Launch Date: Not officially launched

In the company’s own words, what is it? Joost™ is a new way to watch TV, free of the schedules and restrictions that come with traditional television. Combining the best of TV with the best of the internet, Joost™ gives you more control and freedom than ever before - control over what you watch, and freedom to watch it whenever you like. We’re providing a platform for the best television content on the planet - a platform that will bring you the biggest and best shows from the TV studios, as well as the specialist programs created by professionals and enthusiasts. It’s all overlaid with a raft of nifty features that help you find the shows you love, watch and chat with friends, and even create your own TV channels.

Outside quote about company: Greg Sandoval of CNET News says, “Joost’s nifty technology may be enough to sway the entertainment industry to place a bet on proven winners in Friis and Zennstrom.

A menu allows users to switch channels with a click of a link. Users will also have TiVo-like control of the content and access to any show offered regardless of time of day. They can also can skip ahead or backward within a show.

The Luxembourg-based company will support itself with advertising, specifically Internet ads that behave just like TV commercials.”

Features:
* first global TV distribution platform
* interactive, community-driven environment
* viewable anytime, anywhere with a broadband Internet connection
* broadcast-quality content
* free
* secure

Management/Directors:
Fredrik de Wahl, CEO
Janus Friis, Co-founder
Niklas Zennström, Co-founder
Dirk-Willem van Gulik, CTO

Relevant Links:
http://joost.com/press/2007/01/the-venice-project-code-named-no-more.html
http://blogs.business2.com/business2blog/2007/01/venice_project_.html
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2085227,00.asp
http://www.itwire.com.au/content/view/8689/1103/

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–meebo, Inc., the popular web-based instant messaging (IM) provider, today announced that over the past three months the company doubled registered users to more than one million, collaborated with leading platforms for distribution and secured $9 million in funding from venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson (DFJ). The investment is a Series “B” round of funding for meebo and includes previous investor Sequoia Capital. Tim Draper, DFJ Founder and Managing Director, joins meebo’s board of directors.

meebo continues to catch on with new users across the globe. After announcing 500,000 user-accounts just three months ago, meebo doubled its registered users to 1 million; including 4.5 million unique screen names signing-in monthly. Additionally, meebo has more than 1.2 million daily logins and exchanges 75 million messages per day with average sessions of 70 minutes. On the business development front, meebo continues to collaborate with leading web platforms including Windows Live Spaces, netvibes, WordPress and SixApart as well as social networks Amie Street, Traineo, ChickAdvisor and Schmedley.

“It’s been an incredible year for meebo. In addition to securing this new round of funding and forming some great distribution relationships, we’ve also expanded our user base. With more than a million daily logins and users spending more than 165 years with us every day, meebo is quickly becoming the place to be for instant communication on the web,” said Seth Sternberg, CEO and co-founder, meebo. “We are thrilled to have Tim and DFJ on board, and with past successes like Hotmail and Skype, they have shown a knack for building disruptive communications companies.”

meebo is a web-based instant messaging service that allows users to access all of their IM buddies from any computer with a web browser, anytime, anywhere. Using AJAX technology, meebo creates a “software-like” experience on the web, requiring no software downloads or installs. Known for engaging their large user base in site development and refinement, meebo encourages feedback from users and built a simple and highly-robust platform to address changing IM needs.

“We see in meebo the same qualities we’ve seen in our past successful investments: viral growth, passionate users, defendable technology and a super-dedicated team,” said Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director, Draper Fischer Jurvetson. “meebo is positioned to completely change the communications game on the web.”

meebo Expands its Platform

Since launching in September 2005, the company has expanded and built upon its core platform. Some recent highlights include:

• August 2006: The meebo me^TM widget—extends meebo’s IM communications platform beyond meebo.com and into any web page. The meebo me widget has two main features: it enables site-owners to privately chat with anyone visiting their website; and it offers real-time presence information for site-owners to see visitors on their page. The meebo me^TM widget is easily integrated with social networking sites, blogs, commerce sites and more.
• November 2006: meebo 1.0 “full release”—crossed off several major requests from meebo’s users. With this release, upgrades and features included: new visual design, pop outs, optimized performance, skinning, updated chat logs, buddy list management, individual account management, improved localized UI and AIM profiles.
• February 2007: meebo will shortly support a meebo me application programming interface (API)—a simple mechanism for partners to seamlessly push meebo me to their users. Partners are able to use all of the functionalities of meebo me, but customized for their sites, i.e. setting the size and colors of the widgets to match their website design.

meebo and the meebo me^TM widget work with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and almost any other web browser. The meebo services are free. For more information visit www.meebo.com.

About meebo Inc.

meebo is the first Web-based instant messaging service that gives users, no matter where they are, a hassle-free way to connect to every major instant messaging service using only a browser. With meebo, there is no need to download and run multiple software products. meebo’s investors include Sequoia Capital, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and other individual investors. More than 1,200,000 meebo sessions are initiated daily. The company is based in Mountain View, CA, and offers its free service at www.meebo.com.

About Draper Fisher Jurvetson

Draper Fisher Jurvetson is the only venture capital firm with global presence through a network of affiliated funds, with offices in more than 30 cities around the world and approximately $4 billion in capital commitments. DFJ’s mission is to identify, provide capital for, and serve extraordinary entrepreneurs anywhere who want to change the world. Over the past twenty years, DFJ has been proud to back approximately 300 companies across a myriad of sectors including such industry changing catalysts as Hotmail (acquired by MFST), Baidu (BIDU), Skype (acquired by EBAY), United Online (UNTD), Overture (acquired by YHOO), Interwoven (IWOV), 411 (acquired by YHOO), Parametric (PMTC), and Digidesign (acquired by AVID).

TechAddress: What makes your company stand apart from your competitors?

IMSafer: The products for protecting children online are overwhelming for parents, hard to use, and require too much work on the part of the parents. IMSafer is “simple,” “easy to use” and “effective.” The basis of what we do is built on the perception of trust and communication. We don’t allow parents to spy on every conversation their child has online, if our language analysis identifies a threat, we let parents see that threat and enough of the conversation to give them proper context.

TechAddress: What are some of the main features?

IMSafer: Our language analysis notes text that may be inappropriate or may be indicative of predatory behavior and gives parents a notification with a ‘snapshot of the conversation’ along with a ‘rating’ of that screen name that is generated by other parents. They can then vote themselves on that person to help other parents make informed decisions. Users of our IMSafer Social Networking Service can also be notified when their children receive links to social networking sites.

TechAddress: Who’s your target customer or audience?

IMSafer: Parents of kids and teens that go online who respect their children’s privacy as well as their duty to protect their kids should check out IMSafer and give it a try.

TechAddress: Any new things in particular that you’re working on right now?

IMSafer: We are constantly improving our language analysis engine. We think of it like an anti-virus database, people are always trying to figure out new ways to do harm, and we’re trying to stay a few steps ahead of them.

TechAddress: Where do you see your company heading in the future?

IMSafer: We’re going to stay a few steps ahead of the predators. For example if kids start moving away from social networks and into something new like mobile group chat, that’s where we’ll be.

TechAddress: Any negative feedback or criticism regarding technology and services?

IMSafer: Criticism comes for the most part from people that don’t understand how our service works. A parent’s first job is to protect their child. We give the parents a tool to help them do that while giving the child as much freedom and privacy as we can to still be effective. Once kids see that we aren’t spying and that their parents only get alerts on clearly bad language, they are generally in support of the program.

TechAddress: So what would you say is the guiding principle behind your company?

IMSafer: Each of us had at least one conversation with a guidance counselor who said, “If only you could use your powers for good.” This is our chance.

TechAddress: What is the mission of your company and what are you bringing to the market that is innovative?

IMSafer: We started with a simple plan: to rethink the problem of protecting kids online. “Simple,” “easy to use” and “effective” are our guiding principles. The products for protecting children online are overwhelming for parents, hard to use, and require too much work on the part of the parents. IMSafer is simple, easy to use and effective.

TechAddress: Where are you in terms of funding and your lifecycle?

IMSafer: IMSafer does not disclose current funding.

TechAddress: If your technology or service is not formally launched yet, when’s the launch date? If you have already launched, when was your launch date?

IMSafer: We launched IMSafer on October 3rd, 2006 and added IMSafer Social Networking Service on October 18th, 2006. Today, 1/17, we announced support for Microsoft Vista and the Mac. We’ve tied in to Vista’s Parental Control API’s to build on the great work that Microsoft has done and created a Wizard to make it as easy as possible for parents to protect their kids online. Our complete announcement is up at http://www.imsafer.com/splash/press

University of Sydney Union has partnered with studentface.com.au, Australia’s largest online student community, to launch a new service for undergraduate students and high school leavers.

Australia’s skills shortage has created record demand for graduates; however, high school students find it hard to enter university because they don’t know any university students who can encourage them to enter tertiary education.

“This partnership is significant because it helps high school leavers log onto studentface.com.au, locate University students who are studying their desired degree, ask them questions and then enter university with greater confidence about what they are studying”, explained Jahangir Shagaev from studentface.com.au.

Studentface is Australia’s largest online community for students with representation at over 25 Australian universities where students form study groups, share photos, videos, make friendships and find career opportunities.

“We think studentface.com.au is great because it helps students have a better university experience”, said Katy Fernandez, President of the USYD Union.

—-END—-

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About Studentface.com.au
Studentface.com.au is Australia’s largest online community for university students with presence at over 25 Australian Universities, representing over 80% of Australia’s student population. The company is based in Sydney and has a vision of creating an online platform for Australian students where high school leavers can discover what life is like at university and where university students can access career opportunities through alumni and graduates of their institution.

Contact:
Studentface.com.au
Level13/167 Macquarie House
Sydney, NSW, Australia
t: +61 (02) 8216 0780

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About University of Sydney Union
The University of Sydney Union (USU) has provided services to students since 1874, enriching the life of students while they are at University. Those services include cultural and commercial services such as student development, clubs & Societies programs, community outreach programs, retail and food & beverage services, entertainment, o-week and many more. For more information please contact George Livery on 0411 742313 or go to usuonline.com.au.

TechAddress: Tell me a bit about your company, what it does and what’s your value proposition?

Group2call: Having constant up-to-date communications with your Customers, Athletic Teams, Organization/Employees or Community just became easier with the release of Group2call’s new feature-rich mass messaging software service. Group2call Inc. primarily offers it’s Voice & Message Broadcast Service as a mass communication tool and we truly believe that what we offer is not only rich in features and functionality but we are also one of the most affordable message broadcast services on the web today.

Group2call makes it extremely simple to broadcast a message: users can type in a message, or record a message using the provided 800 number by phone then watch as their messages are sent out to everyone in their contact list or group. What separates Group2call from other automated phone dialers or phone trees is its many ways of sending a message. Group2call can send messages as voice, SMS, email, convert text-to-speech and can even send emails from personal email applications as a voice message to a phone.

“When we built the software we looked at every possible way to make everyday communication easier,” said Alan Lougher, Group2call’s President. “We replaced the lengthy time and repetitive tasks faced on a daily basis with a simplified solution. For example, outside sporting events in Florida encounter seasonal weather conditions which are a headache for many coaches whose games are canceled due to rain-outs or delays. Prior to using Group2call the team coaches would spend hours calling players and now spend only minutes recording their message and pressing send”.

Group2call, Inc. primarily offers it’s Voice & Message Broadcast Service as a mass communication tool and we truly believe that what we offer is not only rich in features and functionality but we are also one of the most affordable message broadcast services on the web today.

TechAddress: What makes your company stand apart from your competitors?

Group2call: Message broadcast tools, auto-dialers and phone trees are not new technology, so to start apart from the rest we not only offer complete message delivery through voice, SMS or email but we also leverage this technology to make every day communication easier. For example, we integrate with Google’s Calendar so that your schedule can be delivered to you every morning as a voice message or provide the ability to type your message into a simple email and have that email sent directly to a phone as a spoken message. We also offer an API so customers, through the use of a simple few lines of code, can embed voice broadcasting into their own applications. For example, we worked with the developers of WxMesg, one of the leading weather alert software applications on the market today, and we were able to completely integrate Group2call into their application without even changing one line of code. Instead of being limited to email and 100 characters in an SMS message, their software can now broadcast out complete weather or disaster alerts to regular phones.

TechAddress: What are some of the main features?

Group2call: Primarily voice broadcasting but we also offer SMS, email, voice messages sent as email attachments, email to voice, text-to-speech, scheduled messaging and complete API for integration into 3rd party applications.

Some of our key features:

• Send a message as voice, SMS or email

• Record and send personal messages

• Text-to-speech

• Email2Voice

• Personal messages sent as email attachments

• Message sent by time zone

• Call delivery reporting

TechAddress: Who’s your target customer or audience?

Group2call: Any business small or large, schools, sports teams, recreational parks and then we have some customers who just use our service for contacting friends and family. One of our biggest customers are the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) where we are currently testing it out in the Pacific islands for Tsunami or National disaster alerts. With Group2call they’ll now be able to reach the masses by broadcasting emergency alerts directly to any resident mobile or landline telephone. We are also seeing lots of interest from large corporations based in Florida who are also interested in leveraging our services for mass communications during Hurricane season.

TechAddress: Any new things in particular that you’re working on right now?

Group2call: We’re still perfecting the system but we’re constantly looking at new ways to integrate voice broadcasting into existing software applications. Google Calendar was one idea. We also powered www.call-in-sick.com a site which we launched as a gimmick to get our name out there. It gave us major, global publicity and we still get thousands of people calling in sick every day with our service. We are also experimenting using VoiceXML and plan to leverage and integrate this to make our service even easier to use.

TechAddress: Where do you see your company heading in the future?

Group2call: An International message broadcast service. We’re currently testing the service in the UK and New Zealand and hope to offer our services in other major countries by end of 2007.

TechAddress: Any negative feedback or criticism regarding technology and services?

Group2call: None so far!

TechAddress: So what would you say is the guiding principle behind your company?

Group2call: At Group2call our core purpose is to provide to our customers the highest quality service in terms of innovation, technology and customer service.

TechAddress: What is the mission of your company and what are you bringing to the market that is innovative?

Group2call: Group2call is committed to becoming a world leader in global mobile technology systems and message broadcasting through the development and use of innovative technologies.

TechAddress: Where are you in terms of funding and your lifecycle?

Group2call: Until this day we have been completely self-funded and we hope to stay that way.

TechAddress: If your technology or service is not formally launched yet, when’s the launch date? If you have already launched, when was your launch date?

Group2call: We launched in August 2006.

Location: Headquartered in San Mateo, CA

Launch Date: December 2002

In the company’s own words, what is it? Bitpass was founded in 2002 to provide solutions that remove the roadblocks to digital content commerce and allow digital media and entertainment companies to cash in on their content assets. Today producers and aggregators of digital media want higher returns from investments in content. At the same time, rapidly changing consumer buying and usage behaviors are redefining the digital media marketplace. Bitpass connects digital media producers with this growing market, offering solutions that increase return on content, customers and community.

The Bitpass iMedia Commerce Engine marshals relevant delivery channels—including the web, cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, podcasts and more; manages digital content rights and offers insight into consumer behavior. With Bitpass, media and entertainment companies can focus on innovation rather than technology catch up.

The Bitpass iMedia Commerce Engine offers digital media and entertainment companies a turnkey system built on open web standards and a software-as-a-service platform. The system supports rapid deployment, transparent web and commerce integration, secure financial transactions, consumer behavior tracking and seamless content and data integration. Bitpass provides merchants with best-in-class professional service and complete online and live support.

Bitpass customers are leaders from media publishing, TV, film, radio, community and Internet and include segment-leading firms such as Disney, Microsoft and MSN, Ziff Davis, Time, United Media, CanWest, and Entercom. The company is privately held and based in Menlo Park, California. Bitpass has raised over $13 million in equity financing from leading venture capital firms, including Steamboat Ventures, RRE Ventures, Cardinal Venture Capital, Worldview Technology Partners, First Data Corporation and Garage Technology Ventures.

Outside quote about company: Amy Van Hook, Director of Marketing Services for Entercom, says, “Entercom chose Bitpass‘ digital commerce engine for its ease of implementation and its flexibility to support a wide range of purchase types and price points. The BitPass solution allows us to simplify single-purchase downloads, subscriptions and up-sells to all types of digital content.”

Features:
* Universal Wallet, Media and Rewards Account
* Content Catalog and Offer Management
* Subscription, PPV and Retail Capabilities
* Small Payments and Aggregation

Management/Directors:
Douglas Knopper, Chief Executive Officer
Matt Graves, Chief Operations Officer
Kurt Huang, Founder and Vice President, Strategy and Emerging Markets
Gyuchang Jun, Chief Technology Officer
Punkaj K. Jain, Vice President, Engineering
Preston Roper, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Relevant Links:
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/05-11-2005/0003594759&EDATE=
http://www.paymentsnews.com/2006/10/bitpass_unveils.html
http://www.twst.com/notes/articles/aey106.html
http://www.digitaltransactions.net/newsstory.cfm?newsid=1098

Limbo 41414: Limbo 41414 is a mobile entertainment company. Mobile as in “take it with you” since you can access our service via the web and via your mobile phone.

We launched Limbo 41414 in October 2005 for one simple reason - to help people get more fun out of their cell phones. Since then, we’ve expanded our service to the web much to the excitement of our members.

We’re creating mobile entertainment - games for people to enjoy in their downtime as well as a way for people to connect with others via SMS and online communities.

We support our mobile entertainment business in a number of ways, by making money from:
1. Companies who use our game as a promotional tool to attract new customers, increase the satisfaction of current customers or simply promote their products via mobile,
2. Media partners who use the programs to increase, retain and entertain their audiences, and
3. Premium SMS auctions in which we charge a fee to play.

Our premier product is the Limbo Auction, an insanely interactive game that combines the components of a sweepstakes and an auction. Basically, players try to guess the lowest unique number. The response has been phenomenal in that players actively engage the game an average of 20 times per Limbo Auction – the average players plays 40 times per month – and in return receive more than twice that number of messages from the sponsor through customize, branded tips and responses sent through our automated system.

TechAddress: What makes your company stand apart from your competitors?

Limbo 41414: We have no competitors. We’re the first company to offer the Limbo Auction and have a number of patents protecting our IP.

TechAddress: What are some of the main features?

Limbo 41414: Our premier product is the Limbo Auction, an insanely interactive game that combines the components of a sweepstakes and an auction. Basically, players try to guess the lowest unique number. The response has been phenomenal in that players actively engage the game an average of 20 times per Limbo Auction – the average players plays 40 times per month – and in return receive more than twice that number of messages from the sponsor through customize, branded tips and responses sent through our automated system.

TechAddress: Who’s your target customer or audience?

Limbo 41414: The beauty of the Limbo Auction is that it transcends demographics and has a truly mass appeal. Therefore, the media through which the game is promoted determines the audience. To date, no one group is dominating.

TechAddress: Any new things in particular that you’re working on right now?

Limbo 41414: Sorry, but that’s confidential information. We can tell you that we’re planning to launch additional games and services beyond the Limbo Auction in the very near future.

TechAddress: Where do you see your company heading in the future?

Limbo 41414: We’re growing very quickly. Our current goal is to attract 1 million members, and we’re well on our way!

TechAddress: Any negative feedback or criticism regarding technology and services?

Limbo 41414: The technology works well and people can play the game easily. However, oddly enough, the concept is difficult to explain. We try to simply entice people to play because the technology leads them through the process simply and easily.

TechAddress: So what would you say is the guiding principle behind your company?

Limbo 41414: We want people to have fun and connect with others. It’s fun: anywhere, anyhow, anytime. And, it’s on their terms.

TechAddress: What is the mission of your company and what are you bringing to the market that is innovative?

Limbo 41414: Our mission is to be the most fun you can have on your cell phone or the web. It’s a lofty goal, but we have lots of good ideas.

TechAddress: Where are you in terms of funding and your lifecycle?

Limbo 41414: We’ve received two rounds of funding. The first was seed money of approximately $2 million and our series B was $7 million. We launched our first product for consumers in January 2006 and continue to actively upgrade our system and add new features.

TechAddress: If your technology or service is not formally launched yet, when’s the launch date? If you have already launched, when was your launch date?

Limbo 41414: We started the company in October 2005 and launched our first consumer product, the Limbo Auction, in January 2006.

Location: Framingham, Massachusetts

Launch Date: August, 2005

In the company’s own words, what is it? Vivox makes online communication natural. Communication is the essence of community, yet today’s online communities lack the richness of human interaction that we experience in the physical world.

Vivox managed services generate natural and engaging online interactions that reflect the intelligence, power and nuance of the physical world. A Pulver.com company that launched in August 2005, Vivox has served behind-the-scenes as the industrial strength platform for Free World Dial-Up, also a Pulver company, which provides VoIP services to global subscribers. Vivox is chaired by Jeff Pulver, an acknowledged pioneer in the Internet telephony/VoIP industry.

Outside quote about company: Joel Dreyfuss, Editor-in-Chief of Red Herring said, “With venture capital flowing again, we’re seeing a lot of innovative new companies taking on the established players with disruptive technologies and innovative business plans. The Red Herring 100 North America companies, among them Vivox, are pushing and breaking the boundaries of the technology business and we are excited to report on their success stories.” Business Wire, May 2006

Features:
* Anonymous Calling capabilities
* Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
* Community Communications
* MMOG Voice Communications
* Perpetual IM services
* Web Video Chat

Management/Directors:
Rob Seaver-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
James Toga-Founder and Chief Operating Officer
Monty Sharma-Vice President Product Management and Marketing
Rick Frye-Vice President of Sales

Relevant Links:
http://www.mpogd.com/news/?ID=1962
http://www.corante.com/dating/archives/2005/11/29/worldfriends_selects_vivox_for_instant_messaging.php
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/03/01/8370595/index.htm
http://www.streetiq.com/buzz/052606.shtml