Ebay ventures into social networking
Published April 13th, 2006
Ebay has invested $2m in the Meetup social networking site, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Meetup offers a platform to accommodate meetings for people with common interests. Meetings range from leisurely hikes to grassroots political campaigns.
Founded in 2002, the service boasts nearly 2 million registered users. Meetup’s business model is based on charging event organisers a fee ranging from $12 to $19 per month for listings and services.
Ebay said that both companies have a shared interest in using the internet to connect people and create communities. The company pointed out that there are several Meetups for eBay users.
The auction website’s investment was part of an investment round last month in which a group of investors acquired a 10 per cent stake in the company for an undisclosed sum.
