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Leading Web-Enabled Instant Messaging Service to Use Capital to Further Support Expanding User-Base
December 19, 2005
- Palo Alto, CA
meebo Inc., the first integrated, Ajax-enabled Web instant messaging service, announced that it has secured $3.5 million in a Series "A" round of funding from Sequoia Capital, angel investors and other individuals. This is the company's first round of institutional financing. It will be used to hire additional engineers and other operations positions, as well as expand on meebo's infrastructure. Additionally, Sequoia Capital Partner Roelof Botha will join meebo's board of directors. With 250,000 logins per day and nearly 7 million messages sent per day in just 13 weeks of operations, meebo continues to see unprecedented user-growth.
"Elaine, Sandy and I are incredibly happy with the feedback and testimonials we've received from our users," said Seth Sternberg, co-founder, meebo. "From enabling soldiers in Iraq to communicate with family and friends, to providing an IM service to people who are unable to download IM software, meebo has created a new way for people to connect from anywhere in the world. We are so excited to have Sequoia as a partner as we move forward to build a fantastic team around meebo and continue to add user-requested features."
meebo's wide availability on any Web browser page gives Internet users unparalleled, ubiquitous access to their IM networks. By using Ajax technology, meebo can provide people with a software-like experience within a Web browser. People no longer need to download and install software, a boon to IM users who are unable to use traditional IM applications in their office, school, or even at a friend's house. As a result, meebo has created a new channel of communicating. For example, a US soldier told the meebo team that the service has enabled him to more easily communicate with friends and family than he could before. The company’s web IM service is ideal for people who are using public or multi-user computers, such as at an Internet Cafe or a shared home computer.
"Just as Hotmail changed the way consumers used email, meebo is changing the way people use IM," said Roelof Botha, partner, Sequoia Capital. "meebo enables instant communications from anywhere and anytime. meebo's rapid growth and vocal community illustrate the large consumer need the company has filled. I am excited to work with such talented entrepreneurs."
With more than 500 million people worldwide using instant messaging applications, the company is the first to provide people with a simple way to access multiple instant messaging accounts within one Web page. By going to www.meebo.com , people can log into their accounts with any or all of the following IM services: AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk, Jabber, MSN Messenger, and/or ICQ. Once logged in screen names of their online buddies from all IM services that users have accounts with are retrieved and displayed in one organized window within a single browser page.
Founded by three co-founders in the spring of 2005, meebo includes female engineering duo Elaine Wherry and Sandy Jen, both Stanford University-trained engineers with degrees in symbolic systems and computer science respectively. The other co-founder, Seth Sternberg, is focused on moving meebo's business forward. In addition to being a former Stanford Business School student and IBM mergers-and-acquisitions lead, he is also a Yale graduate.
About meebo
meebo is the first all-in-one, Web browser-based instant messaging service. meebo gives users, no matter where they are, a hassle-free way to connect to every major instant messaging service using only a Web browser. With meebo, there is no need to download and run multiple software products. meebo's investors include Sequoia Capital and other individual investors. The company is based in Palo Alto, CA, and offers its free service at www.meebo.com .
About Sequoia Capital
Since 1972, Sequoia Capital has provided startup venture capital for very smart people who want to turn ideas into companies. As the "Entrepreneurs Behind the Entrepreneurs," Sequoia Capital's Partners have worked with innovators such as Sandy Lerner and Len Bozack of Cisco Systems, Jerry Yang and David Filoof of Yahoo!, Gaurav Garg of Redback Networks, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, Dan Warmenhoven of Network Appliance, T.J. Rodgers of Cypress Semiconductor, Lou Tomasetta of Vitesse Semiconductor, Steve Jobs of Apple Computer and Larry Ellison of Oracle. The companies organized by Sequoia Capital now account for about 10% of the value of NASDAQ. To learn more about Sequoia Capital visit www.sequoiacap.com .
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