Internet Capital hält nach dem Merger der beiden weltweit größten elektronischen Buchungssysteme Starcite und Onvantage 26% an dem Zusammenschluss.
Strong 2006 Performance and Growth Positions StarCite for Productive 2007 Wednesday February 21, 9:00 am ET With 2007 Pegged by Many as a Watershed Year for Meetings Management Adoption, StarCite Ends 2006 with Nearly $6 Billion in Marketplace Commerce, Continues Strong Customer Growth and Rolls out New Solutions for Smaller Meetings
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StarCite, Inc., the leading provider of On Demand Global Meeting Solutions(TM), today reported record 2006 results, highlighted by almost $6 billion of potential meeting and event business flowing between corporate buyers and meeting suppliers through its online marketplace, providing $16 million in daily lead opportunities. StarCite also saw nearly 50 percent growth in unique requests-for-proposal (RFPs) from corporate clients in 2006, and 30 percent growth in attendee registration transactions. ADVERTISEMENT "We are thrilled about the growth we've seen this year but even more excited about the value we've been able to provide to our customers," said Michael Boult, StarCite President and CEO. "With all signs pointing to another year of fast-growing adoption for strategic meetings management programs, we're focused on helping more companies achieve substantial savings and efficiencies with the help of StarCite's on-demand solutions."
"At the same time, we believe the industry remains in the beginning stages of meetings management technology adoption," Boult continued. "We are enthusiastic about continuing to provide a solution that benefits buyers and suppliers alike. Throughout 2007, we're looking forward to introducing innovative new products, promoting industry best practices and delivering value to corporate buyers and meeting suppliers worldwide."
Customer Growth and Business Development
StarCite's momentum continued during the fourth quarter of 2006 with the addition of a series of important new corporate customers, including Biogen Idec, Nestle USA, and Toyota.
StarCite's new European headquarters was instrumental in securing a large European financial organization and rolling out StarCite technology throughout BCD Meetings & Incentives European operations. StarCite also expanded relationships with many of its existing clients, including Caterpillar, Eli Lilly, Longaberger, and Medtronic.
In August 2006, StarCite merged with OnVantage. The transaction was completed at the close of 2006. The merger more than doubled the resources StarCite can devote to continued product enhancement and global expansion to serve customer needs, while dramatically increasing the size of the company's electronic marketplace. StarCite continues to focus on its global expansion and will be announcing several new strategic partnerships in the next several months.
Product Innovation
Early in 2007, StarCite reintroduced its EasyBook "Small Meetings Solution", which allows corporations to efficiently arrange small meetings while capitalizing on their own negotiated corporate hotel rates and preferred supplier relationships. Small meetings of 50 attendees or less can comprise as much as 80 percent of some companies' meetings spend. StarCite's enhanced offering greatly expands the ability of corporations to identify and manage spending on small meetings by allowing users to search availability and receive instant rate quotes from the company's expansive supplier community. The new Small Meetings Solution is the first tool to empower users to book small meetings quickly and efficiently utilizing fixed contracts and standardized rates. It provides increased visibility and control over this critical element of a strategic meetings management program.
StarCite also plans to soon introduce a new "Dinner Meetings Solution", which will allow customers to manage smaller dinner meetings spend - an especially pressing need for the pharmaceutical industry. The new offering will help companies manage approval processes, communicate and enforce event policies, track costs, manage attendees and utilize negotiated rates.
Industry Recognition
Reflecting StarCite's strong performance and industry impact during 2006, StarCite President and CEO Michael Boult was named as one of Business Travel News' most influential executives of the year. Boult was specifically selected for this award after he "led a charge of aggressive growth and development - promising more partners and more business from partners, new products and acquisitions" and spearheaded a "barrage of new initiatives, organic growth, and partnerships". Boult also recently received Emerald Asset Management's E-3 Private Company Executive Award. Earlier in the year StarCite founder and head of StarCite International, John Pino was named one of MeetingNews' "Roll Call of Top Movers and Doers."
About StarCite, Inc.
StarCite®, Inc. is the leading provider of On Demand Global Meeting Solutions(TM). StarCite optimizes global investments in corporate meetings and events, delivering visibility, savings and control. StarCite provides process efficiency, enabling technology and proven adoption management support to drive significant cost reduction to buyers and enhanced revenues to suppliers. StarCite is based in Philadelphia. StarCite's equity holders Internet Capital Group (NASDAQ: ICGE - News), TPG Growth, Norwest Venture Partners (NVP), and TL Ventures. For more information about StarCite or its technologies and services, please visit www.starcite.com.
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