Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Venture Capitalist Watch

Respectance allows you to quickly and easily create a page for an individual that passed away.
Respectance has launched with a site to allow a page to quickly and easily be created as a memorial for those that passed away.

From the Respectance website "If a picture says a thousand words, movies and sound say even more. Respectance allows visitors to upload photos evoking special memories. Visitors select their favorite photos, background music and theme which are all automatically mixed into a special video clip, suitable for downloading or delivery on DVD.

Respectance lets individuals create, show, experience and share their emotions. We enable memories and emotions to become a rich, personalized, multimedia tribute that contributes to the healing process."
They Raised:Respectance received $1.5 Million from Solid Ventures and Big Bang Ventures.
More at:http://www.respectance.com/

Grockit, the online test preparatory school

Grockit, the online test preparatory school, has secured $2.3 million of a $2.7 million Series A round. The round was led by Benchmark Capital, and Mitch Lasky has been appointed to Grockit’s board.

Launched by Fabrood Nivi, an award-winning exam preparatory instructor, Grockit offers a more cost efficient alternative for test takers, and is taught via WebEx. You can get 16 90-minute sessions with GMAT review text books for about $400. You even get public office hours with the deal. As more information is disseminated online, people are finding more web-based tools for educational purposes. While there is no social networking involved, Grockit demonstrates the continuing shift of using the Internet for the sharing of information.

Similar sites for education include xLingo, Tutorom and WizIQ. Similar sites for instructional video include LessonBites and 5min.
More at:http://gmat.grockit.com/

How To Become Entrepreneur

You can become a toy retailer by purchasing products from wholesalers, then reselling them through your own website, through websites like eBay or through a brick-and-mortar store.

That's the route Pat Cuartero, 26, and Weber Hsu, 27, of YoYoNation.com, an online yo-yo seller, took to become toy tycoons, with projected 2007 sales of $1.1 million. Just two years ago, when the guys were assistant vice presidents on Wall Street, it occurred to Cuartero, who is a world yo-yo champion, that there wasn't a good source for the high-tech yo-yos he uses to impress judges and audiences. Starting their online business part time, the pair soon found themselves getting just one hour of sleep a night to keep up with orders. Within a year, they both quit their six-figure jobs to devote all their time to the New York City business.

Cuartero found product vendors by tapping into industry contacts he made while on the yo-yo competition circuit, but most new toy sellers have to find their products the old-fashioned way: through research and sales calls. Fortunately, toy fairs and the internet have made locating products easier.

What's more, you don't even necessarily have to stash your stock in a warehouse or your home or garage, as Cuartero and Hsu currently do. Depending on the type of toy you are selling, you may be able to enter into a drop-shipping agreement, where you take orders for the product and turn them over to the manufacturer, who in turn ships toys directly to the customers. As a drop-shipper, you will earn a percentage on each toy you sell--and all you need to do is write the order, process the payment and forward it to the manufacturer.

Internet sales portals such as YoYoNation.com are rapidly becoming the sales channels of choice for new toy sellers, especially since it can be very difficult to catch the eye of big-box retailers. With a minimal investment, it's possible to get a website up and running quickly, and such sales channels are no longer seen as the stepchildren of the retail industry.
More at:http://www.yoyonation.com/
Via-Entrep

Genius Platform designed to provide business end users with instant access to critical customer response and behavior data on corporate web sites

Genius Platform The Genius platform is an on demand, real time, 1-1 marketing and analytics system designed to provide business end users with instant access to critical customer response and behavior data on corporate web sites. The Genius platform integrates key elements of web analytics, marketing automation and CRM to present real-time web behavior data as individual customers click through corporate web sites in response to emails and other online media channels.
With genius.com's technology business people can zero in with sniper-like focus and get right to the needle in the haystack without messing around with the not lucrative clients and barking up the wrong tree. With an entry level technology program starting at $29 a month and the highest at $79, Genius.com should have no problem signing up a ton of salesmen.
more at:http://genius.com/

Second Rotation is the safest and easiest destination on the Web for selling your consumer electronics

Second Rotation is the safest and easiest destination on the Web for selling your consumer electronics. Our dynamic pricing calculator helps you determine the value of your gadgets and sell them through one easy online service. We’re working diligently to deliver smart and flexible options for you to sell your gadgets such as digital cameras, laptop computers and MP3 Players, for on-the-spot value! No hassle, no hidden catches, just cash in your pocket! Always THINK Value! At Second Rotation our core ideology runs central to all that we do. Our team is working around the clock to build and sustain a massive repository of data to support our online selling programs. As we continue to enhance our solutions and expand the arsenal of data, we will increase our ability to present you with new and exciting solutions. Second Rotation was founded in 2006 and is currently led by experienced Internet and technology veterans Rousseau Aurelien, Israel Ganot and James McElhiney. Mindful of the pros and cons of online reselling, they teamed up to leverage their experience, know-how and leadership to launch Second Rotation, Inc.
More at:http://www.secondrotation.com/

Earn While Searching

iRazoo is a user recommended, points driven, search engine. Your benefits for using iRazoo: You get excellent search results (we aggregate all the data from the best search engines on the planet!) You get to help further refine our excellent search results for others as well as benefit from other's refined search results You get points for each search you peform, each website you recommend/not recommend, and each referral you make Best of all, you get to exchange your points for fantastic prizes.
For each site a member searches and rates, they receive points. Those points can then be traded in for music, cameras, MP3 players, etc. Not a bad deal. The question is whether the site is a better deal for the member earning points or the browser just looking for the right information.
More at:http://www.irazoo.com/

CarGuru

CarGurus is an online automotive community. Are you looking for a new or used car? Trying to get rid of your old beater and can't figure out what it's worth? We can help! We help people share information about their cars, as well as related services, parts, and accessories. Whether it's an article about a 2000 Corvette, user review of a classic 1965 Ford Mustang, someone's photo of their customized Toyota Camry, or a simple question about a 1996 Civic, CarGurus strives to connect people with the information they need. CarGurus is the place where automotive knowledge is shared.
You may also list a car for free with CarGurus.com, which is quite amazing when you think about it, if you were to list a car on eBay.com it could easily cost up to 5% of the total price of the car, which needless to say can be quite a bit if you are selling an expensive car.
More at:http://www.cargurus.com/

How To Find Business Partners

For those people who has had some grand business project coming up and you need some partners, OA will find them for you. All you’ve got to do is enter in some information about your biz, upload work samples, add the company profile, and then write down what kind of partner you need. OA will then introduce you to potential new partners. You’ll save money while your new partnership will bring in new revenue streams. You can try it for free for a full year. Only companies with proven track records are allowed to join.
What They Will Do For You:OA allows your company to forge vital new partnerships at a low cost. Companies can expand globally which would otherwise prove much more difficult. Only reliable companies are included, so you don’t have to worry. It’s a good way to expand your business, plain and simple.
More at:http://www.opportunityalert.com/