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Mondelez International selects 9 start-ups to launch Mobile Futures program

Mondelez International has selected nine start-ups to participate in its Mobile Futures program and help shape the future of the industry.

The program pairs brands such as Oreo and Trident with innovators in the space. Bonin Bough, vice president of global media and consumer engagement at Mondelez International announced the initiative in October and vowed the company will shape the mobile industry in 90 days through the Mobile Futures program.

?Ultimately, when we made the introduction and went with the call-out to submit into the program, it was a process of getting those start-ups to submit,? said Ed Kaczmarek, director of innovation and emerging technology at Mondelez International.

?Now our brands have chosen a start-up to partner with and for us,? he said. ?With this program, we?re hoping to drive entreprenual spirit,? he said. ?What we?re hoping to do is ignite this spirit.?

Growing innovation
The Mobile Futures program pairs Mondelez International's power brands with select start-ups to not only accelerate and scale existing mobile innovations, but also incubate brand new mobile ventures, each in just 90 days.

The company received hundreds of applications and found its nine start-ups after a two-day presentation event with top applicants.

Trident partnered with start-up Lisnr and Proximity, Stride teamed up with Waze, Chips Ahoy found Shelby.tv, Halls picked Dailybreak, belVita chose inMarket, Sour Patch Kids decided on Kiip and Oreo opted for Banjo.

The pilots will focus on driving impulse purchases and mobile-at-retail consumer experiences.

According to Mondelez International, multi-day cultural immersion sessions will kick-start the process of brands and start-ups working together.

Brand teams will spend time at the start-up's location and see firsthand how the companies operate.

Going forward, both brands and start-ups will work together to create and incubate new mobile ventures that address broader business challenges.

At the end of 90 days, Mondelez International brand teams will pitch those new venture concepts to angel investors and venture capitalists in mid-2013 with the hopes of securing seed funding.

?By collaborating with the start-ups and creating pilots within the market in 90 days what we?re doing is pushing mobile marketing beyond just advertising,? Mr. Kaczmarek said. ?We?re specifically saying it?s more about consumer engagement and influencing the path-to-purchase.

?We?re tapping into the areas of social TV and SoLoMo,? he said. ?Mobile marketing is so much more than advertising and we have to do our part to leverage the power of mobile and basically interact with the consumer, but it has to be done in a relevant manner.?