Dogpatch Labs, the self-described “frathouse for geeks” has revealed the new class of start-ups that will inhabit its San Francisco location for the next six months. Starting this Saturday, the residents will have access to free office space, internet, coffee, lunch and other perks like visiting advisers, conferences and workshops. The program, backed by Polaris Venture Partners, features a mix of new and former residents, some of which are pretty notable, including Formspring, Burbn, JibJab, StickyBits, and Animoto. Full list with descriptions (Dogpatch Labs’ descriptions are in italics) below:
New San Francisco Residents:
TaskRabbit (formerly runmyerrand.com)
Helps individuals and small businesses in a community outsource their tasks and deliveries, leveraging the latest technology and the social networking paradigm.
According to the site, you can sign up for free or just post a task. You put a price tag on the task and a runner will select the job (average response time is 30 minutes). When the task is complete you pay and then score the runner based on his or her performance. Most tasks will pay $10 to $15, but runners can make counteroffers or bid on the task.
Wild Pockets
Is an end to end solution that supports creators throughout the life cycle of 3D game development.
Currently in open beta, Wild Pockets was spun off from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (it was originally named Sim Ops Studio). The service, which is free, describes itself as an “easier way to make 3D games and media for the web-browser.” Wild Pockets features a browser-based 3D game engine, file hosting, and a library of game assets.
Is an end to end solution that supports creators throughout the life cycle of 3D game development. Currently in open beta, Wild Pockets was spun off from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center (it was originally named Sim Ops Studio). The service, which is free, describes itself as an “easier way to make 3D games and media for the web-browser.” Wild Pockets features a browser-based 3D game engine, file hosting, library of game assets.
AdCru
Is a pay-per-follower ad network for Twitter founded in September 2009.
Calling itself a “self-service” online marketplace, AdCru brings advertisers and developers together and helps advertisers target users based on keywords or location. Developers can integrate AdCru on their site through a javascript widget and revenues are split with AdCru.
AdCru is a pay-per-follower ad network for Twitter. Using AdCru, advertisers buy targeted, high-quality Twitter followers, and developers monetize Twitter applications by suggesting relevant advertisers to their users. AdCru is a self-service, online marketplace. Advertisers create and manage campaigns on adcru.com, target Twitter users based on location and keywords, bid per follower, and pay only when a user chooses to follow the advertiser’s Twitter account. Developers building websites on Twitter can sign up on AdCru.com, integrate using a javascript widget,...
Burbn
Is a new way to communicate + share in the real world.
Still in stealth mode, Burbn is a location-based web app that uses HTML5. Founded by former Google employee, Kevin Systrom, the company received a $550,000 round of seed funding in March from Andreessen Horowitz and Baseline Ventures. See previous coverage.
Instagram is a free photo sharing application that allows users to take photos, apply a filter, and share it on the service or a variety of other social networking services, including Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr, Flickr, and Posterous. The application is compatible with any iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch running iOS 3.1.2 or above or any Android device running Android 2.2 or above. In an homage to both the Kodak Instamatic and Polaroid cameras, Instagram confines photos into a square...
Recurly
Makes subscription billing easy for developers and organizations of all sizes
Recurly tries to help other companies simplify the billing process for subscription based payment systems. The company recently expanded international support and introduced a tiered fee structure to make their pricing model more flexible. Recurly recently received an undisclosed amount of angel funding from investor Dave McClure. See previous coverage.
Recurly gracefully handles all the complexities of subscription billing and recurring payments
FanPop
Is a network of user-generated fan clubs for different topics of interest created and maintained by the community of fans.
FanPop, founded in 2006, allows users to share thoughts, video, photos with other fans. There’s a wide variety of fan clubs on the site but many of the most popular topics are centered on music and entertainment. See previous coverage.
Fanpop is a network of user-generated fan clubs for a wide spectrum of topics including television, movies, music and celebrities. The company, founded in 2006, allows users to share thoughts, video, photos with other fans. There’s a wide variety of fan clubs on the site but many of the most popular topics are centered on music and entertainment.
JibJab
Headquartered in Santa Monica and founded by Gregg and Evan Spiridellis, and backed by Polaris, JibJab is a leading e-Card business.
The company behind many of the web’s more humorous customizable videos, like ElfYourself. The site has also made some interesting partnerships with the likes of Weird Al and Soul Train. JibJab has received a total of $16.9 million in funding over three rounds. See previous coverage.
JibJab is a digital entertainment studio that creates, produces and distributes things that make people laugh. In 1999, brothers Evan and Gregg Spiridellis saw an opportunity to create a new entertainment brand based on two emerging trends. First, off the shelf software was leveling the playing field for creators. Meaning the tools needed to produce high quality productions were no longer the exclusive domain of megamedia conglomerates that could afford mega-million budgets. Second, the Internet offered independent creators...
StickyBits
Brings the physical and digital worlds together with barcode stickers which trigger audio, video, photo, and text messages when scanned.
Stickybits, which has $300,000 in funding from Polaris, was founded by Billy Chasen, the original programmer of Chartbeat, and Seth Goldstein, founder of SocialMedia. It is a mobile app that lets you scan a barcode and attach a message, video, photo or voice note to that code. The app itself is free, and you can use any barcode, but you can also purchase barcode stickers from Stickybits (a pack of 20 is $10). See previous coverage.
stickybits is the first social object network, connecting the digital and physical worlds. each stickybit is a unique barcode than can be scanned by iPhone or Android devices and then augmented with user generated content. Users can be notified when their codes are scanned, augmented or moved by other people. The company’s first product is a beautifully designed pack of stickers that can be purchased on amazon.com. Users can also choose to print out their own codes at home...
Animoto
Generates custom, professional-looking slideshows from user-uploaded music and photos. Their “patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology and high-end motion design” drives the web app.
Using a freemium model, Animoto lets users submit photos and music to creates sleek slideshows. Rivals include Slide and RockYou. The company, which turned cash flow positive in 2009, has so far raised $5 million in funding. See previous coverage.
Animoto generates custom, professional-looking slideshows from user-uploaded music and photos. Their “patent-pending Cinematic Artificial Intelligence technology and high-end motion design” drives the web app. They say the Cinematic A.I. analyzes users’ photos and music like an actual director and editor. For instance, to analyze music the genre, song structure, energy, rhythm, instrumentation, and vocals are all taken into consideration. Once completed, videos can be emailed, downloaded and embedded into other sites. The company says no two videos are ever the...
LearnBoost
Is an education platform for secondary schools.
LearnBoost provides web-based software for students, parents, teachers and admins of grades K-12. For example, there are tools for real time collaboration, online gradebooks for teachers and parents can quickly access grades and track their child’s performance across classes and years.
LearnBoost offers free gradebook accounts to allow teachers to manage their classroom in one place by keeping track of student grades, tracking attendance, maintaining schedules, importing Google calendars, creating and managing lesson plans and curriculum, tagging standards to assignments and lesson plans, and more.
Millenial Media
Delivers the largest reach – 83% of the US mobile audience – through the largest mobile advertising network in the US.
With access to a large mobile media audience in the US, Millenial Media works with advertisers trying to reach mobile consumers and publishers trying to maximize ad revenues. The company recently released an iPad specific SDK. Founded in Baltimore, Millennial has enjoyed robust growth, acquiring TapMetrics in February and raising $37.3 million since its 2006 launch.
See previous coverage.
Millennial Media is the leading independent mobile advertising and data company. Millennial Media commands an impressive share of the mobile display advertising market. The company’s technology, tools and services also power some of the largest companies in the media business today. Millennial Media is committed to growing the mobile advertising marketplace by becoming the preferred partner to advertisers seeking to reach mobile consumers, application and media developers seeking to maximize ad revenue, and mobile operators seeking to further monetize...
Current Residents:
Formspring
Ask questions, give answers and learn more about your friends.
Formspring tries to simplify the creation, management and sharing of online data and forms. One of the company’s more popular services, Formspring.me, helps users create quick online Q&As. It’s a very simple process: you invite people to ask questions which you can then answer. People can post questions anonymously or identify themselves, and you can pick and choose which questions you want to answer.
See previous coverage.
Formspring helps people find out more about each other by sharing interesting & personal responses. It starts by directly asking people original questions in anticipation of their entertaining or revealing responses. Responses can range from straightforward to surprising, and can lead to understanding and learning more about other people.
Hollrr
Want to help your friends discover a great new product? A quick Hollrr is the easiest way to let them know what deserves a shout out.
Hollrr combines a social network and user-based product reviews. The company, which was founded by former Microsoft employee David Hegarty, merges social recommendation and game mechanics (Hollrr features a badge system). See previous coverage.
We’re a start-up focused on building products from companies’ most loyal customers. We have a new retail app in development. Currently in stealth, but we’ll look forward to telling you about it soon!
FanPulse
Welcomes you to your world of sports. FanPulse is a new sports-service that lets you easily follow the sports you love and talk about them with your real friends.
FanPulse, founded in 2009, includes features like custom feeds, game check-ins and personalized scoreboards.
Check-in to games to chat and trash-talk with friends who are also watching. Get scores and breaking news sent straight to your iPhone. Fanvibe covers the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college basketball, college football, and the English Premier League. Fanvibe Features Include: -Your Sports Pulse: A custom feed with news, scores and your friends’ activity. -Game Check-Ins: Tell your friends what you’re watching and see what games your friends are watching. Never ask, “Did you see that game?â€...
Trazzler
Helps you answer one question, “Where should I go?” by recommending trips unique to your location and Travel Personality.
Trazzler facilitates the trip planning process, helping users discover interesting trips based on their preferences and location. The company, which was founded in 2008, has raised a total of $1.15 million.
Open Places (formerly Trazzler) is an iOS application and website that makes it simple for you to find great places nearby. But more than that, it’s a bold new experiment that blends editorial vision and the collective creativity and wisdom of thousands of smart explorers like you—a place where you collaborate with editors to scout out, photograph, and cover the places you love best.
Mr. Tweet
Looks through your extended network to help you find effective relationships and information most relevant to yourself.
Mr.Tweet, founded in 2008, combs your Twitter stream and extended network and helps you identify the key influencers that you should be following. The company has made 12 million new connections since its launch.
Mr. Tweet looks through your extended network to help you find effective relationships and information most relevant to yourself. Developed because “Social Media can be even better with some insights and discovery”, Mr. Tweet sends personalized reports on key influencers in your network and people you should be following.
Egghaus
Is an interactive agency. We help our clients create and deploy engaging branded experiences on every consumer platform.
The social marketing firm was founded by Rob Abbott (eBay, Ribbit) in 2008. Clients have included Condé Nast, Macy’s, Cisco and eBay.
EGG HAUS is an independent, creative-driven social marketing firm that creates and deploys engaging branded experiences on every consumer platform. In 2009, EGG HAUS developed product strategies and brand experiences for Condé Nast, Macy’s, Cisco, eBay and other Fortune 500 brands. In addition, they work closely with Polaris Venture Partners to shape their portfolio companies.
startupSQUARE
Is a marketplace where entrepreneurs can meet one another and brainstorm their next big business idea.
The mission of StartupSquare is to provide a support service for startups and entrepreneurs. Its a place where people can find co-founders, collaborate on ideas and access tools to help their startup get going and find funding.
Service dedicated to helping entrepreneurs get their businesses started. That includes discovering co-founders, getting feedback on your ideas, finding service providers, and getting funding.
Formative Labs
Working on ideas that solve problems and change consumer behaviors.
This company is still in stealth mode but intersects with the green living market.
Working on ideas that solve problems and change consumer behaviors with regard to energy conservation. The product is still in stealth mode.
Twylah
Personal assistant on Twitter.
This company is still in stealth mode and there is no available homepage yet.
Thumbgear
This company is still in stealth mode but focuses on mobile gaming.
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
San Francisco, CA
Berlin, Germany
Boston, MA
