WooMe

WooMe is an online speed dating platorm that leverages cutting edge in-browser voip and video technology to enable users to meet new people in a fast, fun and free fashion. Meet five people in five minutes in live topical speed sessions such as "Vator.tv lovers in Los Angeles."

WooMe brings the speed dating craze online and extends it to let users meet new people live in fast, fun and free speed sessions. There are no long forms or lengthy profile descriptions, simply find a session that interests you and meet 5 people in 5 minutes. Or, create your own sessions based on your interests, such as "TechCrunch Readers in San Fran". Invite friends or strangers to play with you and immediately decide if you are woo'd by someone. WooMe's in-browser video and voice capability delivers a live interactive experience where users play for fun, to hook up, or just meet new people around shared interests. There are no tedious profiles, no software to download, and best of all it's free.

Backed by Niklas Zennström's (Skype Founder) Atomico Investments, the original investors in Skype (Mangrove Capital), and Klaus Hommels (Europe's Investor of the Year, 2006), WooMe is catapulting the $1 billion+ speed dating market into the online world. With WooMe, meeting people online is transformed into a live interactive experience that makes sifting through contrived profiles a thing of the past.

Founded in 2006, WooMe's management team has experience in bringing innovative web applications to market for companies including: AltaVista, CMGI, BT, Accenture, Qwest, Shopzilla, Trilogy. Stephen Stokols, Co-Founder/CEO, successfully sold an internet start-up and went on to become BT's youngest VP, growing their eCommerce revenues over 300% to over $1bn in his first 12 months. George Berkowski, Co-Founder/Product Director, brings extensive technical and marketing experience in the online space and in outer space (he played a role in sending the first tourist to the Space Station).

 

 

Stephen Stokols, CEO

Stephen started his career with Accenture, where he helped to build its eBusiness group from the ground up. He left after 3 years to co-found JustWhatiWant.com, an online start-up profitably sold in 2000. Stephen went on to work briefly in venture capital for CMGI where he helped rationalize its online portfolio and focus ongoing investments. In this role, he later focused efforts on AltaVista, redefining its strategy and positioning it for its eventual sale. Stephen was subsequently lured to Qwest Communications where he revitalized Qwest's online presence as Director of eCommerce, growing online revenues from sub $10 million to over $220 million in under 12 months.

Stephen most recently served as BT's Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. He joined BT in 2004 as its youngest VP leading BT's 450-person eBusiness unit where he increased eCommerce revenues 300% to over £1B. In January 2006, Stephen was promoted to his latest position with a focus on identifying disruptive business models and bringing to market progressive revenue streams. In this role, Stephen also drove execution and P&L for BT's disruptive mass market initiatives. He lead initiatives putting BT in the forefront of online communications, user generated content, online advertising and open WiFi resulting in 2007 revenues of £120M.

Stephen holds a MBA from UC Berkeley and a Masters in Finance from London Business School.

 

George Berkowski, Product Director

George started his career with Trilogy, Inc. in the U.S. before he was promoted to lead business development activities of the company's European headquarters in Paris. George then went on to serve as the VP of Marketing and Business Development at MirCorp, a start-up consultancy specializing in space tourism and extreme experiences (MirCorp made Dennis Tito the first space tourist by arranging his visit to the International Space Station). George also led the creation and delivery of numerous related campaigns for clients such as Sony, NBC Universal, MTV, Coca-Cola, RadioShack and Renault.

Most recently, George served as the Head of Internet Strategy for BT Retail where he lead e2e delivery of all consumer web applications, leading cross functional teams across IT, marketing and product development. George's most recent initiative, BTContact.com, a converged online communications hub, attracted over 100,000 users in less than 2 months and has received accolades from Telecom 2.0, TechCrunch, and Lightreading.com and was featured at the 2007 Future of Web Applications conference.

George holds an Masters in Business from Ecole Superieure de Commerce de Paris, and a Bachelors of Science in Aeronautics / Astronautics and Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

 

Nic Ferrier, CTO

Nic is a hacker. He has worked on great big systems for the UK Civil Service, BT and Thompson and small applications as well as volunteer work for the GNU project. He's the sort of guy who will debug a java app - while it's still running inside the webserver or fix a display problem by changing the XSLT compiler. He is also capable of explaining what he's doing... or at least being entertaining while you don't understand him; he helped form the London XSL User's Group.

We know for a fact though that he's never watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the tannhauser gate.

Success based  - free to play, pay $1 for contact info if there is a mutual match in a session.

Innovative model, propriatary in-browser technology.