SAN MATEO, Calif., June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Tapatap, the world's first mobile and web social contest community, announces its beta launch of Tapatap.com (wap.tapatap.com for mobile). Combining pop culture and game show logic, Tapatap is an addictive, viral contest community targeting the teen and Generation Y audience. Tapatap members can play photo contests for fun and daily prizes, enter photos into contests, and create their own contests all from their mobile phone or the web
Tapatap, co-founded by serial entrepreneurs Isaac Babbs, Andy Riedel, and Ken Scott, also announces it has secured $2.5 million in Series A funding from Gabriel Venture Partners (http://www.gabrielvp.com/). The Tapatap founding team brings expertise in delivering digital lifestyle technologies to consumers, with successful launches of direct to consumer businesses including Atlas Mobile, Sorrent (now Glu Mobile, Inc.), shockwave.com, CokeMusic.com, and Mplayer.com. The team members are veterans in the development of mobile games and online communities and also co-founded Atlas Mobile together.
"Our mission is to create social entertainment networks and online communities where you and the community are the fun. You create it, share it, and play it wherever you are across both mobile devices and the web," says Isaac Babbs.
Using its ground breaking mobile 2.0 technology, Tapatap allows its members to access the community from virtually any device including mobile phones, web browsers and embedded flash widgets. Members can create contests and submit photos from both their phones and PCs, and immediately invite their friends and family to play.
"In the first generation of mobile content, ringtones, games and graphics were the most advanced way for consumers to entertain and express themselves on their mobile phones. The next stage is all about interaction, and companies like Tapatap that deliver both content and community will get consumers hooked on their content," says Seamus McAteer, senior analyst with mobile market measurement firm M:Metrics. "According to our data, consumers are increasingly embracing user-generated content, with 19.2 percent of mobile subscribers engaging in mobile 2.0 in the month of April. This represents 12 percent growth since January this year."
Tapatap is poised to empower marketers with a new way to engage and extend relationships with their target audience using the Tapatap social contest network. With contests surrounding movies, music, TV, news, sports and lifestyle topics, Tapatap delivers a new on-demand promotions vehicle to help identify market trends through direct audience insight. Marketers will have the ability to instantly create, launch, and manage their own mobile and web contests.
For the public launch, Tapatap has partnered with leading consumer brands to sponsor prized contests. These include Ed Hardy's "Best Tattoo Artwork" contest, Hudson Entertainment's "I Wanna Win a Wii" photo contest, Consolidated Skateboards' "Sickest Skate Photo" contest, and BenchWarmer's "Bikini Fashion Model" photo contest. Prizes are awarded to the top photo entries.
About Tapatap, Inc.
Tapatap is a social contest community where users can create, enter and play user generated or sponsored contests by some of today's major consumer brands. Tapatap is the first social contest community on both the mobile and web that gives consumers the opportunity to play for fun and prizes. Harnessing the power of mobile 2.0, Tapatap combines pop culture and game show logic, to deliver the most unique consumer mobile entertainment experience. Based in San Mateo, CA, Tapatap launched in June 2007 and is privately funded by Gabriel Venture Partners. Tapatap is on the web at http://www.tapatap.com/ and on your mobile phone at wap.tapatap.com.
About Gabriel Venture Partners
Gabriel Venture Partners is an early-stage venture capital firm committed to fostering innovation by actively assisting entrepreneurs in technology and technology-enabled businesses. Gabriel seeks investment opportunities in capital-efficient companies that have the potential to be market leaders. Gabriel is based in Silicon Valley and has over $260 million under management. Gabriel's investment team consists of seasoned technology entrepreneurs and industry executives, each with international operating experience and strong domain expertise. http://www.gabrielvp.com/
Tapatap, Inc.
CONTACT: Danielle Simmons of DMS Public Relations, +1-415-812-5128,
danielle@dmspublicrelations.com, for Tapatap, Inc.; or Lorraine Bordegaray of
Tapatap, Inc., +1-650-867-5030, lbordegaray@tapatap.com
