ASP iClique Lands Six New Deals

Application service provider iClique, Inc. , has six new deals with companies that will provide content for iClique’s products. The Alexandria, Va.-based iClique is a business-to-business media company that employs proprietary technology to deliver aggregated content with contextual e-commerce.

The specific terms of each deal vary, and most are one-year contracts with renewable clauses.

The six new content providers will supply iClique with an array of content, including biographical information that can be used in WhoClique, the individual profiling Clique launched in September. iClique will also have access to photos, streaming audio and video clips, and book reviews to support its targeted affinity groups.

The company’s new clients include AP (New York), a news organization serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video for more than one billion people a day; AsiaStudios (Beverly, Mass.), an entertainment content syndication service that syndicates rich entertainment content spanning China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan; and BlackFlix (New York), a guide to reviews, interviews, and movies by black film professionals; a comprehensive portal to Web resources covering actors, studios, jobs and guilds.

“Our CliqueNet technology and unique understanding of affinity markets will enhance the content with contextual e-commerce. Our agreements will provide customer sites with premier content and stimulating user experiences,” said Barry Johnson, iClique’s president and chief executive officer. “As we continue to launch new products and secure customer deals, we’ll expand our partnerships to include additional affinity content providers.”

The company focuses on the needs of affinity groups such as seniors, Asians, and Hispanics. iClique’s combination of content and Web-based transactions can also augment corporate and institutional Web sites that have established brands. Its XML-based, technology infrastructure has attracted funding from angel investors including Network Commerce, Bertelsmann Music Group, Hess-Engel Partners, Altec/New Venture Capital and Micron Holdings.