Almost two years ago, Expedia took over mobile app start-up Mobiata. Today the Ann Arbor-based venture is returning the favor by taking over Expedia's mobile operations.
"Mobile has become strategically important to Expedia," says Ben Kazez, founder & general manager of
Mobiata and senior director of mobile products for
Expedia. "It's now extremely critical to Expedia's success in the next 3-5 years. It could become half of its revenue."
That has meant some fast growth for
Mobiata. The division of Expedia has gone from 20 people last year to 38 employees and a couple of interns today, the bulk of which work from Mobiata's offices at Nickel's Arcade in downtown Ann Arbor.
Kazez expects those numbers to grow as Expedia doubles down on its mobile marketing and app development. Mobiata's signature travel apps like FlightTrack have become Expedia's mobile mainstays. Kazez only sees that correlation growing, along with Mobiata's ranks. For now, he plans to keep Mobiata's office's in Nickels Arcade where Mobiata's worker enjoy a high quality of work life.
"I just love to be downtown," Kazez says. "A lot of us do."
Source: Ben Kazez, founder & general manager of Mobiata
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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