Abierto Networks Receives Technology Development Award Investment from Maine Technology Institute
Investment funds are targeted for the continued technology development of Abierto's Digital Marketing Platform
Elliot, ME - May 2nd, 2011- Abierto Networks announced today that it has received a nearly $400,000 Technology Development Award investment from the Maine Technology Institute. The goal of the Development Award is to invest in the continued development of Abierto's Digital Marketing Platform.
"This is an exiting time for all of us at Abierto," said Rick Sales, president of Abierto Networks. "The Development Award investment from the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) allows us to accelerate our plans to develop and commercialize a cutting edge, advanced marketing technology solution for the Convenience Store Industry."
The Digital Marketing Platform (DMP) is the result of years of technology and market research geared at developing an integrated technology solution that allows retailers to increase in-store revenues and profits by targeting high impact messages and promotions directly to their customers. With the technology integration available in DMP, a retailer can (for example) advertise breakfast promotions on Digital Signage displays at their stores during breakfast time while sending "intelligent" mobile coupons to the cell phones of breakfast customers, and redeeming these coupons on their POS system. The same retailer can use DMP to automatically and seamlessly change messaging and promotional offers for lunch, dinner, by day of the week, or from week to week to suit their marketing and promotional plans. With DMP, retailers can deliver the right promotion to the right consumer at the right time, increasing effectiveness and eliminating the overhead and database management needs of traditional loyalty systems.
Rick Sales added, "We have an ambitious plan to bring this product to market in a big way, grow sales revenue and hire, in Maine, marketing, engineering, technical support and administrative employees. As we expand DMP, we look forward to creating new jobs with competitive wages and employee benefits as well as offering an environment for professional development and advancement.
About Abierto Networks
Abierto Networks is a value added solutions provider and integrator of Digital Technologies, specializing in High Speed Payment and Digital Marketing solutions for the Convenience Store and Retail Petroleum Industry. Learn more about Abierto Networks at www.ab-net.us
About MTI
MTI is a publicly financed, private nonprofit organization created by the Legislature in 1999 to stimulate research and development activity leading to the commercialization of new products, processes and services in the state's seven targeted technology sectors. MTI award programs are designed to enhance the competitive position of those sectors and increase the likelihood that one or more of the sectors will support clusters of industrial activity and create quality jobs across Maine. More about MTI at: www.mainetechnology.org.
MTI's Development Awards are conditional loans to companies and technology transfer projects that advance Maine's economy by creating new products, services and process improvements that help companies remain competitive. Awards of up to $500,000 are offered three times a year on a competitive basis to support early activities for product development, commercialization, technology transfer and business planning and development. Each award requires a minimum 1:1 matching investment consisting of actual cash, salaries, staff time or equipment and in-kind contributions directly attributable to the proposed project. The application deadline for the next round of awards is July 14, 2011. MTI encourages technology start-ups, existing businesses and institutions to apply and offers support to interested companies on the application process.
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