk

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Website	https://www.blyk.co.uk/join/start
Tags	mobile-ads

As of November 2007, users sign up with Blyk and get a SIM card providing them with 217 free texts and 43 free minutes a month. In exchange, users agree to receive 6 brand messages (deemed relevant by Blyk). Phones supported by Blyk must be MMS-enabled. Blyk also lists cell phones and accessories for users to purchase from the site.

Above: Blyk Screenshot -- #1
Uploaded: 2/5/08

Traffic Analytics

Compete

Sources

1. about.blyk.com [edit]
2. Blyk Announces First European Expansion and New Investors Goldman Sachs and IFIC (about.blyk.com) [edit]
3. Ad-Funded Mobile Network Blyk Raises Big £34 Million VC Round (paidcontent.co.uk) [edit]