KitLocate
KitLocate is a startup company headquartered in Israel, delivering location-based technology solutions for smartphones. Focused on geo-tracking and mobile search results dependant on location, KitLocate's platform delivers low-power geolocation technology for mobile devices.
History
KitLocate was founded in 2011 by Omri Moran, Yoav Cafri and Ron Miller. KitLocate was developed as a solution to the technical restrictions around continuous geo-tracking. The original app, WeBuy, was discarded when KitLocate’s founders discovered further applications for their problem-solving software.
In November 2012, the founders joined the 7th wave of ‘The Junction’,[1] the collaborative startups accelerator program, backed by Genesis Partners; they then launched a pilot product for Pango and procured their first customer: Isracard.
In May 2013, the firm received $750,000 in a seed investment[2] from Entrée Capital[3] and Yigal Jacoby, co-founder and former CEO of Allot Communications.
After working with The Junction,[4] KitLocate joined a four-month accelerator program: Microsoft Ventures Accelerator Program in Herzlyia[5] and as a direct result, were acquired by Yandex (YNDX: NASDAQ) on March 18, 2014.[6]
KitLocate team members joined the Yandex mobile search team[7] located at KitLocate’s offices, which is earmarked to become the new Yandex R&D facility in ‘Silicon Wadi’ in Tel Aviv.[8]
Omri Moran performs the role of GM for Yandex Israel R&D.
Company Products
The firm provides a software development kit (SDK) for Android and iOS enabled location awareness for apps. Reducing battery consumption and lowering the core temperature of mobile devices, KitLocate technology provides data by social location, geo-fencing and motion detection. According to KitLocate,[2] battery use is less than 1% per hour during use. its proprietary algorithm, Consumer Location Intelligence platform™, does not rely on GPS synchronization to provide location data.
Awards and Recognition
In 2012, KitLocate won the first ever Israel Advanced Technology Industries and MasterCard Israel Technology Award.[9] With prize money of $25,000, KitLocate was accepted into ‘The Junction' Acceleration program.
References
- ↑ Moran, Omri (March 18, 2014). "KitLocate, a journey from foundation to acquisition". GeekTime.
- 1 2 "KitLocate on CrunchBase".
- ↑ "Entree Capital on CrunchBase".
- ↑ "The Junction".
- ↑ Shamah, David (January 14, 2013). "Microsoft's Israel accelerator hits second round of start-ups as India and China take note". ZDNet.
- ↑ Lomas, Natasha (March 18, 2014). "Russian Search Giant Yandex Acquires Low-Power Mobile Geolocation Startup KitLocate". TechCrunch.
- ↑ Isaac, Mike (March 18, 2014). "Yandex Acquires Geolocation Startup KitLocate to Boost Mobile Search". Recode.net.
- ↑ Meyer, David (March 18, 2014). "Yandex buys Tel Aviv's KitLocate for low-power location service technology". Gigaom.
- ↑ Orpaz, Inbal (January 2, 2013). "Start-up KitLocate wins technology award". Ha'aretz.