Six Apart Ltd. Announces New Weblogging Service, Investment, Executives and Board

Six Apart Ltd. Announces New Weblogging Service, Investment, Executives and Board

Announcements are significant milestones for weblog industry

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 23, 2003 - In a flurry of activity, Six Apart Ltd., the makers of the highly acclaimed Movable Type personal publishing system, today announced the upcoming release of TypePad™, a hosted service providing a simple to use, yet full-featured turnkey solution for creating weblogs. Simultaneously announced were the close of its Series "A" financing and the appointment of a new board and executives.

Weblogs, commonly referred to as "blogs" for short, are one of the fastest growing phenomena on the web, with millions of webloggers all over the world participating in the medium by publishing their thoughts on any topic in this simple, richly linked format. Six Apart, founded by the husband and wife team of Ben Trott and Mena G. Trott, has been a technological innovator in the weblog space since its launch of Movable Type in October 2001.

Building on the established features and reputation of Movable Type, TypePad will provide weblog publishers with versatile archiving, integrated comments, and customizable designs from a library of attractive and standards-compliant templates. TypePad expands weblog publishing to include integration of text, photos and other media content. The combination of simplicity and comprehensive features will make TypePad the first tool that will empower users, beginners and experts alike, to reach the full potential of the weblog medium.

TypePad is scheduled to be launched in a public beta in May 2003, As of today, visitors to the TypePad website (http://www.typepad.com) can sign up to be notified about the beta launch and to receive more details about TypePad, including pricing and a list of features.

Ben Trott, co-founder of Six Apart, is excited about the opportunities presented by the TypePad service. "From the first release of Movable Type, our goal has been to make complex technologies simple for our users. Creating TypePad is exciting because it allows us to bring users all of the features they want in one integrated system, without any of the complexity that makes technology intimidating."

The close of Series "A" financing with Neoteny Co. Ltd. as lead investor, will provide the funding and supplemental expertise needed to launch TypePad and grow the user base of Movable Type. "Neoteny's knowledge of the weblog audience, and their interest in making it easier for people to communicate through these tools, make them an ideal partner for Six Apart. Their support will enable our service and product development to stay abreast with our vision," says Mena G. Trott, CEO of Six Apart. Joining Neoteny in the investment is Reid Hoffman. The terms of the investment have not been disclosed

In addition Six Apart announced the appointment of Anil Dash as Vice President of Business Development; named Founders Mena G. Trott Chairperson and CEO and Benjamin Trott CTO; and appointed Reid Hoffman and Barak Berkowitz to its Board of Directors. Dash brings over 10 years of experience in the technology and media industries to his new role. Dash's focus will be on developing partnerships and relationships around Six Apart's existing Movable Type product line and the upcoming TypePad service. Hoffman, a founding member and former EVP of PayPal, joins Six Apart's Board as a co-investor. Hoffman, a serial entrepreneur, also serves on a number of boards as well as being CEO of his own start-up, LinkedIn. Berkowitz, Neoteny's representative in the United States, most recently was Co-founder and President of OmniSky, the wireless Internet innovator which was acquired by Earthlink. Previously he had served at the Go Network as Executive VP and General Manager and at Logitech as Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Americas. Berkowitz also held key roles at Apple Computer and Macy's.

About Six Apart
Six Apart Ltd., based in San Francisco, CA, is the company behind the Movable Type personal publishing system and the TypePad personal publishing service. Founded by husband and wife team Ben Trott and Mena G. Trott in 2002, Six Apart creates tools that enable tens of thousands of individuals, organizations, and corporations to participate in the web's full potential by publishing their ideas on the Internet with simple, yet powerful software and services. The Six Apart corporate weblog (http://www.sixapart.com) provides more information about Six Apart, TypePad and Movable Type.

Six Apart Ltd. Announces the TypePad Personal Publishing Service

The power of an industry-leading weblog tool in the form of an easy-to-use service

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 23, 2003 - Six Apart Ltd., the makers of the highly acclaimed Movable Type weblog software, today announced the upcoming release of TypePad™, a hosted service providing powerful tools for creating full-featured weblogs. Built in response to the needs of webloggers, online diarists and writers, TypePad harnesses the power of Six Apart's popular Movable Type personal publishing system into a turnkey service, suitable for beginners and experts alike.

Building on the established features of Movable Type, TypePad provides weblog publishing with versatile archiving, integrated comments, and customizable designs from a library of attractive and standards-compliant templates.

TypePad expands weblog publishing to include integration of text, photos and other media content. The combination of simplicity and comprehensive features will make TypePad the first tool that will empower users, beginners and experts alike, to reach the full potential of the weblog medium.

Simple enough for beginners and powerful enough for experts

TypePad's three-tiered plan structure enables users of various experience levels, from novices to experts, to feel comfortable publishing their content online. Users will be able to choose a TypePad level that best suits their needs and abilities.

Developed especially for the service is the TypePad Template Builder, a guided, step-by-step process for designing content-rich weblogs. Available in all three tiers, the TypePad Template Builder allows users to customize their sites without any existing knowledge of HTML.

Howard Rheingold, founding Executive Editor of HotWired, founder of Electric Minds, and author of critically acclaimed books on society and technology, such as his recent Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution, is enthusiastic about the upcoming launch of the service. "Movable Type is a marvelous tool for sophisticated users, and now TypePad will make the same power and community available to everyone as a weblog service that's easy enough for anyone to sign up for, but lets even the most basic users participate not just in writing on a weblog, but in being a member of a networked community, creating semantically-rich content, and accessing web services."

Service shaped by a desire to remove technical barriers to entry

Mena G. Trott, Six Apart's cofounder and CEO, is optimistic that TypePad will provide all webloggers with access to the tools that are shaping the personal publishing medium. "As weblogging and social software evolve, we want TypePad to remain ahead of the curve in adopting innovative technologies and making them seamlessly available for general use. For the majority of Web users?the people who are just now discovering weblogging?the power of personal publishing comes from the expression it allows. It's important that we remove the technical barriers to entry." Trott asserts that current Movable Type users will also benefit from the release of TypePad. "We're already planning a number of ways that current Movable Type users will be able to interface with the system, and we're deeply committed to both products."

Pricing and Availability

Pricing, a full feature list, and service tiers will be announced in May 2003, followed by a public beta period. To sign up to be notified about the beta launch and to receive more details about TypePad, visit the TypePad site (http://www.typepad.com/).

Visit the Six Apart corporate weblog (http://www.sixapart.com/) for more information about Six Apart, TypePad and Movable Type.

About Six Apart

Six Apart Ltd., based in San Francisco, CA, is the company behind the Movable Type personal publishing system, which was recently nominated for a "Best Practices" Webby Award, and the TypePad personal publishing service. Founded by husband and wife team Ben Trott and Mena G. Trott in 2002, Six Apart creates tools that enable tens of thousands of individuals, organizations, and corporations to participate in the web's full potential by publishing their ideas on the Internet with simple, yet powerful software and services. The Six Apart corporate weblog (http://www.sixapart.com/) provides more information about Six Apart, TypePad and Movable Type.

Six Apart Ltd. Announces Close of Series "A" Financing

Neoteny leads round joined by PayPal founding team member

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 23, 2003 - Six Apart Ltd., the creator of the highly acclaimed Movable Type personal publishing system, today announced the close of Series "A" financing with Neoteny Co. Ltd. as lead investor. Joining Neoteny in the investment is Reid Hoffman, a member of the founding team and former executive officer of PayPal. The funding gives Six Apart, a recognized leader in the realm of weblog personal publishing tools, capital to launch its newly announced TypePad™ hosted personal publishing service. Terms of the investment were not disclosed.

"Neoteny's investment in Six Apart is a strong validation of the personal publishing realm--particularly weblogging--and also special recognition of Six Apart's role in the development of this industry," says Mena G. Trott, CEO of Six Apart. "Neoteny's knowledge of this space, and their interest in innovation, make them an ideal partner for Six Apart and their support will enable our service and product development to stay abreast with our vision."

Neoteny, a Japan based venture capital firm focused on the rapidly expanding realm of the networked consumer, sees that the convergence of metadata, connected devices and web services will invigorate growth on the Internet and empower people to evolve the ways they communicate, commune and conduct commerce.

Joichi Ito, CEO and Founder of Neoteny, is recognized by Business Week as one of "Japan's Net Builders" and by Time Magazine as a member of the Cyber Elite and one of the 50 most influential people in technology. Mr. Ito was also selected by the World Economic Forum as one of its "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" in 2002. Mr. Ito has been involved in the Internet since the early 1980's and has founded and/or developed several Internet businesses, including Infoseek Japan, Digital Garage, Eccosys and PSINet Japan.

"Ben and Mena have helped set the standard for weblogs with Movable Type, the tool of choice for most serious webloggers." says Ito. "We believe that the vision of Six Apart to provide TypePad to make weblogging available to a much wider audience is timely and exciting. In addition to our funding, Neoteny hopes to support Six Apart in a variety of ways to make TypePad a global standard for weblogs."

Augmenting Six Apart's established reputation in the personal publishing market, which includes a Webby Award nomination for Best Practices for Movable Type, Neoteny brings an international focus to the venture, along with a strong background in related industries such as connected devices and social software.

Six Apart Names Board Members
Six Apart also announced today that Reid Hoffman and Barak Berkowitz would join its Board of Directors. Hoffman, a founding member and former EVP of PayPal, joins Six Apart's Board as a co-investor. Hoffman also serves on a number of boards as well as being CEO of his own start-up, LinkedIn. Berkowitz, Neoteny's representative in the United States, has over 20 years of experience marketing technology to consumers. Most recently he was Co-founder and President of OmniSky, the wireless Internet innovator which was acquired by Earthlink. Previously he had served at the Go Network as Executive VP and General Manager and at Logitech as Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Americas. Berkowitz also held key roles at Apple Computer and Macy's.

About Neoteny
Neoteny Co., Ltd. (http://www.neoteny.com) is a venture capital firm focused on personal communication technologies with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Neoteny's investment team has backgrounds in Goldman Sachs, NTT, Mitsubishi Corp., Digital Garage, Infoseek Japan, PSINet Japan, Eccosys, and Energy Conversion Devices Inc.

Six Apart Ltd. Names Anil Dash as Vice President of Business Development

Brings publishing and weblog experience to Six Apart's Management Team

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - April 23, 2003 - Six Apart Ltd., the company behind the Movable Type personal publishing system and the TypePad™ personal publishing service, today announced the hiring of Anil Dash as Vice President of Business Development. Dash brings over 10 years of experience in the technology and media industries to Six Apart's management team, where his focus will be on developing partnerships and relationships around Six Apart's existing Movable Type product line and upcoming TypePad service.

"I'm ecstatic at the opportunity to be working with Six Apart to help create and promote personal publishing tools for everyone from beginners to experts. I've been an enthusiastic supporter of their work since the day Movable Type was released, and there has never been an opportunity for technology to be more valuable than in helping regular people communicate the ideas that are important to them. I think Six Apart does the best job of making that possible for the largest audience, and I'm eager to see that audience get even bigger."

Dash's background most recently included a position in New Media Development for Village Voice Media, parent company of the Village Voice and several other prominent alternative weeklies across the country, and was preceded by positions in senior management and consulting for firms in the music and television production industries. Dash is also recognized as a writer and speaker on the weblog medium, microcontent software, and personal publishing, and has given presentations on the future of weblogs and business applications of weblogs across the country in addition to numerous print and television appearances.

"Anil's experience and knowledge of the weblog space, and his enthusiasm for pursuing partnerships and relationships in the industry, make him an ideal fit for Six Apart," says Mena Trott, CEO. "We're excited to welcome Anil to our growing management team and look forward to working with him as we continue to develop the tools that we are all passionate about."

About Six Apart
Six Apart Ltd., based in San Francisco, CA, is the company behind the Movable Type personal publishing system, which was recently nominated for a "Best Practices" Webby Award, and the TypePad personal publishing service. Founded by husband and wife team Ben Trott and Mena G. Trott in 2002, Six Apart creates tools that enable tens of thousands of individuals, organizations, and corporations to participate in the web's full potential by publishing their ideas on the Internet with simple, yet powerful software and services. The Six Apart corporate weblog (http://www.sixapart.com/) provides more information about Six Apart, TypePad and Movable Type.