Comments on: Cellfire Raises $10 m Series B http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/ Startup and Technology News Sat, 11 Oct 2008 22:35:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ramesh http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-102241 Ramesh Mon, 17 Jul 2006 11:24:12 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-102241 Congrats to Cellfire. This concept will require a lot of funding. Mainly for building a b2c brand and signing up merchants. As director at www.activemediatech.com i have spent the last 5 years cracking mobile coupons. we launched the successful mobile cinema coupon campaign in the UK called Orange Wednesdays. We also have taken it to other markets like Romania and India (Hutch Tuesdays). Cellfire concept is brilliant. Merchants will just not buy it that easily. It can take 3 years to get a good set of merchants all over the US. Additionally, merchants hate anything that takes more than a milli second to do a transaction. I believe the concept may transform more towards e-tailers and towards fragmented retailers who will see value in being part of a promotion that more than x million are accessing. Congrats to Cellfire. This concept will require a lot of funding. Mainly for building a b2c brand and signing up merchants. As director at http://www.activemediatech.com i have spent the last 5 years cracking mobile coupons. we launched the successful mobile cinema coupon campaign in the UK called Orange Wednesdays. We also have taken it to other markets like Romania and India (Hutch Tuesdays). Cellfire concept is brilliant. Merchants will just not buy it that easily. It can take 3 years to get a good set of merchants all over the US. Additionally, merchants hate anything that takes more than a milli second to do a transaction. I believe the concept may transform more towards e-tailers and towards fragmented retailers who will see value in being part of a promotion that more than x million are accessing.

]]> By: VentureWeek » VentureWeek - Week Ending 7/11/06 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-98200 VentureWeek » VentureWeek - Week Ending 7/11/06 Wed, 12 Jul 2006 03:57:20 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-98200 [...] Fundings: - CellFire raises $10mm series B led by Menlo Ventures - SecondSpace receives $6.5mm series A - Engage.com takes $5mm led by Advanced Technology Ventures [...] [...] Fundings: - CellFire raises $10mm series B led by Menlo Ventures - SecondSpace receives $6.5mm series A - Engage.com takes $5mm led by Advanced Technology Ventures [...]

]]> By: Mike Hogan http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97999 Mike Hogan Tue, 11 Jul 2006 22:41:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97999 Cellfire has come under attack here for a variety of things, including a dearth of merchant relationships and coupon content. I can tell you that is the hardest part of the equation and it takes time, so be patient with them. I'm sure a chunk of their $10 will be used to establish a base of coupons. As a company addressing online coupons ourselves at www.zixxo.com, I can tell you it takes time. It always takes the pioneers a bit of time to hit the tipping point. But once they demonstrate the value and get more coupon content it will spread like wildfire...or cellfire :). Cellfire has come under attack here for a variety of things, including a dearth of merchant relationships and coupon content. I can tell you that is the hardest part of the equation and it takes time, so be patient with them. I’m sure a chunk of their $10 will be used to establish a base of coupons. As a company addressing online coupons ourselves at http://www.zixxo.com, I can tell you it takes time. It always takes the pioneers a bit of time to hit the tipping point. But once they demonstrate the value and get more coupon content it will spread like wildfire…or cellfire :).

]]> By: Dominic http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97017 Dominic Tue, 11 Jul 2006 03:05:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97017 quick question. my cellphone's screen is always greasy (cause i put it against my ear). I feel embarassed to show my phone to a retail clerk to get my $0.50 off. What should i do? will you guys bunndle screen whipes? quick question.

my cellphone’s screen is always greasy (cause i put it against my ear). I feel embarassed to show my phone to a retail clerk to get my $0.50 off. What should i do?

will you guys bunndle screen whipes?

]]> By: joystick http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97007 joystick Tue, 11 Jul 2006 02:51:43 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-97007 <strong>Big cash for mobile phone coupons...</strong> Cellfire, a platform provider for coupons to your mobile phone, has raised $14 million to date.  I have to admit… I don’t get it.  You have to download an application to your cellphone.  Which makes no sense given (1) SMS would work just... Big cash for mobile phone coupons…

Cellfire, a platform provider for coupons to your mobile phone, has raised $14 million to date.  I have to admit… I don’t get it.  You have to download an application to your cellphone.  Which makes no sense given (1) SMS would work just…

]]> By: TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Cellfire、シリーズBファイナンスで1千万ドルの資金を調達 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96927 TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Cellfire、シリーズBファイナンスで1千万ドルの資金を調達 Tue, 11 Jul 2006 00:27:56 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96927 [...] [原文へ] CellFire [...] [...] [原文へ] CellFire [...]

]]> By: Ajay http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96880 Ajay Mon, 10 Jul 2006 23:21:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96880 There are (almost all until this pt) lot of -ve comments here. I guess authors are looking +ve towards whole experience. But I have to say one thing, concept is good. The problem, none if u give me merchants I want. Not travel agent (which I am gone use may be once a yr), but relevant coupons. I guess Brent and company will be spending much of this acquired money on these things. This makes me wonder though, they spent 4 million on just getting software up and running as well as 7 retailers on side. I don't know...one guy has better concepts mentioned above, it will be interesting to see why it did not work before. Or at least the names who tried if before so we can find out about those people. Congrats and good luck to Cellfire! Note: I used the application here in nevada and did not like it since it gave me hollywood video coupon basically useless, travel services or 1-800-flower which are better avaliable on internet, hey but i am still keeping application in case they come out with better things. There are (almost all until this pt) lot of -ve comments here. I guess authors are looking +ve towards whole experience. But I have to say one thing, concept is good. The problem, none if u give me merchants I want. Not travel agent (which I am gone use may be once a yr), but relevant coupons. I guess Brent and company will be spending much of this acquired money on these things. This makes me wonder though, they spent 4 million on just getting software up and running as well as 7 retailers on side.

I don’t know…one guy has better concepts mentioned above, it will be interesting to see why it did not work before. Or at least the names who tried if before so we can find out about those people.

Congrats and good luck to Cellfire!

Note: I used the application here in nevada and did not like it since it gave me hollywood video coupon basically useless, travel services or 1-800-flower which are better avaliable on internet, hey but i am still keeping application in case they come out with better things.

]]> By: Don Wilson http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96865 Don Wilson Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:59:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96865 $10m for coupons on cellphones? Wow. $10m for coupons on cellphones? Wow.

]]> By: Nick Pang | Wii Preorder http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96859 Nick Pang | Wii Preorder Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:48:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96859 get rid of the downloadable software and use the phone's built-in browser instead. push alerts and coupons to the browser. this will work with a majority of the phones. a lot of companies have done this before a few years back. why didn't it work back then? and why would it work now? get rid of the downloadable software and use the phone’s built-in browser instead. push alerts and coupons to the browser. this will work with a majority of the phones.

a lot of companies have done this before a few years back. why didn’t it work back then? and why would it work now?

]]> By: pete http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96849 pete Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:37:39 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96849 just like junk mail/coupons, $10M goes in trash. VCs are simply burining LPs money. good luck if you want to give your mobile number for junk marketing. just like junk mail/coupons, $10M goes in trash. VCs are simply burining LPs money.

good luck if you want to give your mobile number for junk marketing.

]]> By: TAD http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96843 TAD Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:30:18 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96843 Wow - only works with Cingular, and at that with only some of their phones. *yawn* The US mobile phone industry is such a mess I wouldn't want to bet any money on any of it. Wow - only works with Cingular, and at that with only some of their phones. *yawn* The US mobile phone industry is such a mess I wouldn’t want to bet any money on any of it.

]]> By: Dead2.0 » 10 mill for CellFire! Why? Cuz it’s loved in Cali! http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96830 Dead2.0 » 10 mill for CellFire! Why? Cuz it’s loved in Cali! Mon, 10 Jul 2006 22:06:19 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96830 [...] Maybe they should add on a few more features into the system, or team up with ZiXXo (but then again, I think ZiXXo could probably just enable this feature on their own).  I just don’t understand how CellFire is an entire company (or even two for that matter!)?  Sure, more coupons in more places that are easier to redeem is fairly straightforward.  But who did the math that says this is a multi-hundred-million-dollar play worthy of the $10 million round?? [...] [...] Maybe they should add on a few more features into the system, or team up with ZiXXo (but then again, I think ZiXXo could probably just enable this feature on their own).  I just don’t understand how CellFire is an entire company (or even two for that matter!)?  Sure, more coupons in more places that are easier to redeem is fairly straightforward.  But who did the math that says this is a multi-hundred-million-dollar play worthy of the $10 million round?? [...]

]]> By: Ari Mir http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96814 Ari Mir Mon, 10 Jul 2006 21:42:57 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96814 congrats on the funding, good luck!...but I have to point out Cellfire's system requires a client download to a mobile device...this is idiotic...the number of phones one has to develop/maintain an application for is an ever increasing number…this will change as cell phone manufacturers and service providers learn to collaborate, but I promise you it won’t happen anytime soon…Cellfire’s service is fairly straightforward and could have easily used SMS/MMS as a platform…providing them with a scaleable solution, and in turn their resources would have been better spent on the sales end, establishing merchant relationships…without these relationships their technology is useless… :( congrats on the funding, good luck!…but I have to point out Cellfire’s system requires a client download to a mobile device…this is idiotic…the number of phones one has to develop/maintain an application for is an ever increasing number…this will change as cell phone manufacturers and service providers learn to collaborate, but I promise you it won’t happen anytime soon…Cellfire’s service is fairly straightforward and could have easily used SMS/MMS as a platform…providing them with a scaleable solution, and in turn their resources would have been better spent on the sales end, establishing merchant relationships…without these relationships their technology is useless… :(

]]> By: koko http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96798 koko Mon, 10 Jul 2006 21:31:30 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/10/cellfire-raises-10-m-series-b/#comment-96798 This is just stupid. What a stupid idea. Can't belive someone just put 10 Mil on a the old coupon idea. What a waste. This is just stupid. What a stupid idea. Can’t belive someone just put 10 Mil on a the old coupon idea. What a waste.

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