Punchbowl.com
Encyclopedia
Punchbowl.com is a free web-based party planning service based in Framingham, Massachusetts
. The company was founded in 2006, received venture funding from a variety of sources, and the website was then launched in 2007. The service allows users to plan and organize parties and events, with features such as customizable online invitations and local vendor search. The site has received media attention from multiple outlets including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and TechCrunch
. In 2007 it was listed on PC World
’s "25 Web Sites to Watch", and in 2008, it received the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) Award for Usability, and was an Honoree for a 2008 Webby Award. In 2010, Entrepreneur Magazine
listed it as one of the "100 Most Brilliant Companies", and the site was also lauded in The Oprah Magazine and Women's Health
.
The company was funded by Contour Venture Partners, Intel Capital, and eCoast Angels, receiving its seed round
of funding on October 2, 2007 from lead investor Intel Capital. On September 16, 2008, Punchbowl announced its Series A round
of funding in the amount of $2.1M led by Contour Venture Partners.
Punchbowl has acquired two companies. "I’m In!" on November 17, 2009, and Socializr on November 12, 2010, a Silicon Valley
event management platform created by Friendster
founder Jonathan Abrams.
In September 2010, the company announced that it had surpassed one million registered users and had acquired the Punchbowl.com domain.
The company licenses its technology to leading retail and media sites, including Oriental Trading Company
, 1-800-FLOWERS, Lifetime, and Cozi. Punchbowl also has partnerships with consumer Internet sites such as Kayak.com
.
Framingham, Massachusetts
Framingham is a New England town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 68,318 as of the United States 2010 Census. -History:...
. The company was founded in 2006, received venture funding from a variety of sources, and the website was then launched in 2007. The service allows users to plan and organize parties and events, with features such as customizable online invitations and local vendor search. The site has received media attention from multiple outlets including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and TechCrunch
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is a web publication that offers technology news and analysis, as well as profiling of startup companies, products, and websites. It was founded by Michael Arrington in 2005, and was first published on June 11, 2005....
. In 2007 it was listed on PC World
PC World (magazine)
PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
’s "25 Web Sites to Watch", and in 2008, it received the Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) Award for Usability, and was an Honoree for a 2008 Webby Award. In 2010, Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur Magazine
Entrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
listed it as one of the "100 Most Brilliant Companies", and the site was also lauded in The Oprah Magazine and Women's Health
Women's Health (magazine)
Women's Health, published by Rodale in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, is a magazine focusing on health, nutrition, fitness, sex, and lifestyle. It's published 10 times a year in the United States and has a circulation of 1.5 million readers...
.
Company history
Punchbowl was founded by software and user interface experts Matt Douglas and Sean Conta, who previously worked together at Bose Corporation. Incorporated on April 11, 2006, the company officially launched on January 15, 2007 under the name MyPunchbowl.com as a free site for party planning.The company was funded by Contour Venture Partners, Intel Capital, and eCoast Angels, receiving its seed round
Seed money
Seed money, sometimes known as seed funding, friends and family funding or angel funding , is a securities offering whereby one or more parties that have some connection to a new enterprise invest the funds necessary to start the business so that it has enough funds to sustain itself for a period...
of funding on October 2, 2007 from lead investor Intel Capital. On September 16, 2008, Punchbowl announced its Series A round
Series A round
A Series A round is the name typically given to a company's first significant round of venture funding in the Silicon Valley model of startup company formation....
of funding in the amount of $2.1M led by Contour Venture Partners.
Punchbowl has acquired two companies. "I’m In!" on November 17, 2009, and Socializr on November 12, 2010, a Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
event management platform created by Friendster
Friendster
Friendster is a social gaming site that is based in Malaysia, KL. The company now operates mainly from the three Asian countries namely in the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore....
founder Jonathan Abrams.
In September 2010, the company announced that it had surpassed one million registered users and had acquired the Punchbowl.com domain.
The company licenses its technology to leading retail and media sites, including Oriental Trading Company
Oriental Trading Company
The Oriental Trading Company is a direct marketing company for novelties, small toys, and party items. It was founded in 1932 as one of the United States' first wholesale companies. It is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and its majority owner is the Carlyle Group...
, 1-800-FLOWERS, Lifetime, and Cozi. Punchbowl also has partnerships with consumer Internet sites such as Kayak.com
Kayak.com
KAYAK is a technology company providing online travel tools through its global family of websites and mobile applications. Started by cofounders of Expedia, Orbitz, and Travelocity, KAYAK allows users to compare information from hundreds of other travel websites in one display when booking travel...
.
Awards
- Named one of the “100 Most Brilliant Companies” by Entrepreneur MagazineEntrepreneur MagazineEntrepreneur is a publication that carries news stories about entrepreneurialism, small business management, and business opportunities. It is published by Entrepreneur Media Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California....
, 2010 - O: The Oprah Magazine’s “100 Things That Are Getting Better,” 2010
- Named one of the “100 Most Useful Sites on the Web” by Women’s Health, 2008
- Massachusetts Innovation & Technology Exchange (MITX) Award for Usability, 2008
- Webby Award Honoree, Events, 2008
- PC WorldPC World (magazine)PC World is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal-technology products and services...
’s "25 Web Sites to Watch", 2007