DataWind Named to MIT Technology Review’s2014 50 Smartest Companies List Recognizing World’s Most Innovative Companies
DataWind has been identified as one of 2014’s 50 Smartest Companies in MIT Technology Review’s annual list of the world’s most innovative technology companies. The honorees are nominated by MIT Technology Review’s editors, who look for companies that have demonstrated original and valuable technology over the last year, are bringing that technology to market at significant scale, and are clearly influencing their competitors. The companies on the list represent the disruptive innovations most likely to change our lives.
“At times it seems impossible to keep pace with important emerging technologies. This issue celebrates organizations at the forefront, displaying ‘disruptive innovation’ that will prove to surpass the competition, transform an industry, and change our lives,”states Jason Pontin, publisher and editor in chief of MIT Technology Review.“DataWind has an innovative approach: sell inexpensive hardware and make money instead on advertisements and apps. After beginning by selling inexpensive tablets in India, the company is now selling in several other countries and could significantly expand the tablet market.”
DataWind was chosen for its breakthrough internet delivery platform and disruptive business model that allows it to deliver the world’s lowest cost tablet computers with ‘free’ internet access. Delivered to the Indian government as Aakash and commercially as the UbiSlate computers, DataWind’s products break the affordability barrier and deliver internet access across traditional mobile networks as the company executes a vision to empower the next three billion internet users.
Since its launch in India, DataWind’sUbiSlate tablet computers have positioned the company consistently among the three largest tablet suppliers in the country, which was followed in late 2013 with the US, Canadian &UK launch at $37.99 and £ 29.99for the UbiSlate 7Ci model