PR NEWSWIRE -- Nov 27 -- Where Are You Now? (
WAYN) raised $11 million in Series A funding from a syndicate of investors led by Esprit Capital Partners. Brent Hoberman, co-founder of lastminute.com; Adrian Critchlow and Andy Phillipps, co-founders of Active Hotels, sold to Priceline in 2004; David Soskin, CEO, and Hugo Burge, Vice Chairman, of Cheapflights; and Constant Tedder, co-founder and Managing Director of Jagex, which runs RuneScape, the UK's largest online multi-player game. The funding will be used to create new revenue streams, expand the team - particularly in Poland where WAYN's back office operations are managed; enlarge the geographical base of the company and increase the range of online and offline products offered, including a tailored trip planner. Based in London, WAYN unites travelers from around the world. Founded in 2002 by friends Pete Ward, Jerome Touze and Mike Lines, WAYN secured initial funding from Steve Pankhurst, founder of
friends reunited
in 2003. Membership has grown from 45,000 users in March 2005 to 7 million today. Recent research by eMarketers has revealed that advertising spend on social networking sites is set to top $1.8 billion by 2010.
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