TruMobile: The History of Sharp Mobile Merging with EMethod (Sharp Digital Marketing) & The IP Lawsuit

TruMobile, a legacy component of Trufla Technology Ltd.'s insurtech ecosystem, traces its origins to Sharp Mobile Technology Ltd., a company that played a pivotal role in the 2018 merger forming Trufla. Incorporated around 2014 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gemstar Holdings Ltd., Sharp Mobile focused on mobile insurance solutions, aligning with Gemstar's P&C insurance brokerage operations under the Sharp Insurance trade name. The merger with EMethod Inc. and Sharp Digital Marketing Ltd. transformed these entities into Trufla, but it also sparked an ongoing intellectual property (IP) dispute detailed in a lawsuit filed in Alberta's Court of King's Bench.

EMethod, a company run by Dave Vass and incorporated in August 2013, specialized in SEO and web development services, growing steadily as a profitable digital marketing firm. By late 2013, it was fully owned by Prosperity Freedom Network Ltd. (PFN) and the David Vass Family Trust. Sharp Digital Marketing Ltd., a Gemstar subsidiary, combined with EMethod in 2015, creating Sharp Digital/EMethod and laying groundwork for further integration. This initial combination allowed EMethod's web services to support insurance brokers, fostering synergies in lead management and digital tools.

The path to the 2018 amalgamation began with a 2015 Share Purchase Agreement (SPA), where PFN and the Trust (VASS) sold 75% of EMethod's shares to Gemstar retaining 25% (Paras. 24-25). The SPA included the "Aggregator Promise," representations assuring a 25% stake in a low-commission insurance aggregator division valued at no less than $1.6 million ($400,000 for Vass's share), with Gemstar committing resources and no financial burden on PFN or the Trust (Paras. 20-21). Sherif Gemayel, CEO of Sharp and Sharp Digital Marketing, and Bruce Rabik, COO of Rogers Insurance, assured these promises remained binding despite not being formalized, citing drafting complexities (Para. 22). You can read more about the claim here.

On March 1, 2018, Sharp Digital/EMethod and Sharp Mobile amalgamated into Trufla Technology Ltd., canceling existing shares and issuing new ones. PFN and the Trust received only 5.2% initially, adjusted to 5.5% (Para. 30). Sharp Mobile's mobile tech assets, including early prototypes for insurance apps, became integral to Trufla's offerings, evolving into tools like TruMobile for on-the-go broker management. The merger aimed to blend EMethod's digital expertise with Sharp Mobile's insurance focus, but the claim alleges it devalued VASS' share value despite reassurances to the contrary.

This history intersects with an IP lawsuit initiated in 2020 by Dave Vass Consulting Inc. (DVCI) and related plaintiffs against Trufla and Gemstar (amended May 28, 2025, File No. 2001-11303). The claim asserts Trufla misused DVCI's "ClickHook" platform, developed in 2013 and integrated during the mergers, rebranded as "truLeads" for a 2019 Lockton deal generating $3-5 million (Paras. 34-46). Allegations include breached promises for compensation and copyright infringement (Reg. No. 1164752), seeking $5 million+ in damages. Trufla has defended since 2020 without public comment on the amendment. The full claim is here.

As Trufla expands, the merger's legacy underscores the complexities of IP in insurtech evolution.