Harold Dimpel is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for technology and communication. His latest venture, mHITs, is the next big thing in mobile payments. Unlike many of its competitors that often receive millions of dollars in venture capital funding only to then collapse due to poor execution, mHITs is an Australian success story built on enthusiasm, persistence and hard work. Winning numerous business and innovation awards, including winning an episode of ABC Television’s ‘New Inventors’.
Working in the Information and Communication Technology (“ICT”) industry for over 18 years, Harold was an early pioneer in mobile technology in Australia. He has used his knowledge and experience to develop mHITs after identifying a gap in the Australian market for a simple and efficient mobile payment service, a market that traditional banking and credit card systems find difficult to service.
As well as roles in technology sales, business development, television, fibre optic telecommunications and a brief stint at managing an Australian fashion label, Harold was a founding partner of technology company Maxitrak Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Defence ICS Services Company Compucat Research Pty Ltd. While at Maxitrak, Harold led the development and commercialisation of leading edge GPS/GSM automatic vehicle location based technology platform. This technology is in use in a range of high security applications across Australia, including armoured vehicle fleets and high value cargo monitoring applications.
Following his time at Maxitrak, Harold founded his own multi-award winning company, mymobilephone Pty Ltd, an Australian SMS messaging and mobile content download portal. The website was the first in Australia to allow content purchases by SMS text message and the first mobile portal to provide Java game downloads in Australia.
Harold also led an investment round and subsequent successful trade sale of Goldweb Communications Pty Ltd, one of the oldest and longest continually operating Internet Service providers in the ACT region.
In 2004, Harold founded mHITs, a free SMS payment service aimed at small payments of under $100 that would normally be made with coins. The service allows instant payments to anyone with an Australian mobile phone as well as retail Point Of Sale transactions. mHITs is Australia’s fastest growing, independent mobile payment service, funded entirely through organic growth and private investors. mHITs has also exported it’s mobile payment technology overseas and so-far has deployed several services in Papua New Guinea. mHITs is currently developing partnerships and opportunities in other markets including Africa and the Asia-Pacific region.
Harold holds a Bachelors Degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering and is based in Canberra, ACT. Keeping his finger on the pulse, Harold remains connected professionally in local business circles, community groups and organisations. Harold speaks at a number of mobile payment events and conferences, recently presenting at the Mobile Enterprise Growth Alliance (MEGA) industry education program, Mobile Monday and AIMIA events.
