OXIO is the first cloud-native Telecom-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform that empowers any brand or enterprise to embed connectivity into its offering without the constraints of legacy telecom. To learn more, Pulse 2.0 interviewed OXIO CEO Nicolas Girard.
Nicolas Girard’s Background
What is Girard’s background? Girard said:
“I’ve been working in the telecom industry for a long time. Prior to starting OXIO in 2018, I co-founded Aquto, a pioneering force in sponsored data solutions. During my time as the company’s CTO, we secured partnerships with 45 Tier 1 mobile carriers globally and became the leader in sponsored data. Aquto was successfully acquired by Mavenir in 2017.”
“Before my tenure at Aquto, I founded Attila Technologies. As president and CTO/COO, I spearheaded the development and business strategy of a revolutionary wireless network aggregation technology. Attila’s contributions played an instrumental role in shaping the fields of HetNet (Heterogeneous Networks) and seamless Wi-Fi offloading, setting the standard for a protocol used in over a billion mobile devices today.”
“I have a Ph.D in Computer Science from the Universität des Saarlandes in Germany, an MS in Computer Science from EPITA in Paris, France, and an MBA from the Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey.”
“My life isn’t all work and no play though. I split my time between two vibrant and fun cities – Mexico City and New York – where I live with my wife, Paola, and our dog, Max.”
Formation Of OXIO
How did the idea for OXIO come together? Girard shared:
“The idea really came from my experience in telecom, particularly during my time working at Aquto and focusing on sponsored data. At Aquto, we focused on the premise of rewarding people’s online actions with data, therefore making data a form of currency. On one side we were exposing data as a currency, and then on the other we were tying that data to marketing engagement and performance.”
“OTT (Over-the-top) players in the world, like Netflix and WhatsApp, have figured out how to monetize cellular data and online behavior. We get WhatsApp, Facebook and Google for free, but how is it being paid for? It’s being paid for through behavior.”
“The question I thought about for OXIO was, can we use the same monetization strategies as these OTT players and apply that to telecom?”
“Telecom is an industry that has yet to be disrupted. It’s inherently complex and has continued to be constrained by legacy models. When you talk to companies like WhatsApp or Grab, they see telecom as being really strategic for them, but every time they go to a mobile carrier to explore the possibilities around telecom, they are deterred from going down that route because of its complexities, rigidity, and cost. The technology is complex, regulations are difficult across regions, and there are so many carriers to work with that you often don’t know where to start. Despite this there is a huge appetite for innovation when it comes to telecom.”
“When you look at the cloudification of these different types of industries like banking, retail, and media, you realize telecom can be next. If you extract all of the issues with carriers and infrastructure and start bridging the rails directly to where the market needs them, you realize telecom can become a service.”
“So, the idea for OXIO came from my past experience in telecom, but also in looking at how the market is developing and how much appetite there is for innovation. When you look at all of the other technologies out there, you can see that telecom can be at that level and be like the other cloud-based resources that are already on the market.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Girard reflected:
“I have a couple that spring to mind. The first being when we had full control of our network because as a start-up, it wasn’t a given that this was going to be possible. Knowing all the hard work the team had been putting in to make the technology, and then seeing that technology actually worked, was a great moment for us all. “
The second was when we started connecting students during the pandemic in Mexico, for free. We were able to test our product, which obviously had its benefits for us as a company, but we could also see first-hand the difference our technology could make to people. These kids, who were from lower-income families, couldn’t leave their homes and they didn’t have the money to pay for the internet, so we were able to make a huge difference to their lives. We powered around 2000 schools during this time, giving them free data so that they could access information and continue their education. It was very rewarding and we were proud of what our technology was able to do in the world.
Company’s Mission
What is the company’s mission and what are the core products and features? Girard explained:
“At OXIO, we have a clear vision and mission. We’re building the global network of the future – an intelligent, secure, and reliable platform with the flexibility required to bring scalable connectivity experiences and business models to a market that is currently limited by the industry’s legacy constraints.”
“Our goal is to create a simplified yet uncompromising solution that unleashes full control of Telecom-as-a-Service (TaaS) and unlocks actionable insights for customer-obsessed companies competing in a data-driven world.”
“OXIO’s TaaS platform delivers global telecom capabilities at scale to enterprises and brands, through our simple APIs and tools. We’re disrupting the traditional concept of telecom through the cloudification of connectivity, offering more flexibility and control over customization, and a customer-centric approach to telecom.”
“OXIO’s core offering can be split into two distinct products. BrandVNO, which is our cloud-based, multi-carrier TaaS platform that enables anyone to embed connectivity into their customer offering, effectively becoming their own MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) with complete freedom and no telecom experience required. This cloud-native telecom model allows the blending of networks to occur without the customer ever knowing a switch of providers is happening at the backend. Customers and their devices are always connected to the best coverage available, wherever they’re located, removing the ‘local’ element of telecom that causes so many issues for global travelers.”
“We then have BrandIQ, which is our dynamic business intelligence solution that unlocks powerful first-party telecom data, intelligently connecting our customers to the daily habits of their subscribers. BrandIQ extracts previously inaccessible data from telecom networks, surfacing insights on online behavior that our customers can use to effectively up-sell and cross-sell to their customer base, helping to increase revenue and create new and exciting experiences for consumers. Having direct access to your customers removes the complexity of dealing with third parties that charge a premium for advertising, constantly change algorithms, and have the ultimate power over content distribution. This is really powerful for brands who want to connect with their customers and create deeper bonds to succeed in today’s customer-centric world.
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Girard and the team faced in building the company? Girard acknowledged:
“I think one of the biggest challenges we faced when launching the company was figuring out whether this was going to be possible to achieve as a start-up innovator on a shoestring budget. The competition, some of the largest mobile network operators on the market, have huge budgets and endless resources. There is a reason why the telecom industry has never been disrupted until now. We have had to ask ourselves, ‘is this kind of revolutionary technology going to come from someone like OXIO?’”
“During the last six years, we have come to understand that not only is our mission achievable, but the industry is hungry for change. Since 2018, we have worked hard on our standards, our technology, our deployment and infrastructure model, and building a team that includes top leadership from companies like Verizon and Google Fi. We now know that our vision to build the global network of the future is quickly becoming a reality, which is exciting.”
“There’s also the challenge of changing the hearts and minds in the telecom industry. TaaS is a relatively new concept, and OXIO is paving the way for a new telecom revolution. When defining a new category in a legacy industry you’re going to come up against challenges, primarily ‘the old way’ of doing things, and this is something you also have to overcome. By testing our technology in Mexico, and proving it works through our work with enterprises like Coppel and Rappi, makes it a lot easier to move into the rest of North America, and eventually around the world, with our mission.”
Evolution Of OXIO’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Girard noted:
“Our journey began in 2018, where our main focus was to build the core technology for our TaaS platform and then test the market fit. We initially integrated with carriers in Mexico, including Telcel, Altan, and Telefonica, with further integrations into major carriers in the US, like Verizon.”
“Since we first started, we’ve activated millions of SIM cards on our network across LATAM and the US, and work with some of Mexico’s largest enterprises, including Rappi, Coppel, Mercado Pago, CircleK, and then in the US, Mobile X and Walmart.”
“We’ve added some key features to the platform along the way, including traffic labels that give the capability to classify any internet traffic, with the ability to whitelist or blacklist certain domains or Apps; business intelligence through our product BrandIQ, empowering our customers to collect high-value first-party telecom data on subscribers’ daily habits; and data pooling that enables customers to add bulk line groups to one pooled data plan, creating a more cost-effective solution for many businesses.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Girard cited:
“Since our journey began in 2018, we have achieved several key milestones that have underpinned our journey in driving innovation and reimagining telecom. Some of our highlights include:
– Initiating work with Altan, Telcel, and Telefonica, bringing them onto our platform in Mexico to deliver reliable connectivity in the region
– Testing our technology in the Mexican market and bringing Coppel on as a new customer, our first major deal in LATAM
– Adding Verizon as a major operator onto our platform in the US, expanding our reach in North America, which has enabled our work with Mobile X and Walmart, our first major US deal”
Customer Success Stories
After asking Girard about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“We’re currently working with large enterprises, empowering them across different use cases, including retail, M2M, and more, to rapidly innovate, generate new revenue streams, and create incredible customer experiences all through the power of the cloudification of connectivity.”
“Billpocket, a mobile payments company, has seen the number of transactions on their PoS terminals increase by 15% since partnering with OXIO, as they now have access to a reliable and resilient multi-carrier network. OXIO’s unique TaaS platform allows Billpocket’s devices to seamlessly access the best network possible for their location, even in extremely remote areas. In a similar case study, we’ve empowered another Mexican company who has a presence in over three million stores globally, to boost sales by 30% through increased connectivity to payment terminals in stores.”
“Walmart’s Mobile X, in partnership with OXIO, has a very specific vision to redefine the connectivity experience for its users. For Mobile X, it’s not just about connectivity, it’s about the halo of experiences that go around the core offering of connectivity. We have been able to work with Mobile X and give them a foundation enabling them to quickly define, build, and experiment on their unique vision without the historic complications and limitations of traditional MVNO deployments.”
Funding
After asking Girard about the company’s funding, he revealed:
“In March 2022, we raised $40 million in Series B funding, bringing our total fundraising to date to $65 million. The funding has supported OXIO in accelerating our continued growth in North America, bringing the next generation of telecom to the market and fundamentally changing how the telecom industry is built. It has also helped us bolster our leadership team, with significant new C-Suite hires from Verizon and Google in the past year, as well as growing the global team to over 100 employees.”
“Obtaining funding is great, but the real story and excitement comes from what you do with that funding and how it helps you on your journey as a company. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish at OXIO on a limited budget.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Girard assessed:
“Our platform enables any brand or enterprise to add connectivity into their core offering. We have, however, found that our product speaks directly to several individual solution types and verticals, particularly the global MVNO and machine-to-machine sectors where we see huge potential. The global MVNO market is growing exponentially and is expected to hit $81 billion in 2024, and $167 billion by 2034. The M2M market, which is also growing at an incredible rate as businesses continue to seek smarter, faster, and more efficient ways to connect their machines and devices, is set to surpass $29.1 billion by 2030.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Girard affirmed:
“OXIO is unlike any telecom product on the market. We have built our own cloud-based telecom network from scratch to deliver telecom services like any other SaaS solution. Anyone can build, manage and customize their own mobile network with complete freedom using OXIO, and you don’t need any telecom experience to do so.”
“Not only are we providing a multi-carrier solution to our customers, but we are also surfacing first-party telecom data that, until now, has never been accessible to companies. We’re unique as we can centralize this telecom data, apply AI, and deliver it to brands so that they can power their marketing campaigns. OXIO enables brands and enterprises to be the source of their first-party data, connecting them directly to the daily habits of subscribers so that they can up-sell and cross-sell intelligently based on behavior. Data is at the heart of future telecom revenue and gives brands a unique ability to create unrivaled customer experiences.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Girard concluded:
Our goal is simple. We’re building the global network of the future and reimagining telecom, for a limitless, connected tomorrow. We will continue to expand on our operations in North America, and eventually take our first-of-its-kind TaaS solution global.
