Sizzling Online

PurpleYogi

Rakesh Mathur, co-founder of Junglee.com, who was with Amazon.com after it

bought Junglee, is back with another venture, PurpleYogi. And he is already

making waves. The company has secured $29 million from investors like Softbank,

Intel, AT India and Infosys. So what’s PurpleYogi? The PurpleYogi Discovery

Systems make dynamic connections between content and users–delivering

information relevant to users’ needs. PurpleYogi’s technology classifies

content by concept, by analyzing the patterns, themes and main ideas in text.

Using concepts rather than keywords, PurpleYogi Discovery Systems actively learn

user interests, create personal user profiles by understanding and cataloging

these interests and deliver highly-targeted, relevant information proactively–all

with no additional user effort. Its products and solutions are aimed at content

management companies. Sheet

CEO: Rakesh Mathur



Startup Year: 1999


Products and Services: Distributed knowledge management software


Web site: www.purpleyogi.com


E-mail: sanjay.singh@baypackets.com

CustomerAsset.com

CustomerAsset.com is funded by eVentures India and backed by Softbank,

ePartners–Rupert Murdoch’s Internet investment arm–and PK Mittal of the

Ispat group. The company has already completed its first round of funding and is

ready for the second round anytime. With an investment plan of Rs 60 crore, it

is focussed mainly on two service lines: customer interaction services, and data

management and consulting. And that’s where most of the outsourcing is

happening. The company intends to scale the entire range of e-CRM services,

ranging from the basic low-end interaction services like inbound voice call

centers to e-mail help desks and Web chats. It will move up to higher levels,

gauge customer preferences for its clients and finally would move into e-CRM

consulting itself. With a huge market waiting for the e-CRM services, this

company will include big names in its portfolio of clients and VCs.

CEO: K Ganesh



Startup year: 2000


Products and Services: eCRM solutions


Web site: www.customerasset.com


Funding: eVentures

24/7 Customer.com

Another one in the e-CRM league, providing services round the clock–24×7–with

a market focus on dot-coms and e-commerce organizations. The company is aiming

to position itself with the ‘people’ or the e-relationship officers.

However, what will make the difference for 24/7customer.com is its team, which

has developed and installed customer service solutions for Home Depot, LL Bean,

Lycos, eBay and Yahoo and voice call centers for MCI. The strong backing from

promoters and its global reach will let the company be in the news.

Founder and CEO: PV Kannan



Startup Year: 2000



Web site: www.247customer.com

B2B Portals

Without wanting to sound cliched, we think that the action will be in the B2B

portal and e-marketplace space. Given the huge potential based on the

efficiencies of the Internet, niche players have already commenced operations

and will see a lot of action in 2001. Portals like Sugartrade.com, Steelrx.com,

Electricmela.com, Indiamarkets.com and other B2B portals will continue to be

heard of the year long.