Aloqa on Thursday snagged a $1.5 million first round investment for its Android application capable of providing users suggestions on places to go.

Palo Alto, California, Aloqa also beta launched its “context aware” app that offers restaurant and entertainment ideas, among other options, to mobile phone users based on their location, preferences, and social connections.

The funding underscores heated investor interest in location-based services on mobile phones.

Along with the funding, Aloqa named Sanjeev Agrawal, a former Google executive, as chief executive. Mr. Agrawal previously served as head of Google’s global marketing and later as vice president of products at TellMe Networks, acquired by Microsoft for about $800 million in March 2007.

“Aloqa makes mobile phones a lot more useful,” Mr. Agrawal said in a statement. “As a user, it’s painful launching browsers and typing or speaking into apps.”

Investors included Wellington Partners and undisclosed angels. Wellington is a pan-European venture capital firm with over $1.1 billion under management.