Rumor: TalkShoe closing in on $5M round

May 1, 2008 | MG Siegler | Comments | |

A source tells us that online community calling and podcasting site TalkShoe is in talks on a round of funding. The total is said to be $5 million and would likely come from Third Security, a Virginia-based private equity and venture capital firm.

The service hosted over 47,000 community calls last year, connecting 259,000 people, and had over 7.5 million downloads. In February the company announced its intention to become the go-to service for voice services on social networks. Last month, the company created a Facebook application. It also recently launched an iPhone application which makes it easy to use the device with the service.

The Pennsylvania-based TalkShoe launched in 2006.

We’ve contacted the company for a comment and will update when we know more.

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About the Author, MG Siegler

MG Siegler writes about technology trends and new media for VentureBeat, with a focus on mobile topics, social elements and key news stories. Before that, MG wrote about technology on his blog, ParisLemon. Originally from Ohio, MG attended the University of Michigan where he studied film. He's previously lived in Los Angeles where he worked in Hollywood and in San Diego where he did web development. He now lives in San Francisco.

  • Hey MG,

    The rumor mill gave you a bit of incorrect data :)

    167,000 Community Calls last year
    327,000 Live People
    7.6 million downloads (that one was close)

    We've been out on the funding trail - target is $5.5 million. No news on a closing yet.

    And importantly - we are all about live GROUP voice - Community Calling with up to hundreds of people per call!

    Thanks for the post,
    Brian (the TalkShoe Team)
  • @Brian - those numbers were from a press release YOU sent us at the end of February -- unless you guys changed your numbers from last year, those were correct. I'd be happy to forward that on to you :)

    As for the funding, I'll stick with my source, whom I trust, but if what you say is true, then it seems very close.
  • Credibility 4 investors
    MG Siegler... that was kind of a snarky response, wasn't it? Sounds like he was just trying to give you the real numbers, from the company itself, which most sites appreciate. I came upon your story because I have a Google Alert on Talkshoe to see what live group broadcasts are around, and what people are saying about those that I may want to tune into. You seem to suggest that this guy is somehow not telling the truth by telling him you believe your "sources" (implying not him). Not very professional response. I've never been on your site but it appears to be more of a TMZ than a legit venture site.
  • @credibility 4 - I didn't intend it to be. I simply meant to point out that TS was implying the information is wrong based on erroneous data, but that the data in question actually came from the company and not from the source.

    I didn't say I didn't trust TS, just that I realize he probably isn't able to say who they're talking to for the funding yet, a name which the source gave us. That's all I meant, nothing TMZ-like I assure you.