Jesta Digital commits $15M to build tech business incubator

Jesta Digital--a.k.a. the former Fox Mobile Group--will invest $15 million to launch Jesta Labs, an independent business unit dedicated to developing and nurturing new direct-to-consumer products for mobile, web and social platforms. Jesta Labs will focus its efforts and expertise on identifying capital efficient digital business models--the incubator will introduce multiple new services later this year and plans to open funding to entrepreneurial partners beginning in 2012.

First up for Jesta Labs: Gush, a cloud-based photo organization and sharing service that automatically collects all digital photos stored across the user's mobile device, laptop and desktop, storing them in the cloud for more efficient sorting and sharing with social networking sites. Jesta Labs adds it will roll out two additional direct-to-consumer initiatives during the next few months, with other projects in various stages of development.

Jesta Digital chief product officer Joe Bilman will double as managing director of Jesta Labs. Bilman previous supervised development of Bitbop, the Hulu-like on-demand mobile video service introduced by Fox Mobile Group in mid-2010. Priced at $9.99 per month, Bitbop offers both unlimited streaming and temporary downloads of NBC, Fox, CBS and FX series like Glee, Justified, Friday Night Lights and The Office, delivered in high-quality video resolution and supported across both 3G and WiFi networks.

Entertainment provider Jesta Group acquired Fox Mobile Group from News Corp. in late 2010; the unit was renamed Jesta Digital roughly a month later. In addition to Bitbop, Jesta Digital mobile brands include Jamster, Jamba, Mobizzo and iLove.

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