BUSINESS: OpenBC
I am using both LinkedIn and openBC for keeping in touch and managing my small network. I could find an interesting presentation about openBC from an Optaros' conference about the web2.0 trends. Interesting stuff.
- openBC was founded in 2003 and is currently the foremost business networking platform in Europe and Asia with 1.2 million members.
- openBC’s innovative networking and communications technology is offered in 16 languages and operates across all industries.
- openBC is an open and secure network. The "six degrees of separation" theory is put into practice both professionally and visually here.
- openBC offers a basic and a premium membership. This business model makes openBC a profitable business networking platform.
- Member numbers have increased approx. tenfold since Jul 04
- Monthly user growth 12%
- openBC usage: Over 220 million page impressions per month
- 70% of users have visited openBC in the last 30 days
- Groups on openBC: More than 3,300 groups on openBC, over 170,000 group articles per month
- The company
- Open Business Club GmbH was founded in 2003 in Hamburg by Lars Hinrichs (HH) and Bill Liao(AI)
- In 2004 it raised a first round through swiss matching platform BrainsToVentures within Business Angels serving as "Network Angels"
- Reached opeational break-even end of 2004
- In late 2005 a second round of financing lead by Wellington Partners and the initial investors raised over 8.7 Mio CHF
- In 2006 openBC is forcing its internationalisation acquiring First Tuesday Zurich and launching JV in China and India.
Have a look at my OpenBC's profile here and LinkedIn's profile there.
