SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MoboTap, the mobile technology developer behind the Dolphin Browser, today announced that it will receive $10 million in Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital, with Matrix Partners also participating. MoboTap’s Dolphin was launched on the Android platform in March 2010 and is Sequoia Capital’s first mobile browser investment. MoboTap will use the new funds for rapid product development for Dolphin and expansion into new market segments.
In less than 15 months, Dolphin has grown to more than 8 million users worldwide on mobile devices by allowing them to intuitively create their very own web browsing experience on the Android platform.
"Dolphin is the most powerful and engaging way to browse and touch the internet available today," said Yongzhi Yang, MoboTap’s CEO. "In creating Dolphin, we have made it possible to open any websites with just a touch of your finger tip. We believe in the future of mobile web and we want to bring the best mobile browsing experience to the world."
"According to IDC, for the first time more smartphones have been shipped than PCs, growing 74.4% to 302.6 million devices in 2010,” said Kui Zhou, Partner at Sequoia Capital. “Smartphones have changed the way people access the internet and Dolphin is transforming the way people browse on their smartphone and tablet devices.”
"The vast majority of Dolphin's users are in the U.S.," said Michael Moritz, Partner at Sequoia Capital. "In both the U.S. and China, Sequoia Capital will work with MoboTap in every way possible to ensure even more people are enjoying the intuitive Dolphin mobile browser."
In addition to the funding, MoboTap has also announced the new version Dolphin Browser, version 6.0. Some of the new features include:
Dolphin Gesture
A technology pioneered by MoboTap, Dolphin Gesture intelligently allows users to open any website with just a touch of their fingertip.
Dolphin Add-ons
Dolphin Add-ons allow users to personalize Dolphin and enhance their browsing experience. With more than 50 Add-ons and counting, users can customize Dolphin by changing its looks and feel. Dolphin also integrates with popular services, such as Google Translate, Password Managers, YouTube Search and Ad Blocker. Add-ons can easily be installed, giving Dolphin users more control and flexibility, providing a better overall experience.
Dolphin Webzine
Dolphin brings out the beauty of the web and with Dolphin Webzine users can experience the web like never before. Web pages are cleanly displayed as a series of thumbnail images and users can scroll through web pages instantly using an intuitive touch interface, tapping on any thumbnail image to open the desired page.
Availability and Pricing
Dolphin 6.0 is available via the Android Market worldwide immediately. Dolphin is free to download and use.
About MoboTap
MoboTap is a mobile technology developer that is committed to advancing the mobile revolution by improving the way people experience the web through their mobile devices. Founded and led by an international team of proven engineers and entrepreneurs and backed by leading venture capitalist firm Sequoia Capital, MoboTap has begun this revolution with the launch of Dolphin Browser HD, a free web-browser specifically created and optimized for mobile users.
To learn more about MoboTap, visit us at www.MoboTap.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DolphinFans or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/dolphinbrowser
About Dolphin Browser HD
Dolphin Browser HD is a free mobile web-browser that allows users to intuitively adapt their own web browsing based on the way they want to explore the web. Utilizing key features such as ‘Gestures’, ‘Add-ons’ and ‘Webzine’, Dolphin brings an elegant and highly customizable solution to mobile users looking for the fastest, smartest web browser possible.
About Sequoia Capital
Sequoia Capital provides venture capital funding to founders of startups who want to turn business ideas into enduring companies. As the "Entrepreneurs Behind the Entrepreneurs", Sequoia Capital's Partners have worked with innovators such as Steve Jobs of Apple Computer, Larry Ellison of Oracle, Bob Swanson of Linear Technology, Sandy Lerner and Len Bozack of Cisco Systems, Dan Warmenhoven of NetApp, Jerry Yang and David Filo of Yahoo!, Jen-Hsun Huang of NVIDIA, Michael Marks of Flextronics, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Chad Hurley and Steve Chen of YouTube, Dominic Orr and Keerti Melkote of Aruba Networks, Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Omar Hamoui of AdMob, Steve Streit of Green Dot and Reid Hoffman and Jeff Weiner of LinkedIn. To learn more about Sequoia Capital visit www.sequoiacap.com.