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GamerDNA launches new brand with $3 million in funding

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GamerDNA Inc. has completed a $3 million Series A financing led by Flybridge Capital Partners. The company, previously known as GuildCafe Entertainment Inc., will use the funds to expand product development, open new offices in Cambridge’s Central Square, and launch GamerDNA.com—a community that allows videogame players to join forces with friends, share their stories and discover what’s happening in the games they love.

According to DFC Intelligence, the size of the global videogame market is expected to reach $47B by 2009. The scale and diversity of the gaming market demands a platform and genre-neutral community that encompasses all types of games and gamers. The expanded community will draw upon many of the best features of the company’s MMORPG (massively multiplayer online roleplaying game) oriented website, GuildCafe.com.

GuildCafe.com (a website devoted to organizing groups within MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars, as well as clan-based multiplayer games such as Halo and Call of Duty) will continue as a separate site, and be improved with new features the company is developing under the GamerDNA brand. GamerDNA.com is currently in closed-beta, but available to previously registered members of GuildCafe.com.

Originally posted on April 20, 2008 @ 11:05 pm

TripIt receives $5.1 million investment

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TripIt has received $5.1 million in Series B financing from three significant investors: Sabre Holdings, O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and European Founders Fund. The investment will be used to expand development, marketing and support for the rapidly growing number of travelers who rely on TripIt.

TripIt is an online travel organizer and social network to help people manage their travel plans and stay in touch with fellow travelers, colleagues and family. In its first six months, TripIt has been honored at the TechCrunch40, Web2.0 Summit LaunchPad, and Under The Radar conferences, is currently a 2008 Webby Award Nominee, and has been praised by a range of media including the Associated Press, CNN, Economist, FOX, New York Times, Sunday Times (UK), and Wall Street Journal.

Originally posted on April 17, 2008 @ 5:33 pm

TripIt receives $5.1 million investment

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TripIt has received $5.1 million in Series B financing from three significant investors: Sabre Holdings, O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures and European Founders Fund. The investment will be used to expand development, marketing and support for the rapidly growing number of travelers who rely on TripIt.

TripIt is an online travel organizer and social network to help people manage their travel plans and stay in touch with fellow travelers, colleagues and family.

Originally posted on April 17, 2008 @ 12:04 am

Federated Media receives $50 million investment as it expands services

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federatedmedia.pngFederated Media Publishing (FM) announced that it has received a $50 million minority investment from Oak Investment Partners, a multi-stage venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, CA. Founded in 2005, FM represents more than 125 conversational media entrepreneurs who run more than 150 of the world’s most respected websites, blogs, and social networking applications. The company became profitable in the third quarter of 2007.

With expertise in custom, integrated conversational marketing campaigns, FM has developed deep and long-term relationships with leading brand marketers and advertising agencies. Over the last three years, the company has expanded beyond its technology roots into verticals including parenting, business & marketing, media & entertainment, video gaming, graphics arts, automotive and more.

FM generates revenue for its partner sites and event organizers through integrated sponsorships, advertising and other marketing services for global brands and their advertising agencies.

Originally posted on April 15, 2008 @ 3:39 pm

Ustream raises $11.1 million in funding

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ustream.pngUstream.TV announced that it has secured $11.1 million in Series A funding from venture capital firm DCM and existing investors, Labrador Ventures and The Band of Angels. The funding will enable Ustream to accelerate product development and meet growing market demand for an interactive, broadcasting platform.

Ustream’s easy-to-use, reliable and scalable broadcasting platform has experienced remarkable adoption in one year since its beta launch. The open platform has already registered over 260,000 broadcasters, including Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, entertainers Johnny Knoxville and Chris Brown, as well as technology and business leaders broadcasting a wide range of interactive events. Successful partnerships with Bebo, Veoh, Digg, Meebo, Sun Microsystems and the Republican National Convention have both validated and expanded Ustream’s success in online broadcasting.

Originally posted on April 10, 2008 @ 7:22 pm