Startups

LivingSocial Back To Hiring – Is The Daily Deal Company Turning Around?

May 8, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

While D.C.’s mayor hopes to make the well known location a hub for tech companies, even promoting the District at SXSW, LivingSocial is at the core of whether or not the tech “fad” catches – and they are starting to turn things around.

The daily deal site, which is headquartered in D.C., improved its revenues and cut its operating expenses compared with the same three-month period last year. On the down side, even with the improvement, the company’s $135 million in revenue during the first three months of…

NimbleCommerce and Group Commerce Merge Into One Daily Deal Start-Up

May 4, 2013 | Written by Ingrid Sjostrand - Content Manager at Mogul Media

Santa Clara-based NimbleCommerce has negotiated terms with New York’s Group Commerce to merge into one daily deal business. The company will focus on helping companies compete with other daily deal sites like Groupon.

Founded in 2010, Group Commerce has raised $40 million under the command of co-founder and CEO Jonty Kelt. The New York Times and Thrillist Media Group Inc. are a few of Group Commerce’s customers, and investors include Carmel Ventures and Lerer Ventures.

Prashant Nedungadi founded NimbleCommerce to help deal companies network with…

Have These Start Ups Blown It By Turning Down $100 Million?

May 4, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

You think it would be common sense – if someone offers you $100 million – you take it, become rich, take that vacation and buy everything you always dreamed of. But in Silicon Valley, common sense seems to have been replaced with a crazy desire to create a life changing company – like Google or Facebook. For some entrepreneurs, the appetite for a billion-dollar company has cost them the potential of life-changing fortunes.

Here are a couple examples of companies who turned down $100 million…

Infographic: Spreading Silicon Valley

May 3, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

Silicon Valley may be the largest hub for start-up innovation, but the well known start-up village has begun to inspire other places to join California on the Technological fore front.

New York has developed a “Silicon Alley” where as in Portland they declare themselves as the “Silicon Forest,” even Des Moines has begun to take on the name Silicorn Valley. Each hub has developed their own originality, incorporating their own flavor and culture into their brands. A recent infographic published by business software company Read More

Is P-Commerce A Game Changer?

May 3, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

The way we buy and sell products has evolved over the years, especially with the influence of the internet and other computer networks. From electronic commerce, or e-commerce – the sales of products through the internet, mobile commerce, or m-commerce – sales through mobile phones to Facebook commerce, or f-commerce – sales through Facebook, there have been several different ways retailers can reach consumers. Now, that Pinterest has become a major player on the field p-commerce, which stands for both ”participatory commerce” or “Pinterest commerce”, comes onto the scene.

Rocketmiles raises $2 Million in First Round Funding

April 30, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

Rocketmiles has secured $2 million in its first round of external funding. The Chicago based start-up was co-founded by Jay Hoffmann who was formerly vice president in charge of new business at daily deals company Groupon and before that, was managing director of Mileage Plus at United. Hoffmann’s two co-founders at Rocketmiles, Bjorn Larsen and Kris Helenek, were formerly at Edhance, a start-up focused on student discounts linked to credit cards.

Since the company’s creation in 2012, it has been operating in beta mode before…

How Tel Aviv Became The Start Up Capitol Of The World

April 29, 2013 | Written by Ingrid Sjostrand - Content Manager at Mogul Media

Israel has over 4,800 startup companies making its nickname “startup nation” all the more accurate. Many American companies are catching on and making the move to Tel Aviv, even Microsoft and Google are in on the action.

The region has over 24 accelerator programs, Venture Capital groups picking up Israeli startups (700 of the 4,800 are VC backed) and even some, like Sequoia and Benchmark, building full offices in the area.

There are several reasons Israel trumps the competition in…

The Newest Way To Shop Online, Chirpify, Gains More Investors

April 28, 2013 | Written by Ingrid Sjostrand - Content Manager at Mogul Media

Online shopping is easier than driving to the mall and with the price of gas, it can even be cheaper. But what could make it even simpler? The answer is Chirpify.

This social commerce and payments company allows you to buy, sell and fundraise with a simple comment on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Just type a reply of “buy,” “gimme” or “donate” and your transaction is complete. No credit card forms, no shopping carts and definitely no long…

Is Daily Deal Site – Sharing Spree – A Scam?

April 26, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

Portland, Oregan based news outlet, KATU has their “On Your Side Investigator” Dan Tilkin exploring why hundreds of thousands of dollars may have disappeared. Tilkin is investigating whether a locally based daily deal site, Sharing Spree, is a charity foundation or a scam.

Similar to Groupon or LivingSocial, Sharing Spree offers deals-a-day and operates in several US cities, the niche of the site is that it promises to donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.

According to KATU, customers, businesses and…

Zozi Switches From Daily Deals To Exclusive Celeb Filled Adventures

April 5, 2013 | Written by Megan Bildner - Jr. Editor

In 2010 Zozi entered the crowded daily deal area offering customers an affordable excuse to grab cocktails or go kayaking in the San Francisco Bay. And while fighting for a top spot as a daily deal platform sort of worked for two years, Zozi has made the shift to offering high-end, exclusive adventures and get-aways.

Zozi decided that instead of playing middle man for minor activities and tours the company made the leap to offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences that are hosted by experts and celebrities. What sets the platform…