A technology start-up company, which designs software integration products for mobile operators, has signed a co-development agreement with IBM.

West Global, which will be formally launched at SummIT 2001 in Dublin next week, will use IBM's technology, sales and marketing expertise to perfect its mScape product.

MScape software links a mobile operator's back-end systems with end-user software applications coming online, as WAP and m-commerce features are added to mobile telephony.

It enables mobile operators to offer m-commerce services to independent m-commerce merchants. By offering these services, the operator can generate revenue from any transaction made by one of their subscribers on an m-commerce site.

West Global was founded in May last year by Mr Paul Acton, formerly head of HewlettPackard's e-commerce business development manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It is based in Dublin.

"The billing and customer relationship software in place now offers only ad hoc integration," says Mr Acton, chief executive of West Global. "We sit in the middle and reduce the level of integration required by operators."

Co-founder and chief technology officer at West Global, Mr Brian Connell, previously worked with IBM and Trintech Technology. Seed investors include, Mr Paul Kavanagh, a former director of Eircom who has been appointed chairman of West Global and the two cofounders.

The firm has raised £1 million to date and is currently seeking a further multimillion pound funding round from institutional investors.

West Global has alliances with other partners such as Baltimore Technologies, Aether Systems Inc, and Impronta SA.