VentureBeat

Syncplicity, a service that synchronizes your files across multiple devices, has raised $2.35 million in its first round of venture backing.

Chief executive Leonard Chung acknowledges that Syncplicity is just one player in the crowded field; there are many other services that allow you to update your files from any location, and have those changes reflected on all your devices. And that impression was reinforced by the fact that Syncplicity’s April launch was surrounded by similar launches and announcements — Dropbox, Sharpcast’s SugarSync and even Microsoft’s Live Mesh service.

But VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi was impressed by Syncplicity’s simplicity (get it?), as well as its “intelligent conflict resolution,” which saves each varying version when more than one person is working on a file, so that you don’t accidentally override each other’s work. In addition, Chung notes that the service isn’t just a single extra drive or folder on your computer — it also lets you share your files on applications like Google Docs and in Facebook.

“We’re not trying to silo ourselves or create our own little space,” he says.

Since the launch, Syncplicity has added support for other devices and services, including an iPhone application and integrating with web-based office software from Zoho. Chung won’t share how many users Syncplicity serves (he says that’s not a useful number), but he revealed that, all told, Syncplicity is now storing 50 terabytes of data.

I have to wonder if a service like Syncplicity might suffer as people start cutting back on their expenses. Even though the cheapest paying plan (there’s a limited free account) costs only $9.99 per month, that’s still an extra expense for something people may not see as a necessity. Winning consumers isn’t easy, Chung says — that’s why Syncplicity is focusing on business customers for now. File backup, collaboration and synchronization are all useful for businesses, and by offering a hosted, cloud-based solution, Syncplicity is cheaper than most alternatives — plus, it ties all of that into one service.

The funding comes from True Ventures and undisclosed private investors.

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