Roi Tiger Has Salvation for Data Hogs

Two years ago, Roi Tiger was managing a team of more than 10 software engineers at a startup outside Tel Aviv when a friend took a trip to Barcelona. He returned with a $1,000 wireless roaming bill. Tiger (pronounced Tigger) recalls that he was struck by “how ridiculous it was, that someone goes on vacation and pays twice what the vacation cost for roaming.” In his spare time, Tiger started experimenting with ways to reduce cell phone bills.

That side project became Onavo, the startup where Tiger, 27, serves as chief technology officer. The company makes free apps for iOS and Android devices that help consumers monitor and shrink their data usage—a resonant topic as carriers such as AT&T hike fees and throttle download speeds for heavy users. “We are bringing back control to the user,” says Tiger.