InternetNews Staff

Essential.com, which calls itself the Web’s first energy and communications superstore, this week received $17 million in financing from Brand Equity Ventures, Bessemer Venture Partners, EnerTech Capital Partners and others. The site provides one-stop shopping and value-added bundles for “essential services” such as energy, Internet access, and phone service from trusted brand names. “These resources […]

Modem Media Poppe Tyson Thursday won a contract worth more than $11 million from General Electric Co. to develop Internet and intranet initiatives. The deal calls for Modem Media to provide Internet and intranet planning to GE and its business units across North America, Asia, South America and Asia. A major portion of the deal […]

Virtual Feedback this week launched a Web site designed to help combat Internet fraud and offer a central place for people to learn more about their Internet neighbors before making transactions. The company said its site offers a new way to tell Internet buyers and sellers more about yourself and your past transactions. Registration is […]

eTour.com, a Web service that automatically connects consumers with Web sites that match their individual interests, signed a sponsor deal with direct marketing e-commerce company XOOM.com Inc. Plans call for eTour to develop a co-branded version of its service for XOOM.com’s visitors and its more than 9.4 million members, allowing them to find Web sites […]

M&A West Inc., which develops, invests in and operates Internet and technology related companies, has acquired 100% of the assets of Internet Marketing Associates Inc. Internet Marketing Associates owns more than 50 Web sites and domains representing e-commerce opportunities in finance, online gaming, retailing and other avenues. Financial terms were not disclosed. “The acquisition of […]

Seven additional companies Wednesday joined the growing number of domain registrars that will eventually compete with Network Solutions Inc. CommuniTech.Net Inc., GANDI, iDirections Inc., InterNeXt, ProBoard Technologies, PSI-USA and Secure Domains Inc. join the 57 other firms that have already been accredited as registrars. The firms named Wednesday will be able to participate in the […]

Online home furnishings retailer HomePoint.com received a $15 million equity investment led by Catterton Partners and GE Equity. Additional investors in this financing round include New Millennium Partners and Piedmont Venture Partners. HomePoint.com, established in 1998, said it will use the funding for brand building, operating expenses and Web site development. “The investment positions the […]

TheBigHub.com, which combines a search engine with a network of “Big” companies, launched TheBigCompare.com, an online comparative shopping service that allows consumers to select products that they want to buy at prices they are willing to pay. TheBigCompare.com offers a specialized search engine that continuously searches online shopping sites to provide users with price and […]

Microsoft Corp. Tuesday made another bet on Digital Subscriber Line by taking a $15 million stake in DSL Internet provider DSL.net. Headquartered in New Haven, Conn., DSL.net targets cities nationwide with populations of less than 900,000. DSL.net will use the Microsoft funds to expand its network infrastructure. As part of the deal, DSL.net will provide […]

Virtualis Inc., a provider of proprietary Web-based software tools and technical consulting, has received $8.75 million in venture funding. Investors include Knight Ridder Ventures, Adobe Ventures, H&Q Venture Associates, AmBex Venture Group, Ignitio Partners, Group One and Garage.com. Virtualis said it aims to help even the least Web-savvy small business owner enter the world of […]

E-commerce solutions provider CitX Corp. acquired Internet technology from and made a 15 percent equity investment in software company iReactor Technology Group (iTG). iTG specializes in data mining and intelligent relationship management marketing technologies for e-commerce. iTG is a subsidiary of privately held iReactor Inc., an IP holding company. Financial details of the transaction were […]

General Motors Corp. Tuesday formed eGM, an independent business unit designed to leverage the business-to-business and business-to-consumer resources of its 100-plus global Web sites. GM said the effort is aimed at offering the auto giant’s customers real-time, interactive and customized capabilities. Mark T. Hogan has been appointed group vice president of GM and will oversee […]