Online computer help company CrossLoop gets $6M
It can be hard to give somebody directions over the phone for how to use, say, a computer software program (example, via my mom: “Which button am I supposed to click on?”). CrossLoop offers a downloadable desktop-based application that lets you access and use another person’s computer interface, and let them watch what you do to help.
This is peer-to-peer data transmission technology for business. The company’s web site includes profiles for help specialists, including rankings given by users they’ve helped. The software is a potential way to make money for people with some technical expertise. Helpers offer their services for a fee, typically for between $5 and $50 dollars an hour. Right now, CrossLoop just offers a Paypal payment feature so helpers can provide their services and keep all of the money, but eventually the company plans to take a cut of these fees.
So far, 11,500 specialists from more than 130 countries have created 2.8 million help sessions. CrossLoop has had a million unique users since it launched in 2006, for a total of 53 million “help” minutes served. It says it’s seeing “good growth”.
The Campbell, Calif. company just closed a $6 million round led by Venrock, with existing investor El Dorado Ventures participating. Andre Haddad, chief executive of Ebay’s Shopping.com, and Venrock’s Rich Moran have joined the company’s board.
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About the Author, Eric Eldon
Eric currently covers digital media technology and business news, especially what's happening on social networks and their platforms. He also writes and edits stories about venture capital, and lots of other stuff, too. He started at VentureBeat in the spring of 2007, half a year or so after Matt Marshall left his reporting job at the San Jose Mercury News to found the site. Eric previously cofounded a startup called Writewith, that was building editorial software for newspapers and other groups of writers. The startup didn't work out, but he learned a lot.
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