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From there MessageMedia has gone from strength to strength, becoming the Australian market leader and expanding internationally with nine successful acquisitions, most recently of SimpleTexting in the United States.

Private equity firm Mercury Capital acquired a minority stake in 2018, however Mr Rule remains the largest individual shareholder in the business with Ms Hill and Mr Lau retaining small stakes.

In the year ending June 30, 2021 MessageMedia is expected to record revenue of $US151 million and a profit of $US94 million.

It employs more than 350 people and is headquartered in Melbourne.

Chief executive Paul Perrett said while the technology for mobile messaging had been around for a while, it was seeing a renaissance for business communications.

“People never listen to voice messages and it is incredibly hard to get people’s attention by email,” he said. “What businesses are finding is messaging is a great and effective medium for engaging with customers, whether that’s staff, or patients, or consumers.”

Mr Perrett joined MobileMessaging from local tech star Oracle and said the acquisition was significant for the Australian startup sector.

“What everyone is realising is what we have all known, that there are some fantastic Australian tech businesses,” he said. “These businesses are not only successful in Australia but true leaders on the global stage.”

Sinch chief executive Oscar Werner said the tech giant, which is listed in Sweden, would look to further MessageMedia’s international expansion and wanted MessageMedia to be the preferred mobile messaging vendor for small and medium-sized businesses around the world.

“Addressing small and medium-sized businesses opens up a new avenue to growth and dramatically expands our addressable market,” he said. “With MessageMedia as a part of Sinch, we have the best team in the industry to capitalise on that opportunity.”

The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and if it closes will see MessageMedia continue to operate as a separate business unit for Sinch.

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