[by Blake Robinson] Bellevue, WA based mobile marketing firm HipCricket, which almost got bought by Neomedia last year, then ditched that and raised two rounds of funding, has raised another $17.1 million, this time on London’s AIM market. This capital will buttress the $10 million that the company already raised in its first and second rounds of funding.

Its IPO brings HipCricket’s market valuation to $155.2 million, which will augment organic growth in the short-to-medium term. The new funds better equips the company to hold its own against mobile marketing competitors like NeoMedia who, just over a year ago failed in an attempt to purchase HipCricket.

To date, HipCricket has focused on making radio a more interactive vehicle by providing clients with tools allowing them to more easily market to mobile devices. Their current clients include Clear Channel, (NYSE: CCU) Fox and NBC.

• HipCricket Gets $6 Million In Second Round Funding
• HipCricket Closes $2 Million In Funding
• NeoMedia’s Acquisition of HipCricket Scrapped