Comments on: Ning Worth Half A Billion Dollars http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/ Startup and Tech News Fri, 16 May 2008 08:12:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Please join us in ‘The Drawing Room’… - http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2221178 Please join us in ‘The Drawing Room’… - Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:54:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2221178 [...] Networking is really cool. Like- really really cool. Like- half a billion dollars cool. Like- 69 million people cool. Since it is certainly true that WhipperSnapper=cool and Social [...] […] Networking is really cool. Like- really really cool. Like- half a billion dollars cool. Like- 69 million people cool. Since it is certainly true that WhipperSnapper=cool and Social […]

]]> By: Ning… really worth that much? « Chris Guitarte - Annenberg Program on Online Communities http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2209041 Ning… really worth that much? « Chris Guitarte - Annenberg Program on Online Communities Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:50:23 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2209041 [...] 21, 2008 With all of the funding talk of Ning in the blogosphere and FastCompany, I thought that they would be a good topic for this week’s blog [...] […] 21, 2008 With all of the funding talk of Ning in the blogosphere and FastCompany, I thought that they would be a good topic for this week’s blog […]

]]> By: מי המלך? http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2208571 מי המלך? Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:29:00 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2208571 [...] לכל אחד להקים רשת חברתית על גבי הפלטפורמה שהקים, גייס 60 מיליון דולר לפי שווי של חצי מיליארד דולר לפני הכסף. [...] […] לכל אחד להקים רשת חברתית על גבי הפלטפורמה שהקים, גייס 60 מיליון דולר לפי שווי של חצי מיליארד דולר לפני הכסף. […]

]]> By: stan http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2206655 stan Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:35:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2206655 @40 "Ning charges $4.95/month for domain masking. Now, this fee is insulting considering that domain masking can be set up in under 5 minutes." Seems pretty cheap to me. It has taken nearly two years for Ning to gain a .5 billion valuation. If you apply some very fuzzy math, that means the 5 minutes of work it would take to setup said domain masking on their system should cost roughly $2400. Just a thought. @40 “Ning charges $4.95/month for domain masking. Now, this fee is insulting considering that domain masking can be set up in under 5 minutes.”

Seems pretty cheap to me. It has taken nearly two years for Ning to gain a .5 billion valuation. If you apply some very fuzzy math, that means the 5 minutes of work it would take to setup said domain masking on their system should cost roughly $2400. Just a thought.

]]> By: Clif http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2206295 Clif Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:51:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2206295 OK, since my comment from 2 days still hasn't been approved (links, I guess), please see my reply at http://zenjunk.tumblr.com/post/32198784 Take a look at my site, which is built on Ning. I seriously built all that in less than 4 days. OK, since my comment from 2 days still hasn’t been approved (links, I guess), please see my reply at http://zenjunk.tumblr.com/post/32198784

Take a look at my site, which is built on Ning. I seriously built all that in less than 4 days.

]]> By: Marc’s Voice » Blog Archive » And so we begin a discourse and discussion on Ning with the top Ningster PR person http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201820 Marc’s Voice » Blog Archive » And so we begin a discourse and discussion on Ning with the top Ningster PR person Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:06:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201820 [...] all this….”OK - coolio - I stand corrected. Clearly great reporting by VentureBeat - which was then picked up by Mr. Arrington . Not sure if Marc and Ning were trying to hide this or if Allen &Co. said “shhhh [...] […] all this….”OK - coolio - I stand corrected. Clearly great reporting by VentureBeat - which was then picked up by Mr. Arrington . Not sure if Marc and Ning were trying to hide this or if Allen &Co. said “shhhh […]

]]> By: Fidel Cast http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201657 Fidel Cast Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:18:01 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201657 What's insane is anyone here who uses farce/freakbook. Next, let's get this straight... zucker pulled the $15b figure out of his ass one day. That's it! Seriously. Go check. If anyone says that it HAS been valued at $15b, then let them go play in traffic. Frank, When will you get vested? Sipkid, You sound like a real fun guy. What’s insane is anyone here who uses farce/freakbook. Next, let’s get this straight… zucker pulled the $15b figure out of his ass one day. That’s it! Seriously. Go check. If anyone says that it HAS been valued at $15b, then let them go play in traffic.

Frank,
When will you get vested?

Sipkid,
You sound like a real fun guy.

]]> By: joe http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201428 joe Sun, 20 Apr 2008 01:17:28 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2201428 I was trying to create a social network and looked at some other companies like kickapps and snappville, but I noticed that ning is a lot faster and user friendly. While nings site is rather simple and not unique, I'm sure they will develop it more. Ning is definitely trying to compete against Facebook and myspace for users. But the unique feature is the closed groups, somewhat similar to yahoo groups, and this is appealing to advertisers. Ning can create their own advertising network and distribute ads according to site keywords. Facebook is currently broken down by college - and mostly poor college students. But Ning can target the spending interests of its users. Also, Ning users can sign-up for all networks instead of an isolated niche network, this is cloud thinking and creates a complete online identity for one user that engages time commitment and appeals to advertisers and other polling companies. I was trying to create a social network and looked at some other companies like kickapps and snappville, but I noticed that ning is a lot faster and user friendly. While nings site is rather simple and not unique, I’m sure they will develop it more. Ning is definitely trying to compete against Facebook and myspace for users. But the unique feature is the closed groups, somewhat similar to yahoo groups, and this is appealing to advertisers. Ning can create their own advertising network and distribute ads according to site keywords. Facebook is currently broken down by college - and mostly poor college students. But Ning can target the spending interests of its users. Also, Ning users can sign-up for all networks instead of an isolated niche network, this is cloud thinking and creates a complete online identity for one user that engages time commitment and appeals to advertisers and other polling companies.

]]> By: Hmmm http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200755 Hmmm Sat, 19 Apr 2008 22:53:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200755 @10. Are you targeting the Dr. Tobias Funke crowd with that name? @10. Are you targeting the Dr. Tobias Funke crowd with that name?

]]> By: Ron Paul http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200484 Ron Paul Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:57:54 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200484 Why do they need over $100 million in the first place? Another commentor said Ning has 40'ish employees and annual expenses of $7'ish million a year. Doesn't that mean they could go about 14 years without revenue? Maybe that's the plan? Why do they need over $100 million in the first place?

Another commentor said Ning has 40′ish employees and annual expenses of $7′ish million a year. Doesn’t that mean they could go about 14 years without revenue? Maybe that’s the plan?

]]> By: lion http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200347 lion Sat, 19 Apr 2008 21:33:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2200347 Half a billion? That´s insane. Half a billion? That´s insane.

]]> By: Homefinding Book http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198967 Homefinding Book Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:07:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198967 Ning can't be worth 500 million. A typically company should be bringing in 1/5 of valuation. In this scenario - they should be collecting 100 million a year. That is highly unlikely. More than that, they don't have the Buzz. Facebook has the buzz, Twitter has it too. They have Marc Andressen, and I think this is the only reason why Ning is alive. Ning can’t be worth 500 million. A typically company should be bringing in 1/5 of valuation. In this scenario - they should be collecting 100 million a year.

That is highly unlikely.

More than that, they don’t have the Buzz. Facebook has the buzz, Twitter has it too.

They have Marc Andressen, and I think this is the only reason why Ning is alive.

]]> By: Thomas Barker http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198895 Thomas Barker Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:51:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198895 Ning's an excellent idea. There really needs to be a point-and-click social site builder. Think of all the little band fan sites, all the little college group sites, etc. Ads should work well for them, and the incremental cost of hosting each extra site is miniscule. There's real potential for Ning to capture a serious share of the hosting business that's just made up of people slapping a bit of ready made PHP on a cheap server. As for it just being a script. Sure, you could create ONE Ning site with $12-a-year LAMP hosting and php-nuke. Could you host over 200k of them? Cheap enough to give away? That's probably not trivial! Poor initial execution though. The first cut of Ning was lame. I don't think they evolved from that. They probably culled some of the dev team, got some new guys in and buckled down to create what's running now from scratch. But their customers don't read techcrunch, so I they don't care what it looked like 2 years ago ;-) Probably not worth $500m, but compared to other valuations it might be reasonable-ish (e.g. it's not). All depends on the answer to comment 49 ! Anyone from Hitwise/Comscore written about them ... ? Ning’s an excellent idea. There really needs to be a point-and-click social site builder. Think of all the little band fan sites, all the little college group sites, etc. Ads should work well for them, and the incremental cost of hosting each extra site is miniscule. There’s real potential for Ning to capture a serious share of the hosting business that’s just made up of people slapping a bit of ready made PHP on a cheap server.

As for it just being a script. Sure, you could create ONE Ning site with $12-a-year LAMP hosting and php-nuke. Could you host over 200k of them? Cheap enough to give away? That’s probably not trivial!

Poor initial execution though. The first cut of Ning was lame. I don’t think they evolved from that. They probably culled some of the dev team, got some new guys in and buckled down to create what’s running now from scratch. But their customers don’t read techcrunch, so I they don’t care what it looked like 2 years ago ;-)

Probably not worth $500m, but compared to other valuations it might be reasonable-ish (e.g. it’s not). All depends on the answer to comment 49 ! Anyone from Hitwise/Comscore written about them … ?

]]> By: Einstein http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198617 Einstein Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:06:04 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2198617 With that stupic logic, raising $100 000 for a 0.01% stake in a company would give that company a valuation of $1 000 000 000 ($1B) Another ridiculous assessment. With that stupic logic, raising $100 000 for a 0.01% stake in a company would give that company a valuation of $1 000 000 000 ($1B)

Another ridiculous assessment.

]]> By: Bryan Woods http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2197608 Bryan Woods Sat, 19 Apr 2008 14:12:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2197608 Thisis50.com has 200k members now. 200k. Most social networks written about on TechCrunch never rise to that level. I'm more interested in finding out how all this Ning money trickles back to the people creating the actual value. Thisis50.com has 200k members now. 200k. Most social networks written about on TechCrunch never rise to that level. I’m more interested in finding out how all this Ning money trickles back to the people creating the actual value.

]]> By: Raskin http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2197129 Raskin Sat, 19 Apr 2008 13:30:49 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2197129 Um...wow. Just...wow. Um…wow.

Just…wow.

]]> By: Sean Shop http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2196647 Sean Shop Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:36:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2196647 Looks like a good site, and in this age of ever increasing online valuations Hlaf a billion isn't crazy high. Well done Ning! Looks like a good site, and in this age of ever increasing online valuations Hlaf a billion isn’t crazy high.
Well done Ning!

]]> By: Ning Worth Half a Billion « Hone Watson Bookmarks http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2196283 Ning Worth Half a Billion « Hone Watson Bookmarks Sat, 19 Apr 2008 11:52:17 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2196283 [...] out it’s a Double Loop Spiral Viral Play. « Wordpress [...] […] out it’s a Double Loop Spiral Viral Play. « Wordpress […]

]]> By: Sebastian http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2194933 Sebastian Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:48:34 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2194933 who cares what the valuation is now. It is not like any of us are invested. Compared to other companies the valuation seems resonable, imo. So it took them about 40 million to reach this stage. What is more interesting to follow is to see what ning will do with the 60 million. For all we know this nuclear winter could be a 2-3 year event. who cares what the valuation is now. It is not like any of us are invested. Compared to other companies the valuation seems resonable, imo. So it took them about 40 million to reach this stage. What is more interesting to follow is to see what ning will do with the 60 million. For all we know this nuclear winter could be a 2-3 year event.

]]> By: foo@foo.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193966 foo@foo.com Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:50:41 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193966 Gina is such a honey Gina is such a honey

]]> By: Fort Myers Photographer http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193841 Fort Myers Photographer Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:19:56 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193841 No chance at all... it is worth that... No chance at all… it is worth that…

]]> By: kissgoodbye http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193814 kissgoodbye Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:13:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193814 no chance this is valued at 500M...the media model around social networking is poor...and the ability to charge fees is l/t questionable..with no media model...who is the buyer? congrats to gina however...big win for her..hope she took some $$$ out in the deal no chance this is valued at 500M…the media model around social networking is poor…and the ability to charge fees is l/t questionable..with no media model…who is the buyer? congrats to gina however…big win for her..hope she took some $$$ out in the deal

]]> By: Venture Slowing Down http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193783 Venture Slowing Down Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:06:27 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193783 [...] the worn-out sneakers of an entrepreneur? I would try and do what Mark Andreessen did with Ning and raise more money than I need to weather the coming slowdown. Giving up a bit more equity in this environment makes sense in [...] […] the worn-out sneakers of an entrepreneur? I would try and do what Mark Andreessen did with Ning and raise more money than I need to weather the coming slowdown. Giving up a bit more equity in this environment makes sense in […]

]]> By: whoopie http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193718 whoopie Sat, 19 Apr 2008 04:47:27 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193718 1000 new social networks per day? 230,000 in use? UH, OKAY now screen out networks with more than one user, and now screen out those that have had activity at least six times in the last month. what are we down to now? 500? 100? who are the IDIOTS funding this stuff? and furthermore, who are the IDIOTS funding the IDIOTS? 1000 new social networks per day?

230,000 in use?

UH, OKAY

now screen out networks with more than one user, and now screen out those that have had activity at least six times in the last month.

what are we down to now? 500? 100?

who are the IDIOTS funding this stuff? and furthermore, who are the IDIOTS funding the IDIOTS?

]]> By: James http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193572 James Sat, 19 Apr 2008 03:51:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/04/18/ning-worth-half-a-billion-dollars/#comment-2193572 Andreessen is smart. That being said, there is a big cashout portion to the $60 MM. He's just taking cash off the table. That being said, why reveal your valuation Marc? If you're investors want to stay private is it because the valuation is so insane that they don't want their Limited Partners to think they are idiots? Well no, they have to disclose to their LPs anyway so why? I guess why not? Andreessen is smart. That being said, there is a big cashout portion to the $60 MM. He’s just taking cash off the table.

That being said, why reveal your valuation Marc? If you’re investors want to stay private is it because the valuation is so insane that they don’t want their Limited Partners to think they are idiots? Well no, they have to disclose to their LPs anyway so why? I guess why not?

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