• Mobile association adds to its GSM 100 list
• Wants to promote the most promising growth-stage companies 
• Goal to advance next generation of connectivity and digital services
• Final companies expected to be announced in June

With MWC Barcelona just around the corner, the GSMA is stepping up its industry activities to reinforce its new brand message that it is more than just a highly influential group of the world’s leading cellular service providers – the word “mobile” has now been axed from the event’s name in favour of simply “MWC”. This week’s developments focus on the association’s GSM 100 list, which it refers to as “a global innovation discovery initiative designed to identify the world’s most promising growth-stage companies and advance the next generation of connectivity and digital services”. Note, no mention of “mobile” there.

Companies are nominated by the GSMA’s own CSP members, plus partners and investors, and primarily comprise growth-stage, venture-backed companies, some of which are owned by the CSPs themselves. The 18 new additions to the list include two of TelecomTV’s own closely-watched start-ups: Lumina Networks and Cloudify.

The initiative was launched in September last year around MWC Americas, with 29 companies announced. Following the reveal of today’s 18 companies (in time for MWC Barcelona) there will be a final group announced in June around MWC Shanghai (presumably comprising 53 companies). Interestingly, the GSMA refers to this as three “cohorts” per year… hopefully not intended to be an Ancient Roman military analogy from a previous era of global domination…

Now, we would love to share the list of the 47 companies to date, together with their CSP allegiances, but unfortunately at the time of writing the GSMA’s web links don’t work. Oh well. So much for the advancement of connectivity and digital services.

Original Press Release:

GSMA Announces New Growth Companies to the ‘GSMA 100’

London : The GSMA has named 18 new companies to the ‘GSMA 100’, a global innovation discovery initiative designed to identify the world’s most promising growth-stage companies and advance the next generation of connectivity and digital services. These new companies include: AppOnBoard, Cinarra, Cloudify , CUJOAI, DefinedCrowd , Genus AI , Invisible Systems , IoTium , Jiminy , KaiOS, Limitless , Litmus Automation, Lumina Networks , Messagenius, SecureHome , UserTribe, Vilynx , and Zeotap.

“The GSMA 100 companies are leaders in categories that are poised to drive digital transformation and industry growth,” said Laxmi Akkaraju, Chief Strategy Officer, GSMA. “We look forward to working with these companies to unlock business development and investment opportunities and champion innovation in our industry.”

The GSMA 100 is nominated by GSMA operator members, ecosystem partners and leading technology investors and primarily comprises growth-stage, venture-backed companies, some of which are operator portfolio companies. The latest additions to the GSMA 100 represent corporate venture investments by companies including AT&T, KPN Ventures, Reliance Jio, Singtel Innov8, SoftBank and Verizon.

The GSMA 100 represents the innovation priorities of mobile operators around the world. Companies are referred into the programme through investment and key partners. Contributors to the GSMA 100 to date include: América Móvil, Blumberg Capital, British Telecom, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, EIT Digital, Etisalat, Telecom Italia, HV Holtzbrinck Ventures, KPN Ventures, MegaFon, MTN Group, Orange, Rogers Communications, Sony Innovation Fund, Telefónica, Telenor Group, Telstra Ventures, US Cellular and Vodafone, among others.