Scott Purcell
Encyclopedia
Scott Purcell was the founder of Epoch Networks
, which was the fourth commercial internet backbone ever, raised in excess of $100 million in venture capital
and was at one time was the largest privately-held internet service provider
in the United States
. He also served as a Board Member of the internet industry associations trade group, CIX the Commercial Internet eXchange
. In the formative years of the industry he was appointed by CIX to serve as the government liaison, working with the Clinton administration and the FCC on a variety of internet and telecom related legislation and issues.
In September, 1999, he founded OnAir Streaming Networks, a music streaming and downloading company. Raising $44 million in venture capital
the firm created technology and platforms for Sony
, Universal Music, and other major recording labels. At this time he also accepted an appointment from the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) to consult on internet copyrights and represent the industry before the United States Congress
.
The stock market crash of 2001 and the bursting of the dot-com bubble created an impossible funding environment and OnAir was sold to Loudeye in Seattle. The crash also nearly wiped Mr Purcell out financially, as he had invested heavily in internet firms, both public and private as an angel investor.
In February 2002 he founded Applied Search Technologies, later renamed Browsercast, to create search engines and monetization opportunities for non-profit businesses such as Make-a-Wish Foundation
, NRA
, Rock The Vote
, Bible.com, and others. In 2006 Browsercast acquired Grant Media from Match.com
founder and Sex.com
owner Gary Kremen
, with Gary becoming a partner in Browsercast.
In April, 2006, he launched WebBiographies
, a social networking service for people interested in genealogy
, biography
and memoir
writing, and building family tree
s.
In July 2007 he launched Kasidie.com, a social networking service and adult dating site for open-minded, sexually adventurous couples, aka swingers. Kasidie has grown rapidly to become the fourth largest site focusing on this niche of 50 million people, targeting the segment leader Adult Friend Finder.
He has a B.S. from University of Southern California
and an executive Masters of Entrepreneurship
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
.
Mr Purcell is married, with no children and currently lives in Las Vegas
.
Epoch Networks
Epoch Networks was, at one time, the largest privately held first tier internet service provider ISP founded by Scott Purcell in 1994. It was the fourth commercial internet backbone in the United States...
, which was the fourth commercial internet backbone ever, raised in excess of $100 million in venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
and was at one time was the largest privately-held internet service provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He also served as a Board Member of the internet industry associations trade group, CIX the Commercial Internet eXchange
Commercial Internet eXchange
The Commercial Internet eXchange was an early interexchange point that allowed the free exchange of TCP/IP traffic, including commercial traffic, between ISPs. It was an important initial effort toward creating the commercial Internet that we know today.- Goal :The goal of the CIX was to be an...
. In the formative years of the industry he was appointed by CIX to serve as the government liaison, working with the Clinton administration and the FCC on a variety of internet and telecom related legislation and issues.
In September, 1999, he founded OnAir Streaming Networks, a music streaming and downloading company. Raising $44 million in venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
the firm created technology and platforms for Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Universal Music, and other major recording labels. At this time he also accepted an appointment from the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) to consult on internet copyrights and represent the industry before the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
The stock market crash of 2001 and the bursting of the dot-com bubble created an impossible funding environment and OnAir was sold to Loudeye in Seattle. The crash also nearly wiped Mr Purcell out financially, as he had invested heavily in internet firms, both public and private as an angel investor.
In February 2002 he founded Applied Search Technologies, later renamed Browsercast, to create search engines and monetization opportunities for non-profit businesses such as Make-a-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
, NRA
NRA
NRA is an abbreviation that may mean:* National regulatory authorities , government agencies tasked with regulating and supervising sections of public service and economy...
, Rock The Vote
Rock the Vote
Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization in the United States of America whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people....
, Bible.com, and others. In 2006 Browsercast acquired Grant Media from Match.com
Match.com
Match.com is an online dating company which reportedly has more than 20 million members, made up of a 49/51 male/female ratio, and Web sites serving 25 countries in more than 8 different languages. Its headquarters are in Dallas, Texas and the company also has offices in West Hollywood, Tokyo, Rio,...
founder and Sex.com
Sex.com
Sex.com is an Internet domain name and web portal currently owned by Clover Holdings LTD. The domain name was the focus of one of the most publicized legal actions about ownership of domain names...
owner Gary Kremen
Gary Kremen
Gary Alan Kremen is an entrepreneur who founded personals site match.com, and registered several premiere domain names in the early days of the internet, including sex.com, jobs.com, , and autos.com...
, with Gary becoming a partner in Browsercast.
In April, 2006, he launched WebBiographies
WebBiographies
WebBiographies is a social network service with an emphasis on genealogy, biography and memoir writing, family trees, and online privacy.It was founded in late April, 2006 by Scott Purcell, founder of Epoch Networks and a former Board member of the Commercial Internet eXchange.In an interview for...
, a social networking service for people interested in genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
and memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
writing, and building family tree
Family tree
A family tree, or pedigree chart, is a chart representing family relationships in a conventional tree structure. The more detailed family trees used in medicine, genealogy, and social work are known as genograms.-Family tree representations:...
s.
In July 2007 he launched Kasidie.com, a social networking service and adult dating site for open-minded, sexually adventurous couples, aka swingers. Kasidie has grown rapidly to become the fourth largest site focusing on this niche of 50 million people, targeting the segment leader Adult Friend Finder.
He has a B.S. from University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and an executive Masters of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur, which can be defined as "one who undertakes innovations, finance and business acumen in an effort to transform innovations into economic goods". This may result in new organizations or may be part of revitalizing mature organizations in response...
from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
.
Mr Purcell is married, with no children and currently lives in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
.