Many of you who’ve been using meebo for awhile will remember when we raised our first couple rounds of investment. The first was just a bit over two years ago, and I talked about how we went about that process here, here, and here. Then, a year or so later, we raised our second round of capital and talked about it over here.
I’m very happy to announce that meebo just completed its third round of financing, and added some absolutely fantastic investors, JAFCO, Time Warner and KTB to a list of folks who have already been super helpful to us in building meebo.
One question I get a lot is “how do you decide who to work with when you’re raising a venture round?” The subtext is that people are wondering whether raising a round of investment is “just money” or whether there’s additional value beyond the capital that helps fuel the growth of the company.
This is all of our first time going through building a startup like meebo, and we’re certainly learning as we go along. As in previous rounds, we didn’t know many investors who invested in “late stage” companies. The first part of the process, therefore, was heading out and meeting as many folks as possible. Did our personalities click? Did we have the same vision for where meebo should go as a company? Did we share similar philosophies on how to build a company? These were the initial questions we were asking ourselves.
Through the process, we realized we could add an additional lense. That is, was there quantitative value that we could point to and say “they will help us grow meebo.” With the three investors we’ve brought aboard, the answer is clearly “yes!”
JAFCO is a very large venture fund in Japan. In the United States, Joe Horowitz and team lead JAFCO’s US fund. Not only will we get great advice from Joe, but JAFCO actually has a business development team on the ground in Japan that’s very excited to bring meebo to Japan. Nice!
We have already partnered with Time Warner. We partnered with AOL IM a little while ago to bring official access to the AOL IM network. Time Warner also owns brands you may recognize like TMZ, CNN, New Line Cinemas and People Magazine. All of these would be fantastic partners for meebo, and we look forward to exploring how we can work with them all.
Finally, KTB is a Korean venture fund with investments spread across the United States, Korea and China. They’ll be able to help us out with introductions to some of these portfolio companies for partnering opportunities, again as a way to spread meebo into these markets.
Thanks to all of you who’ve helped us build meebo. From folks who’ve helped translate meebo into another language to our forum moderators and those of you who give us feedback on the product so that we can constantly improve it. Without all of you, meebo would not be what it is today.
Seth
[ comments ] [ past blogs ]
May 4th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
TUPU
May 4th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
tell us something neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwww k well g2g. and add more tings to meebo.
May 4th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
i like u
May 4th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
mikayla and seth bffl
May 4th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
nice that warner joined but.. which user cares about?!
it would be nice if there would be something new.. for example just a little thingy:
custom backgrounds.
there is a java-script, but it would be better if it would be in the options..
and i just can access the options-menu and stuff from internet explorer.. but i’m still using firefox.. so please fix a bit at the user interface before you write such a letter which things no one really is interested in.
May 4th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, but if it’s going to help Meebo become even more awesome than it is now, then that’s great! XD
May 4th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
this is so good its like when we cant down loda things on our computer we can come on meebo for our instant messageing
May 4th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
i would like to add new friend and i am lesbain i seek for deaf woman lesbain age 30 to 51 i like to tell turth to me i am full deaf would u like to add new meebo
May 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Jafco was the name of a department store when I was growing up. They are long gone now.
May 4th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
No offense, but I might not be using Meebo much longer.
Agreeing to associate with Time Warner really REALLY lowers my respect for your team… and some people today still make decisions based on principal.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
amen to that brandon
May 4th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Meebo Is Simply Too great…I love you meebo..
May 4th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
meebo is amazing…it helps the user a lot..i luvv u
May 5th, 2008 at 1:36 am
I can understand that Time Warner is such a large company, and to get financial or other help is great. But making this ‘merger’, so to say, they might just trap meebo into becoming just as trivial as every other product they offer. And being a part of Time Warner is not helping their ego. We shouldn’t feed such a giant.
Just my opinion.
May 5th, 2008 at 1:43 am
well, meebo helps anyway…..like for me that we’re not allowed to download YM in the office . But still, we try our best to get hold of our pals globally. So meebo is just around the corner….Why not take grab it!
Thanks meebo!
May 5th, 2008 at 2:21 am
its a wonderful site and is best for chatting.
May 5th, 2008 at 4:45 am
YEAH,
ITS A COOL SITE,ITS ONLY WE HAVE PROBLEM WITH THEM SOMETIMES,THE SITE DEY SOMTIMES BRING ERROR.MAY THEM HELP US RECONCILED IT.APART FROM THAT NO YAWA…U AR WEL DONE.E DEY COOLLLLLLLLLL…
May 5th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Huh…
Any Way,,
It’s Cool Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan
(^_^)
May 5th, 2008 at 5:28 am
I agree with Brandon, Rip and Nickolas – the Time Warner move wasn’t the best. I can understand the company needing capital, but TW is the typical example of a huge company getting bigger by the moment, who could care less about offering quality to their customers.
What a shame. I just found Meebo, I really like using it, but I am afraid I’m going to have to try and find something else out there that will allow me to use my IM accounts at work.
May 5th, 2008 at 5:45 am
How do you guys plan to make money? I am enjoying the service for free and I agree its a great service but how are the investors going to recoup their investments?
Eso, Nigeria
May 5th, 2008 at 6:26 am
I tell you how they will make their money back…and I guarantee you they will because why else would they invest a ton of money into something unless they plan on getting a big return. You are going to see more and more ads popping up everywhere, just like what happened on myspace. Sure, they will deny it now, but eventually the free space on here will be occupied by giant ads and eventually you will have pop ups and talking ads.
How do I know this? Because this is always what happens when a company sells out for the dollar. Then, the fans will all go somewhere new. To a new start up.
May 5th, 2008 at 6:43 am
You sold meebo out.
May 5th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Idiots!
You made a wrong move there!
I love Meebo
But now i must leave it, hatw to have ads everywere =\
May 5th, 2008 at 7:10 am
I read Time Warner and immediately thought… “Well, time to look for a new IM client” Reading or hearing “Time Warner” alone makes me cringe with all the customer dissatisfaction that goes with it. peace
May 5th, 2008 at 7:16 am
Haha, “the answer is clearly “yes!””….Yeah! Your personalities “clicked” and you “had the same vision” for the company. I too am having visions!! Visions of money being pitched into a toilet.
May 5th, 2008 at 7:22 am
Hello, I am very interest to meebo beccause one days i was not able to open msn messange someboby told that i can use meebo it was my first time, to open msn, yahoo messager and others. So it was gread important and I says to you big thanks to you all .
But you have to work more and we are here and if we can do something we are ready to do it
May 5th, 2008 at 8:10 am
Wow, there are lots of kiddies using Meebo, I hadn’t realized that.
I don’t wanna sit in your company’s user support department, honestly.
Aaanyway .. like some of the other people commenting before, I feel very concerned about those huge companies getting the right to steer Meebo’s future. I am sure that at some point I will switch back to Miranda, when possible. I have never understood how you guys can make enough money to keep up your service, and I knew that things would have to change for you. But I’m not sure if this is the right way… Do you really wanna give some ultra-capitalist assholes who would do everything to earn another dollar the ability to tell you what to do?
Anyway, keep up the good work. And pleeease, can you finally include the option to not use groups but instead have all contacts in one long list? Can’t be that hard, really..
May 5th, 2008 at 9:41 am
I’d like to join to the meebo’s family.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:10 am
The only thing that worries me about things like this is that, the more corporations that become affiliated with Meebo, the more influence they have over its development. So far, it hasn’t been anything /too/ drastic, save for the ads that pop up when one first logs on. Those are close-able, so that’s not so bad. But, how long until they’re -not- close-able? The more fingers in the pie, the saltier and unappetizing it gets.
Ah, corporate America.
May 5th, 2008 at 11:44 am
i’d like to be every body friend
May 5th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
[...] + Time Warner and Others Invest in Meebo [...]
May 5th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
welll . you done a great job. with meebo, now i can chat with my friends….hope taht you can add more new things like skins and a buzzer…
thanks alot meebo…
May 5th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
okay so meebo like never ever works for me. it always says network interuptions and then it makes me reconnect, this is the only meebo like site that ever kicks me off every five minutes. its sucks
May 5th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
I think its good but it can be better. I think u should right something about chatrooms u should tell them not to give out private info cause that could cause aliove
May 5th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
what?
May 5th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Nope, not surprised that Meebo is in bed with Time Warner. Use a condom. However, the KTB decision is a dreadful one. I bet they don’t even pay royalties to use the “It’s a small world after all” tag line. I’m really learning to love hating you guys.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Nope, not surprised that Meebo is in bed with Time Warner. Use a condom. However, the KTB decision is a dreadful one. I bet they don’t even pay royalties to use the “Its a small world after all” tag line. I’m really learning to love hating you guys.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
what is the point of these they r boring talk about suff people care about like global warming
May 5th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Personally, no one cares. Great I’m glad for you, truley ignore my sarcastic voice. Really, USERS OF MEEBO WANT TO TALK TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY NOT READ BLOGS BY STRANGERS THAT WORK AT MEEBO!!!!!
I know the blogs are soooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying! I DON”T CARE!
May 5th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I guess I am obligated to reiterate that I too didn’t realize that you had such a young market…I mean I am only 20, but after reading their comments I have a full sense of the “invisible divide” between myself and the 13-16 age group. At least they are used to all of the ads you are about to serve up with those big deals…hopefully I am not responsible for that by introducing my little sister
Keep track of where your heart is. I know this is my first time ever commenting anything on a meebo blog, but I have been a faithful user for what must of been 3 years now. We love you, but don’t sell your soul!
May 5th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
so happee 4 meebo getting2gether w some good companies…
anyways, i hope meebo expands more
and like adds new kool thingys and stuff…
ok, good luck meebo
May 5th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
thank u
May 5th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
this is the best thing that ever happen
May 5th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
A lot has been said already…. Well… the additional capital is nothing but a cycle that every startup goes through … Cool technology always attracts investment. Investment does not always foster culture and cool technology …. I hope at least the founders and the key engineers did not have to sell thier souls to receive the lease of life. Wishing you all the best . ~ raghu
May 5th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
you guys need myspace im on here now
May 5th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
are you geroge steffan twin brother
May 5th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
is it possible to upload your own pix for a background?
May 6th, 2008 at 1:10 am
Congrats guys!
Hi-fi meebo
May 6th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Nothing special.
May 6th, 2008 at 4:18 am
I think Meebo is great. I have used it off and on since you have started and it only seems to get better. I am glad to see you are still working on growing Meebo!!! Kudos to MEEBO TEAM!!
May 6th, 2008 at 5:22 am
urarembye
May 6th, 2008 at 5:47 am
oi tudo bem:???
xau
May 6th, 2008 at 8:02 am
i just knew it to my friend meebo hmmm…quite interesting….
keep up the good work meebo team!!!!!
May 6th, 2008 at 10:25 am
hola
May 6th, 2008 at 10:27 am
function AddInvestor(x)
{
if(x == “Time Warner”)
{
// this is required in the agreement
while(true) mainPage.CreateWindow(Ad.new());
// adding features comes second
mainPage.AddFeature(Feature.new());
}
else
{
meebo.activeUsers++;
}
}
May 6th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
good work Meebo Love THE Aim
May 6th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
oi td bom com vcs eu so estou aki para dizer que eu naum to nem ai para ninguem
prq ja fui acusada de varias coisas ki eu naum fiz
e agora tenho vergonha na cara e naum kero saber de nada
SO ISSO MIL BJKS!!!!
May 6th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
meebos cooler than you. just remember “COMING” the “COMING”
May 6th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
eu
que entrar
May 6th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
eu estou disponivel para conversar com todos
May 6th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
13 anos
May 6th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
connections w/ other companies for business ventures and such sounds good.
for gtalk, since they added new features, can you add “invisible” as a feature for gtalk? similar to aim’s invisible feature.
May 6th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Don’t become a huge company and lose touch with the consumer.
May 6th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Hi.. I want to ask something, can we (meeboers) have our own preferences? i mean, sometimes people want to have their picture at background in their meebo, so, i think it’s just a suggestion, wish it could be done. Thank you. Meebo rocks…
May 6th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
hae so when am i going to start a msn please
May 7th, 2008 at 1:42 am
这个网站确实很不错，很喜欢，方便实用，继续支持你！
May 7th, 2008 at 4:55 am
hi,
seems meebo is undergoing some problem rt now atleast in UK.. have got a screen shot for the same. open for discussion
May 7th, 2008 at 6:53 am
Dont send this to me anymore thanks
its stupid
May 7th, 2008 at 7:37 am
I say it’s may7th2008at 8:00am
May 7th, 2008 at 8:58 am
I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
May 7th, 2008 at 9:01 am
HI EVERYBODY
May 7th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
kimberly knowles: ew?
&& iam amazing && i love meebo:]
but it could use some more stuffz?~
May 7th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Note: Mindless “Sponsored” Advert already, for a band that we clearly don’t care about!
Await the flooding of sell-out ads and pop-ups; soon they will be flickering, demanding your clicks, stealing your attention and wearing you down with a relentless audio/visual onslaught until, like Myspace, we grow tired and GO ELSEWHERE.
Myspace dug its own grave, and sadly Meebo, you may well have too.
Let’s you if you can retain our confidence and respect.
But then why do the Meebo developers care? With TimeWarner investment they can all afford shiney new laptops where they can install instant messaging software! It’s the rest of us using browser IMs who will have to have our screens filled with crap! That means you 13 year olds too! Listen up and dont use Meebo if they ruin it!!
) Don’t purport another corporate cash-cow!!
May 7th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Congratulations!!!
May 7th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
ñ falo ingles
May 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
respondi
sorry
May 7th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
i love u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u should have a date club here or something…i’m single!
May 7th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Please add some new things like new backrounds like the jonas brothers or miley Cyrus, and differt colors like blue and others!
May 7th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
i havent met you. well i kind didnt really look around the site much. but i would like to just say hello.
May 7th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
The firefox extension won’t install. File not found. Using 2.0.0.14. Windows Vista x64.
May 7th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
heyyyyy
2 much 4 me 2 read…
but i luv that u can get on aim w/ this!!!!
its awesome=)
May 7th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
where is the account delete button?
May 7th, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Wow!! Meebo is simply awesome!
May 7th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
THANKS TO MEEBO… I CAN COMMUNICATE TO MY FRIENDS OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINES… THANKS AND MORE POWER!!!!
May 8th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
hi?
May 10th, 2008 at 7:10 am
i kinda liked it bu tu need new things it gets boring after a while
June 9th, 2008 at 5:57 am
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Meebo SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH MUCH MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IT’S SO COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(NOT CONSTPED OVERWHAITED OUTOFSTYLE LOSER)ME AND MY SISTER LOVE MEEBO SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 10th, 2008 at 2:28 am
THANKS
June 18th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Correcting and maintain pages that may have been changed by unathorized intruders feedback.
August 25th, 2008 at 6:45 am
[...] Upstart SocialThing! launched in beta after securing $300k in “early stage” funding in the Fall of 2007. From the start, SocialThing! has attempted to avoid direct competition with the larger and more popular FriendFeed by claiming that they’re a different breed of Lifestream that’s not competitive at all. There’s a lot of truth to that. Where FriendFeed focused on pulling together all the RSS it could lay its hands on, SocialThing has focused on 2 way integration with the services it supports. SocialThing’s design more closely mimics others in the Web 2.0 space, which stands in contrast to FriendFeed’s mimimalistic user interface. FriendFeed comments require a FriendFeed reader (website or AIR app) to view. SocialThing caught on earlier about that major drawback. When you post a response to someone using SocialThing, it posts directly to the service, not to itself. Additionally, when you make changes to your profile or add/remove friends on other services, these changes automatically occur in your SocialThing account. This makes SocialThing more heavily reliant on 3rd party API, which is risky. But, the risk outweighs the benefits to AOL, who recently decided to acquire SocialThing earlier this August. AOL probably has desire to pair SocialThing with Meebo, a web-based IM client that it has a significant investment stake in. [...]
December 26th, 2008 at 1:15 am
[...] and Natalie. We were working to raise Meebo’s next round of venture funding. By April, we had added three new investors to Meebo (JAFCO, Time Warner & KTB). Memorable moment: standing in the aisle of a United flight [...]
December 26th, 2008 at 4:40 am
hellooo…
December 26th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
add some more AWESOME stuff 2 meebo!
December 27th, 2008 at 8:28 am
omg i love dis websiteeeeee
December 28th, 2008 at 5:34 am
hei
December 28th, 2008 at 5:34 am
jeg
December 28th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
HI, HOLA ME GUXTARIA Q HABLARAS EN ESPANOL PARA PODER COMUNICARME CONTIGO BYE\ BYE
January 7th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Hi I M HERE…
March 4th, 2009 at 10:06 am
做的不错，就是看不懂说些什么
March 26th, 2009 at 8:23 am
I love this song ! It\’s awesome !