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 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.
I found WooMee to be different from others I have tried. I like it’s design and features. No doubt this site will be one of the major players in online dating. Wish I thought of it! LOL Also saw the WooMe presentation - very cool, espacially like the fact that people are using the speed platform. Thats nice to see.
Stephen, fantastic idea. I believe that this would be an exceptional medium to conduct organizational group meetings-- a single user "the secretary" woos with the other employees and obtains and records what pertinent information is expressed in that small time allotment. This would help the employees to improve their "pitching" and to become more efficient and concise. :)
Smart way to monetize VOIP. Big hurdles are peoples willingness to get on camera, live can be more than a little unsettling for some. Its also an easy service to trump the biz model, people ill just need to put up a sign with a number IM address to avoind paying the buck......
Follow WooMe on Vator.tv
But until then, I'm wooin' some finnnne ladies!
Its also an easy service to trump the biz model, people ill just need to put up a sign with a number IM address to avoind paying the buck......