Experience Network Encourages Members Age 40+ to Learn, Exchange Insights, and Connect with Each Other SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- TeeBeeDee Inc.(http://www.tbd.com), an online experience network for those 40+, announcedtoday $4.8 million in Series A funding, led by Shasta Ventures and joinedby Monitor Ventures. Previously the company had been backed by individuals,including noted investors Ron Conway and David Nierenberg; Jan Brandt,former vice chair and chief marketing officer of AOL; Jim Hornthal, founderof Preview Travel and former vice chairman of Travelocity.com; Ruth Owades,founder of Calyx & Corolla and Gardener's Eden; and Bill Sahlman, seniorassociate dean of Harvard Business School. The site is currently in previewmode, with plans for a consumer launch in September. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070807/AQTU122LOGO) "Funding TeeBeeDee mirrored the way our site actually works - aterrific network of investors formed our financial base. This allowed us tocreate a site that enables individuals to connect with each other andexchange experiences. We're so pleased to have partners in TeeBeeDee whoappreciate our fundamental belief: that midlife is a time for growth andprovides a great starting line for whatever you want to make of the nextphase, personally and professionally," stated Robin Wolaner, founder andCEO. "I've known Tod Francis of Shasta, and Teymour Boutros-Ghali ofMonitor Ventures, as well as several of our angel investors, since I was abeginning entrepreneur. It's great to have them onboard for an experiencedstartup. And I'm thrilled to have my former colleague, Shelby Bonnie,cofounder of CNET Networks, join the board. The people backing TeeBeeDeeare the embodiment of our tagline: Sharing Experience to Thrive." "Robin is an innovator, and her strengths include building strong mediaproperties; as evidenced by her experience at CNET, Sunset Publishing andParenting. We believe the vision of TeeBeeDee, to build the experiencenetwork, is particularly powerful as the web enables a new way forconsumers to learn from each other," stated Tod Francis, managing director,Shasta Ventures. About Shasta Ventures (http://www.shastaventures.com): Shasta Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on helping buildtechnology enabled companies that offer unique products and services totheir customers. Shasta Ventures is located in Menlo Park, CA and managesover $200 million. Tod Francis is one of the founders of Shasta Venturesand serves on the board of TeeBeeDee. Mr. Francis has over 20 yearsexperience with consumer companies and has invested previously in manyconsumer internet businesses such as Blue Nile, BabyCenter, WeddingChannel,LoopNet and LogoWorks. About Monitor Ventures (http://www.monitorventures.com): Monitor Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm, which partnerswith exceptional entrepreneurs to commercialize technology into world-classproducts and services. The firm leverages the investment, operating, andentrepreneurial experience of its partners and its privileged access to theresources of the Monitor Group (http://www.monitor.com) to accelerateportfolio company paths to customers, capital, and profitability. About TeeBeeDee (http://www.tbd.com): TeeBeeDee is an experience network providing a platform for those 40+to learn, exchange information, and connect with each other. The website(http://www.tbd.com) includes features such as discussions, questions andanswers, member profiles, and more. The company was started by RobinWolaner, an entrepreneur who is the founder of Parenting Magazine, formerexecutive of CNET Networks, and author of Naked in the Boardroom: A CEOBares Her Secrets So You Can Transform Your Career (Simon & Schuster,2005). The name TeeBeeDee is a derivative of the acronym for "to bedetermined," suggesting that the next phase of life is full of opportunity.The site is currently in preview mode and plans a full-scale consumerlaunch in September 2007. More information is available athttp://www.tbd.com.
