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Mobile apps creator gets liftFont Size: Decrease Increase Print Page: Print Mahesh Sharma | July 03, 2007
AFTER taking a hammering and delisting following the September 11 attacks, Australian technology company EMT has enjoyed a change of fortune, racking up two overseas deals and relisting on the ASX.

EMT was a global provider of digital video-on-demand units to hotels, but voluntarily appointed administrators in September 2005, largely because of the downturn of the hospitality industry after the World Trade Centre attacks.

EMT sold off its North American subsidiary to settle its debts, and restructured its operations to focus on developing mobile applications and platforms through the acquisition of Swedish developer Sapio.

EMT was relisted in March and last week it announced Swedish gambling company ATG would use Sapio's platform to provide mobile access to its lotto prize pool, in a deal worth $2 million.

The contract didn't provide much ongoing revenue, EMT chief executive John Houston said, but the company's strategy was to "build one, sell many".

"ATG was delighted with the take up and that has been very helpful for us. They love the idea that this could become a much bigger thing for them.

"Because it's a mobile product, they can get people in another country to play in their lotto system. It's a great reference case for us," he said.

Sapio is also working with Nokia to deliver its press-to-print project, which allows users of N series mobile devices to print photos directly from their phone using affiliated printing services companies.

Nokia has embedded Sapio's file configuration software in the phone hardware and it is expected to be rolled out in the last quarter of 2007 as part of a three-year pilot program across Scandinavia.

When EMT was relisted, this work was valued at $400,000.

Mr Houston expected partnering with Nokia positioned EMT well in what he described as a huge growth area.

In June EMT announced it would develop a mobile social networking platform for Citygrand Venture Limited in a deal worth $18 million that would allow mobile interaction with social networking websites, such as uploading videos to YouTube.

EMT will also be responsible for commercially launching and managing the platform.