InterActiveCorp strives for local holy grail, with “Ask City”
InterActiveCorp is about to unload a local information and entertainment service, apparently named “Ask City,” and it’s about time.
IAC is an Internet media conglomerate headed by Barry Diller, and it plans to introduce the local site next week, combining Web search, city guides, maps and event listings and tickets, a move that appears to finally combine the company’s assets in a logical way.The new Web-based city guides, scheduled to start Dec. 4, will be… Continue Reading
Edgeio gets $5 million to expand Web 2.0 classifieds site
Edgeio, a Menlo Park start-up trying to redefine the way people list classifieds, has raised $5 million in a first round of venture capital, and may raise more. Here is the release.
The round was led by Intel Capital and included an investment from Transcosmos.
The idea behind Edgeio is audacious because it seeks to do an end-run around the incumbents like Craigslist and others, by letting people bypass them entirely.
But in a notable development, some… Continue Reading
Smalltown, the hyperlocal Web site, worth a look
Updated
New start-up Smalltown is going after the local business listings market with an ambitious, focused social network model. It has a charming “smalltown” feel, and seeks to build a community of users around those listings. This company will be one to watch.
It launches today (Tuesday). It has received $3 million in venture capital from Formative Ventures.
Founder and chief exec Hal Rucker gave us a demo of the site. It aims for comprehensive listings of businesses,… Continue Reading
Local review site Yelp raises $10 million from Benchmark
Yelp, the Web site offering user-generated reviews of bars, restaurants and other places, has raised $10 million in venture capital from Benchmark Capital.
We recently mentioned Yelp’s wave-making with its parties.
Yelp, like other recent Internet companies, is challenging incumbent sites like Citysearch by developing a community of local reviewers. By encouraging loyalist users to review often, Yelp bets its site will be fresher and more compelling.
It is noteworthy that the venture money comes from Peter… Continue Reading
Silicon Valley & the Industry of Cool
Forbes’ Erika Brown has a good summary of how Silicon Valley has turned into a mini Hollywood.
She recounts the escapades of Russel Simmons and Jeremy Stoppelman, co-founders of Yelp, the local social site for reviews of bars and restaurants, who hold parties (see pic) with inebriated young women hanging over them, including a “Yelp Elite” mixer at the San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art ending in a girls-only kissing orgy. When asked where they… Continue Reading