What's in the name: MAVOCO’s CEO on a name rooted in IoT’s early days and built for the future – Silicon Canals

Home » News
By
Vigneshwar Ravichandran
By
Vigneshwar Ravichandran
|
March 6, 2025
|
Last update:
March 6, 2025
Managing global connectivity is a tough nut to crack for telecom operators, especially with the rise of the Internet of Things (IoT).
Many operators are still stuck with legacy systems that are expensive and hard to scale.
As the industry is moving towards more flexible and scalable solutions, new players are emerging to address these challenges.
Meet MAVOCO!
Based out of Vienna, MAVOCO AG is a software specialist delivering connectivity management solutions for the global telecom sector.
Its Connectivity Management Platform (CMP) was launched in 2021 with a focus on the Internet of Things use cases and has been successfully deployed for tier-1 network operators across Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
But what does the name mean? Understanding a company’s name can offer insight into its vision and purpose.
In this edition of the “What’s in the name” series, we’ll explore the rationale behind MAVOCO’s name and the evolving role of branding in the B2B market.
The name MAVOCO stands for MAchine VOice COmmunication.
Phat Huynh, CEO of MAVOCO, explains that the name stems from the early days of the Internet of Things (IoT) when the industry was still referred to as M2M—Machine-to-Machine communication.
For Huynh and his team, connectivity isn’t just about technology—it’s about progress.
“Communication has always been at the core of civilisation. It’s what has enabled human evolution,” he says.
Huynh says that the innovations such as smart grids, renewable energy, telemedicine, electrification of mobility, digital economies, autonomous vehicles, and advancements in artificial intelligence all rely on real-time data and connectivity.
By 2030, it is projected that there will be more Internet of Things (IoT) devices, machines, and sensors communicating through cellular networks than there are humans.
“Our mission is to facilitate this IoT growth and to simplify and accelerate the global deployment of devices,” adds Huynh.
MAVOCO’s journey started in 2010 as Machine & Voice Communication GmbH, a consultancy.
The name MAVOCO began as an abbreviation and later evolved into our brand name as they expanded to offer software development services.
“In 2018, we restructured as a private stock corporation under the name MAVOCO AG,” Huynh explains. “Then, in 2021, we officially launched our own products under the MAVOCO brand.”
For a company operating in a niche industry, brand recognition wasn’t the top priority—at least not at first.
“We serve about 900 mobile network operators worldwide, and many of them know us personally,” says Huynh. “So for the telecom sector, the name itself wasn’t as critical as our track record. But in 2024, we started addressing enterprise customers for IoT connectivity, and that’s a much more fragmented market. A strong brand and clear marketing communication are becoming more important.”
Unlike consumer-facing startups, where branding can make or break a company, Huynh believes that in enterprise software, a name is only as valuable as the reputation behind it.
“We don’t think the name itself is critical,” he says. “What matters is what people associate with it. When you’re selling mission-critical software, customers care about security, scalability, and reliability. The reputation that a name carries is what truly counts.”
In 2024, MAVOCO secured major deals with mobile network operators across Europe, with ongoing deployments set to go live this year – further solidifying its position as a key player in the global telecom market.
Last month, the company raised €11M in equity from existing shareholders and new investors to accelerate its growth.
Topics:
Follow us:
Vigneshwar has been a News Reporter at Silicon Canals since 2018. A seasoned technology journalist with almost a decade of experience, he covers the European startup ecosystem, from AI and Web3 to clean energy and health tech. Previously, he was a content producer and consumer product reviewer for leading Indian digital media, including NDTV, GizBot, and FoneArena. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Instrumentation in Chennai and a Diploma in Broadcasting Journalism in New Delhi.

Current Month

21mar5:15 pm7:00 pmDiscover the final projects of our students

02apr(apr 2)8:00 am04(apr 4)6:00 am0100 Europe 2025