Breaking: Nokia to Acquire Travel Social Network Dopplr

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By Zee on September 23, 2009

News just in that Nokia has reportedly agreed to acquire UK based travel social network Dopplr.

TechCrunch are reporting the purchase price is between €10 million and €15 million ($15 million – $22 million). Interestingly, Dopplr cofounder and CEO Marko Ahtisaari was previously the Director of Design Strategy at Nokia.

Launched in 2007, Dopplr allows users to create itineraries of their travel plans and spot correlations with their contacts’ travel plans in order to arrange meetings at any point on their journey.

Dopplr saw initial funding via an undisclosed amount from A-List investors Martin Varsavsky, Joi Ito, Reid Hoffman and The Accelerator Group led by Saul Klein. The company received a second round in 2008 from a number of other investors including Tom Glocer (Reuters Chief), Esther Dyson and magazine publisher Tyler Brule. If reports are true however, the company only received a total of €1.25 Million ($1.8 Million approx).

With Nokia’s recent interest in location based services, it’s not difficult to see where Dopplr could fit into the multinational mobile company.

We have contacted both Nokia and Dopplr for comment and will update with further information once we hear it.

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Based in London, Zee is Editor in Chief of The Next Web.Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.