News About The Netpreneur Program

1. SOME COOL CHARACTERS ANSWER YOUR FINANCIAL QUESTIONS
Did you know you've got a posse of experts ready to answer financial, taxation, accounting and related questions at the Netpreneur Exchange? Yep, thanks to our pals at KPMG Peat Marwick's Information, Communications and Entertainment (ICE) practice.

Financial Advisor: http://netpreneur.org/funding/kpmgice/content/

2. NEWLY ASSEMBLED AT THE FAQtory
Check in to see new pieces on Reseller Software and Zip Code Translation Software in the Technology section. The usual FAQtory caveat is in effect-- these are not necessarily complete explications; they reflect recent discussion among our netpreneur community and are added to regularly. Please add your comments.

FAQtory: http://netpreneur.org/netcorner/faqtory

3. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
Subscribed to ActionNet yet? If you have, you know about a company that's seeking to acquire a systems integrator (in the DC or NYC areas in the $2.5-10 million annual sales range) and an ISP (with $10-50K monthly sales, 75% business accounts). The details of these postings and others are in the ActionNet Archive. By subscribing to ActionNet you'll get word of these kinds of strategic opportunities right away via email, and be able to post your own.

ActionNet: http://netpreneur.org/connect/actionnet

Regional Netpreneurs

1. NETGUARD'S BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
(McLean, VA) NetGuard, Inc.'s newest product, Guidepost, is Internet bandwidth management software designed to provide quality-of-service controls for Internet-based organizations and ISPs. Guidepost includes policy-based management tools that allow administrators to guarantee access to Internet, Intranet or extranet connections and set maximum and minimum levels of service. As a software solution, Guidepost is less expensive and scaleable. The product provides guaranteed bandwidth for specific users or groups, prevention of usage "spikes" and better management of push information. Guidepost for Windows NT will be available in mid-February through authorized resellers.

NetGuard: http://www.ntguard.com

2. CALL LAUNCHES UNIVERSAL MESSENGER SERVICE
(Reston, VA) Call Technologies, Inc. (CTI), a provider of intelligent peripheral voice processing and support systems, announced Call Courier Universal Messenger, an enhanced services software product designed to create competitive advantages for local telephone companies and wireless service providers. Call Courier Universal Messenger is a hardware-independent software application that runs on most UNIX and Microsoft NT platforms, and which enables telephone and wireless companies to offer their customers a set of calling and voicemail features that are currently unavailable on any other system. The application is deployed on CTI's Call Builder service creation platform, a real-time software engine that supports rapid introduction and customization of message-based enhanced services.

3. SPACEWORKS ENHANCES EXTRANET COMMERCE SOFTWARE
(Rockville, MD) SpaceWorks, Inc. announced Version 3.0 of its OrderManager application, an e-commerce solution which automates supply chain transactions over the Web. The new version adds expanded capabilities for real-time "self-service" order processing channels between a company's back-end resource planning systems and its trading partners, as well as order approval functionality, instant links to UPS & FedEx tracking systems, enhanced search engine and a Guest feature which allows clients to provide temporary access to prospective trading partners.

SpaceWorks: http://www.spaceworks.com

Partnerships

1. IMARK'S NEW PUSH SOLUTION FOR INFORMATION PROVIDERS
(Herndon, VA) Imark Technologies, Inc. entered into a strategic relationship with BackWeb Technologies of San Jose, CA, to offer a pilot of NET-MAX+, which the company calls the first push information commerce system for digital content. BackWeb's development environment automates the knowledge gathering and delivery process, enabling Imark's NET-MAX+ service to push subscription information as published (PDF) format files or HTML pages. Each document requested by a subscriber will be examined using a knowledge-based profiling agent which will identify additional highly-related content. Related content will be automatically summarized and pushed along with the requested information, enabling the subscriber to easily access and purchase related information. NET-MAX+ manages the access and purchase process using re-distributable document technology that ties information access with payment verification through key management and encryption.

Imark: http://www.imarktech.com
BackWeb: http://www.backweb.com

2. WOMEN'S GROUPS JOIN WITH WOMEN'S CONNECTION ONLINE
(McLean, VA) In a partnership to increase exposure of women's organizations on the Internet, 30 women's business, professional and service organizations have joined Women's Connection Online (WCO) as Participating Organizations. Over 440,000 women are represented by these organizations. Participating Organizations receive special services free of charge, including a free Web presence. In return, these organizations promote their location on the WCO site in their promotional and membership materials and provide WCO opportunities to speak and exhibit at their events.

WCO: http://www.womenconnect.com

Construction Crews

1. WHO'S BRINGING WHO TO THE NET?
Morph Technologies ( http://www.morphtech.com ) unveiled the redesigned superSonic BOOM site ( http://www.superSonicBOOM.com ) based on Morph's DynaMorph cross-platform, server-side scripting engine. superSonic BOOM operates the first Web site to offer custom music CDs.

King Farm, a real development in Montgomery County, MD, recently opened its new site ( http://www.kingfarm.com ) developed by New Connections, Inc. ( http://www.newc.com ).

TVontheWeb ( http://www.tvontheweblive.com ) is hanging out with the pols. Yesterday they featured a live video webcast of First Lady Hillary Clinton's convocation speech at Goucher College, and this afternoon produced a live webcast of a Congressional Field Hearing on health care reform conducted by Sen. Robert Torricelli.

Funding & Finance News

1. EROL'S INTERNET IS ACQUIRED
(Springfield, VA) Erol's Internet, Inc. has agreed to be acquired by Princeton, NJ-based RCN Corp. for $48.5 million in RCN stock and approximately $35 million in cash. RCN simultaneously announced its acquisition of Ultranet Communications, Inc., the largest regional ISP in the Boston area. UltraNet will be purchased for $19.2 million in stock and $7.8 million in cash. The combined company will be the largest regional ISP in the Northeast with over 325,000 Internet subscribers. Erol's and UltraNet have a combined annual run rate of approximately $58 million.

Erols: http://www.erols.com
RCN: http://www.rcn.com

2. IBG OPENS INCUBATOR SPACE
(Vienna, VA) The International Business Group (IBG) announced the opening of the International Center for Internet Entrepreneurs (ICIE), a facility to house the operations of companies it supports, as well as IBG's own headquarters. IBG provides financial, management and strategic administrative support to young and start-up ventures. The ICIE will provide IBG's "incubator" companies with centralized office space and administrative services so they can share ideas, experience and technology. The space will include an entrepreneurial training center, a presentation center and a finance and administration center. IBG-supported companies moving into the ICIE will include local netpreneurs Morph Technologies Inc. and superSonic BOOM, as well as Tech 2K Inc., Global Golf Inc. (from Ireland) and Technology Two Thousand Ltd. (from the UK).

IBG: http://www.internetworth.com

3. ONLINE TRADING AND TECHNOLOGY SOURCEBOOK
(Washington, DC) To help the brokerage industry adopt the Internet and intranet technologies for selling securities and investment services, Longwood Information introduced the "1998 Online Investing Sourcebook -- Industry Guide to Electronic Brokerage and Investing," a 450-page manual with strategic advice, case studies, browser-based brokerage product profiles, and coverage of 87 Web brokerages. The Sourcebook details the key trends in this sector and features over 117 product profiles, including Internet broker workstations, Internet trading systems for brokers and retail clients, Web-based market data delivery systems, Internet account statements, push software, security and others. You can find sample pages from the Sourcebook and place orders at Longwood's Web site. Longwood covers technology and business developments in the online financial industry and publishes the Interactive Financial Services newsletter.

Longwood: http://www.longwoodinfo.com

4. AOL BUYS PERSONAL LIBRARY SOFTWARE
(Dulles, VA) America Online has acquired Personal Library Software (PLS) of Rockville, MD, for an undisclosed amount of AOL's common stock. PLS is a developer of information indexing and search technologies and developed the core technology for search within the AOL service. AOL will obtain PLS and its family of software products and plans to manage all aspects of PLS, continuing to emphasize the development of search software.

PLS: http://www.pls.com
AOL: http://www.aol.com

Opportunities

1. AWARDS FOR WORLD-CLASS INVENTIONS Think your new invention ranks among the world's top 100? If so, it may qualify as a winner in R&D Magazine's 36th Annual R&D 100 Awards. R&D Magazine examines commercial products and processes introduced over the past year and recognizes the most technologically significant ones as winners in the R&D 100 Awards program. The program has consistently been picked up by a number of major media, including CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC and The Wall Street Journal. The deadline for submissions is March 2. To be eligible for a 1998 award, your product must have been available for purchase or licensing within calendar year 1997. For more information, see R&D Magazine's Web site where you will find an entry form and an article on what judges look for in a winning product. The magazine is also looking for the world's top technical experts to help judge 1998 awards. If you are an acknowledged expert in your field and can devote 10-20 hours in late March to early April, forward your resume and other relevant information to Vic Comello at vcomello@cahners.com.

R&D 100 Awards: http://www.rdmag.com/rd100/100award.htm