IFBYPHONE SECURES $4.6 MILLION IN NEW ROUND OF FUNDING
Infusion of Venture Capital Insures Continued Expansion Despite Economic Downturn
CHICAGO–Nov. 18, 2008—In the middle of an economic slowdown and a drought in
venture capital funding, Ifbyphone said today it has secured $4.6 million in a second
round of institutional funding from five venture capital firms.
Ifbyphone is a hosted telephone application platform company that provides small and
medium-sized businesses with telephony features that enable them to create phone
solutions that enhance customer conversations, increase sales and lower costs.
The funding round was jointly led by Apex Venture Partners and Origin Ventures, who
also invested in Ifbyphone’s first round of institutional funding. They were joined by
Spring Mill Venture Partners, i2A and Blue Crest Capital Finance, L.P.
“We view this new round of funding as a strong endorsement of our growth and
expansion strategy,” said Ifbyphone founder and CEO Irv Shapiro. “It positions us
extremely well to continue our expansion during these complex economic times.”
“We are very excited to be a part of the Ifbyphone investor group,” said Ken Green, co-
founder and managing partner at Spring Mill Venture Partners. “We believe that
Ifbyphone represents the next great wave of Internet-enabled business services,
allowing small and medium-sized businesses access to capabilities previously only
available to their larger competitors. This kind of service offers an opportunity to level
the competitive playing field.”
To learn more about Ifbyphone’s affordable suite of online telephony applications, such
as voice broadcasting, Smart Toll Free Numbers, Google Analytics Call Integration and
interactive voice response (IVR), visit http://public.ifbyphone.com.
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About Ifbyphone
Ifbyphone is a hosted telephone application platform company that provides small and
medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with tools to enhance customer conversations, drive
sales, and lower costs. Leveraging Ifbyphone's extreme usability, developers and
marketers can quickly create solutions ranging from simple click-to-call links to
sophisticated call-routing and interactive-marketing systems. Ifbyphone's solutions are
available directly to SMBs and through a network of resellers. For more information,
click to speak to a sales professional or visit the Ifbyphone Web site.
About Origin Ventures
Origin Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage companies. The firm
invests capital and leverages its entrepreneurial, marketing and management expertise
to help facilitate the growth of early-stage companies. The principals of Origin Ventures
have been involved in successful entrepreneurial activities since the mid 1980s.
About Apex Venture Partners
Apex Venture Partners is a national venture capital firm based in Chicago. With more
than 20 years’ experience financing early stage IT businesses, Apex has invested in
more than 140 companies since inception. The partners at Apex look for companies that
have unique products or services that address large potential markets in which
customer needs are not being addressed.
About Spring Mill Venture Partners
Spring Mill Venture Partners is an early stage venture capital firm focused on investing
in strong management teams in high-growth information technology and life sciences
companies located in the Midwest region. We take an active role by providing the
strategic and tactical assistance that early stage companies need to grow and prosper.
More information is available at www.springmillvp.com.
About i2A
The Illinois Innovation Accelerator Fund (i²A) is an innovative $10 million early-stage
investment fund which invests in companies primarily in technology-enabled products
and services, new media and education products and services, and consumer and retail
products. The fund's goal is to provide the first external professional capital raised by
companies and nurture them through their early stages of growth. Visit
www.i2afund.com for more information.
About BlueCrest Capital Finance, L.P.
BlueCrest Capital Finance, L.P., a U.S.-based commercial finance company, provides
debt-financing solutions to development-stage companies in a broad range of industry
sectors including IT, Communications, Hardware, Software, Semi-Conductor,
Electronics, Energy, Medical Device and Life Science. The team, which has been
together continuously since 1998, pursues debt transactions in the $1 million-$25 million
range and has consummated approximately 900 transactions with total commitments in
excess of $1.9 billion.