VentureWire, Tuesday, September 5, 2000 ,
 ======================================================
        VENTUREWIRE --- Tuesday, September 5, 2000
======================================================
           Private Company Business News
------ Published Daily by Technologic Partners -------
           http://technologicpartners.com
======================================================

Top Stories:

o TeleTech Holdings Acquires Spanish CRM Firm For $100 Million
o BroadVision, H&Q Asia Pacific, and Itochu Form Joint Venture
o Thomson Learning Becomes Largest Shareholder In WebCT
o Recruiting App Firm SkillSet Gets Funding From Microsoft
o Sony Computer Entertainment Acquires Interactive Firm RTime
o Italian Incubator NetStrategy.it Gets $2.5 Million Round One

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Also in This Issue:

     New Money:
o Robotics Developer Raises $3 Million Led By KB Partners
o Travel Firm TravelTainment Raises EUR4.1 Million Series A
o Software Maker DigitalReach Receives $5.6 Million Funding
o Seed Capital Invests in Net Education Firm iDL's First Round
o Crimsonica Takes 5% Equity Stake in Online Messaging Service
o Datafleet Raises GBP 1.6 Million in Third Round Funding
o Indian Software Technology Firm Cygnet Secures $2 Million

     New Products:
o Auto Service Site Everymile.com Launches with $1.5 Series A

     New Directors:
o B2B Net Development Firm Neodesic Names New Board Member

     New People:
o Burst Wireless Names Former NextLink Canada Exec. as COO

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======= Top Stories =======

o TeleTech Holdings Acquires Spanish CRM Firm For $100 Million

DENVER -- TeleTech Holdings, a publicly traded provider
of customer management and business-to-business
infrastructure services, said it acquired Contact
Center Holding, a Spanish customer management services
firm. The all-stock acquisition is valued at $100
million. Contact Center Holding is the parent company
of Difusio Telemarketing Group, the largest independent
Spanish customer management company. The parent
company is backed by individual investor and founder
Albert Olle and 3i Group. There will be no changes
in the management of Contact Center Holding as a
result of the acquisition.
http://www.teletech.com/
_____________________________________________

o BroadVision, H&Q Asia Pacific, and Itochu Form Joint Venture

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- BroadVision, a publicly-traded
provider of online commerce applications, and H&Q
Asia Pacific said they launched a new company enabling
business-to-business moblie commerce services. The
new company, tentatively called B-Mobile, intends
to launch in October and will be based in Tokyo.
Other partners in the new company include Access
Co., a supplier of browser technology for devices
other than personal computers, Itochu Techno-Science,
a system integrator and services company, and Itochu.
The new venture will base its technology offerings
on BroadVision's XML and XSL technologies. H&Q Asia
Pacific brought its portfolio company Access into
the deal and will serve as the lead investor in
the joint venture.
http://www.access-us-inc.com/
http://www.broadvision.com/
http://www.ctc-g.co.jp/
_____________________________________________

o Thomson Learning Becomes Largest Shareholder In WebCT

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Thomson Learning, a division
of publicly traded Thomson Corp., said it has made
an undisclosed investment in WebCT, a provider of
online educational community, content, and commercial
services. As a result of the investment Thomson
becomes the largest equity investor in the company
and will take a seat on the WebCT board of directors.
WebCT will use the financing to expanding the scope
of academic resources available on the company's
site. WebCT has received revious investments from
BancBoston Ventures, Boston Millennia Partners,
Chase Capital Partners, CMGI @Ventures, Duke Management,
Kestrel Venture Management, NetInvest, and SCT.
http://www.thomson.com/
http://www.webct.com/
_____________________________________________

o Recruiting App Firm SkillSet Gets Funding From Microsoft

PLEASANTON, Calif. -- SkillSet Software, which develops
employment recruiting applications, announced it
has secured a multi-million dollar investment from
Microsoft. Skillset said it has also  received funding
from undisclosed institutional and individual investors.
The company said it will use Microsoft's products
and the funding to support expansion. Microsoft
is expected to take a seat on the company's board
of directors.
http://www.skillset.com/
_____________________________________________

o Sony Computer Entertainment Acquires Interactive Firm RTime

FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Sony Computer Entertainment
America said it acquired RTime, a provider of products
and services that support real-time interactivity
on the Internet and broadband networks, for an undisclosed
amount. This acquisition gives Sony access to RTime's
Interactive Networking Engine, a scalable networking
package for real-time interactivity for games and
other multi-user applications. As part of this deal,
RTime becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony
Computer Entertainment America and will operate
under the RTime brand name. Based in the Sony Computer
Entertainment America offices in Foster City, Calif.
and San Diego, RTime's day-to-day operations will
continue to be run by the current management team.
RTime will be working with the Sony Computer Entertainment
America studios to build a common "back end" technology
for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system's
future broadband games and services. RTime received
$1.5 million in funding from Pacific Horizon Ventures
and individual investors in 1997.
http://www.rtiminc.com/
http://www.scea.com/
_____________________________________________

o Italian Incubator NetStrategy.it Gets $2.5 Million Round One

FLORENCE, Italy -- NetStrategy.it, an Italian incubator
and accelerator, said it has raised $2.5 million
in its first round from several individual investors
and from Caifornia-based accelerator Netcatalyst,
which has secured a 10% stake in the company. NetStrategy.it,
which provides seed and early stage investment,
said it expects to raise an additional $6 million
second round by the end of the year.
http://www.netstrategy.it/

======= New Money =======

o Robotics Developer Raises $3 Million Led By KB Partners

NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- CoMoCo, a developer of robotic
technologies to increase health and productivity
on assembly lines, raised $3 million in its first
round of funding, according to investor KB Partners.
The round was led by KB Partners and included additional
investments from Ralph Wilson Equity Fund and private
investors. The company said it will use the initial
funding for further business development including
expansion into new markets. Telephone 847-714-0444.

_____________________________________________

o Travel Firm TravelTainment Raises EUR4.1 Million Series A

AACHEN, Germany -- TravelTainment, a producer and
marketer of multimedia content for the travel industry,
said it raised EUR4.1 million ($3.6 million) in
its Series A of funding. The funding was led by
German-U.S. firm TVM Techno Venture Management.
Other participants in the financing include SWAN
Private Equity and Willich and tbg Technologiebeteiligungs-gesellschaft.
The company said the funds will be used for product
development. TravelTainment produces and markets
multimedia content for the travel industry. The
content comprises aerial images, 360> panoramic
views, professional photographs, and destination
and travel information highlighting points of interest
such as towns, beaches, hotels, restaurants, and
cultural sites.
http://www.traveltainment.de/
_____________________________________________

o Software Maker DigitalReach Receives $5.6 Million Funding

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- DigitalReach, which develops
software applications that match employers with
personnel, said Berten USA Holdings has taken a
65% stake in the company for $5.6 million. DigitalReach,
which changed its name from Web Ventures, will use
the funds for software development. DigitalReach
said its new name reflects the company's focus on
its flagship product, digitalReach.
http://www.digitalreach.com/
_____________________________________________

o Seed Capital Invests in Net Education Firm iDL's First Round

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Seed Capital Partners, a Softbank
affiliate venture capital fund, said it has made
an undisclosed first round investment in Intelligent
Distance Learning Systems (iDL), a provider of Web-based
educational services. Ron Schreiber, managing partner
at Seed Capital, will join iDL's board of directors.
http://www.idlsystems.com/
_____________________________________________

o Crimsonica Takes 5% Equity Stake in Online Messaging Service

RENO, Nev. -- MessageHero, which provides an online
messaging center for voice and e-mail, said it received
an equity investment from Crimsonica Group, a network
of investment and technology service firms. The
Series A investment gives Crinsonica a 5% equity
stake in MessageHero. The company said it will use
the investment for further development. Robert M.
Sigler, founder, CEO, and president of Crimsonica,
and John Hughes, of Crimsonica, will take seats
on the company's board of directors.
http://www.messagehero.com/
_____________________________________________

o Datafleet Raises GBP 1.6 Million in Third Round Funding

LONDON -- Datafleet, a business TV and media technology
provider, said it has raised GBP 1.6 million ($2.3
million) in the first phase of its third funding
round. Existing investors Strathdon Investments
and individual investors provided the funding that
will be used for acquisition, product development,
sales and marketing, staff development, and senior
appointments. The company anticipates further strategic
investment to complete a total for this round of
GBP 10 million.
http://www.datafleet.com/
_____________________________________________

o Indian Software Technology Firm Cygnet Secures $2 Million

MUMBAI, India -- Cygnet Software, a developer of
networking software, said it raised $2 million from
Citicorp International Finance and IL&FS Venture.
The company will use the funding for business development
and customer support in the United States and for
building an engineering facility in India. Cygnet
Software serves vendors of Internet infrastructure
components, Internet business software developers,
and infrastructure services providers.
http://www.cygsoft.com/

======= New Products =======

o Auto Service Site Everymile.com Launches with $1.5 Series A

BOSTON -- Everymile.com, a site owned and operated
by DriverSide that helps consumers compare, purchase,
and manage vehicle repair and maintenance services
and products, announced its launch. Everymile.com's
offerings include a toll-free hotline, mechanic
advice, mapping services, an inspection service
before buying a used car, and an extended warranty
program. The company is backed by $1.5 million in
Series A funding provided by individual and corporate
investors and plans to raise a $7.5 million Series
B round.
http://www.everymile.com/

======= New Directors =======

o B2B Net Development Firm Neodesic Names New Board Member

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Neodesic, a business-to-business
Internet development company, said it has appointed
M. David Jones to its board of directors. Mr. Jones,
who recently retired, was president of Fleetguard/Nelson.
At Neodesic, Mr. Jones will focus on the company's
transportation equipment and services marketplace.
Neodesic, which is funded by individual investors,
recently launched FleetXchange.com, an e-commerce
marketplace for the trucking industry. The company
said it expects to close its second round of venture
capital funding in 60 days.
http://www.neodesic.com/

======= New People =======

o Burst Wireless Names Former NextLink Canada Exec. as COO

SEATTLE -- Burst Wireless, a portable broadband
Internet access service, named Rich Kingston, former
president of NextLink Canada, as president and COO.
The company is backed by Mayfield Fund and individual
investors and is raising its Series B funding round.
http://www.burstwireless.com/

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