Skype Was A Motivating Factor For Privymobile

By Author: Heine Nzumafo
Total Articles: 1
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There is no question that Skype is an amazing technology. When it was released, it was unique and innovative, and consequently hundreds of similar VoIP applications have popped up since. Skype was however, initially developed for PC based communications. This aspect ultimately became the basis for the PrivyMobile story.

While stationed at Fort Stewart, GA, Heine Nzumafo conceived the idea of PrivyMobile out of a need to Skype on the go. His mobile carrier did not support the Skype app, and even if it had, the app would have decimated the voice minutes on his phone. A brainstorming session later on a road trip led to the ground work for PrivyMobile and the solution to his problem.

Fortunately, the foundation of the idea was already rattling around, as early in 2001, while pursuing a Master’s in Electrical Engineering. Heine did an extensive amount of research on the idea of using email addresses to make phone calls. The theory was that you could associate an email address with a phone number, and then initiate the call from either the phone or the computer. While a promising concept, given that smartphones were ...
... not even an option in 2001, the boundaries simply could not be overcome at the time.

Because those thoughts were already in play with Heine, transferring them to the background for PrivyMobile was not too hard. In a single weekend, he gathered the necessary info so he could file a provisionary patent before approaching app developers.

Overcoming the Funding Hurdle

All good ideas take serious cash to develop, and PrivyMobile was a little different. The first quotes from app developers were well over $100,000. While that investment seemed a bit scary to Heine, they also came with solid, positive feedback. He knew he had to get the cash for this amazing idea, but it was just a matter of finding some help.

Thanks to a partnership among family and friends, the funding was rapidly coming together, and PrivyMo was finally incorporated in August of 2010. In August of 2011, Heine left the army to focus on the PrivyMobile project. And after 2 years of persistence, networking and negotiation, he found the right team to do the job for relatively less than the originally projected investment.

While it certainly will not be a clear road from this point forward, the reality is that PrivyMobile and Nzumafo have demonstrated all that it takes to get something great started. With the ability to chat and make video calls, PrivyMo is the perfect way to make free mobile calls as well as win prizes and get discounts by using the app. PrivyMobile has what other apps to not and that is an win for everyone!
Content Source: http://www.privymo.com/blog/uncategorized/how-skype-motivated-me-to-start-my-company.html