Multi-platform app store PocketGear has announced it picked up $15 million in its latest round of funding.

Led by Trident Capital, the round also featured an injection by the BlackBerry Partners Fund and Tomorrow Ventures – Google CEO Eric Schmidt's investment offshoot.

Apps on the up

PocketGear, which acquired rival Handango for an undisclosed fee back in February, says the funds will be used to scale its technical operations, expand its marketing expertise, and grow its global business as the worldwide appetite for apps continues to surge.

"The mobile application marketplace is exploding and we are very excited about the opportunity to use this funding to help our expanding network of service provider, OEM and media company partners efficiently bring new revenue generating services and devices to market more quickly and easily," said president and CEO Jud Bowman.

"As we power more app stores for our partners, PocketGear provides an even more powerful distribution channel for our network of developers."

Major marketplaces

As a result of the round, Trident's senior managing director John Moragne and BlackBerry Partners Fund co-managing partner Kevin Talbot will join PocketGear's board of directors.

"Trident and BlackBerry Partners Fund all have deep experience and success in mobile and Internet services and, like us, believe that an open marketplace will deliver more value for all of the key stakeholders across the mobile value chain," Bowman added.

PocketGear claims to be the world's leading open app store, with more than 140,000 apps on board fuelled by relationships with 32,000 developers.

In contrast, GetJar – which also claims to be second only to Apple's App Store – reported having a total of 71,000 apps back in June, with more than 316,000 developers signed up to its marketplace.