RIM and Innovation Guru Charles Leadbeater to Headline GSMA Mobile Innovation Marketplace...

RIM and Innovation Guru Charles Leadbeater to Headline GSMA Mobile Innovation
Marketplace in Barcelona
GSMA Announces Mobile Innovation Global Award Category Finalists

GSMA Mobile World Congress 2008, ATLANTA, January 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The
GSM Association (GSMA) today announced the finalists for the Mobile
Innovation Global Awards, along with the headline keynotes for the Mobile
Innovation Marketplace at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona between
February 11th and 12th.
Jim Balsillie, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Research In Motion (RIM),
and Charles Leadbeater, a leading authority on innovation and creativity and
author of 'We-think: the power of mass creativity', will be keynote speakers
at the GSMA's Mobile Innovation Marketplace in Barcelona. The GSMA's Mobile
Innovation Marketplace, launched in 2007, is designed to help the thousands
of small and medium-sized companies developing innovative mobile products and
services reach mobile operators and bring their innovations to end-users.
Mr. Balsillie, who has held the position of Co-CEO at RIM since 1992 and
who's been a major force behind the success of the company and its flagship
BlackBerry(r) wireless solution, and Charles Leadbeater, who has advised
companies, cities and governments around the world on innovation strategy,
will talk about how the mobile industry should encourage and leverage
innovative ideas, solutions and products ahead of presentations by the top
finalists at the Mobile Innovation Global Awards.
"With such high calibre and experienced business thought leaders
kicking-off the Mobile Innovation Marketplace sessions in Barcelona, we hope
to trigger lively discussions and debate focused on how new mobile products
and services are developed and brought to market successfully," said Bill
Gajda, Chief Commercial Officer of the GSMA. "The Marketplace also offers
innovators with an opportunity to pitch their ideas to decision makers as
well as get the level of exposure they need in front of senior executives
within the mobile operator community."
The Mobile Innovation Marketplace, which is being sponsored by Ericsson
and FierceWireless, will also include a 'speed dating' session, whereby
twenty-five shortlisted companies will have the opportunity to present their
innovations to operators and potential investors. Other activity includes a
panel session entitled 'Breaking Down the Barriers - exploring the realities
of bringing innovation to market', which will include speakers such as Dr.
Yeon-Hak Kim, EVP & Chief Strategy Officer of KTF, and other representatives
from leading industry innovators and global venture capitalists.
The Mobile Innovation Global Awards were created by the GSMA as part of
the Mobile Innovation Marketplace to encourage breakthrough technology,
applications and services in the mobile industry by bringing together smaller
companies developing innovative mobile products, industry investors and
mobile operators.
Ahead of the Mobile Innovation Marketplace in Barcelona, innovators were
invited to submit an application in one of five categories, which were
reviewed by senior executives from mobile operators and venture capitalists.
Two finalists in each category have been chosen to pitch their products and
services to an expert judging panel at the Marketplace on Monday 11th and
Tuesday 12th February. A winner from each category will be presented at the
event, with one Overall Mobile Innovation Global Award winner being presented
at the Global Mobile Awards 2008 Gala Dinner at the National Palace in
Barcelona on the evening of Tuesday February 12th. The ten finalists for the
Mobile Innovation Global awards are:
Most Innovative Wireless Device-centric Technology
- Inside Contactless, France
- Vuzix Corporation, UK

Most Innovative Carrier Infrastructure or Platform
- Flexenclosure, Sweden
- Xtract, Finland

Most Innovative Mobile Application in a Vertical Market
- GestureTek, Canada
- Wyless, UK

Most innovative Consumer Application or Service
- Tagattitude, France
- Valimo Wireless, Finland

Most Innovative 'True Mobile Start-Up'
- Audience, USA
- uLocate Communications, USA

More information on the Mobile Innovation Market can be found at:
http://www.mobileinnovation.org
About the GSMA:
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the global trade association representing
more than 700 GSM mobile phone operators across 218 countries and territories
of the world. In addition, more than 200 manufacturers and suppliers support
the Association's initiatives as key partners.
The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless
services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to
individual customers and national economies, while creating new business
opportunities for operators and their suppliers. The Association's members
serve more than 2.5 billion customers - 85% of the world's mobile phone users.
SOURCE The GSM Association (GSMA)

For further information contact: Mark Smith / David Pringle, GSM Association,
Email:press@gsm.org