Hi5 is a social networking website on the internet. The company was founded in 2003 by Ramu Yalamanchi.Bill Gossman was appointed CEO in April 2009, and Alex St. John joined as President and CTO in November 2009. In early 2010, hi5 acquired social gaming company, Big Six.The company raised $20 million in series A venture capital from Mohr
Davidow Ventures, as well as $15 million in venture debt, in 2007 ,
and announced it had raised $3 million convertible note from existing
investor Mohr Davidow, bringing the funding up to $38 million.Features
In Hi5, users create an online profile in order to show information such as interests, age and hometown and upload
user pictures where users can post comments. Hi5 also allows the user
to create personal photo albums, play online games, and set up a music
player in the profile. Users can also send friend requests via e-mail
to other users. When a person receives a friend request, he may accept
or decline it, or block the user altogether. If the user accepts
another user as a friend, the two will be connected directly or in the
1st degree. The user will then appear on the person's friend list and
vice-versa.
Some users opt to make their profiles available for everyone on Hi5
to view. Other users exercise the option to make their profile viewable
only to those people who are in their network. The network of friends
consists of a user's direct friends (1st degree), the friends of those
direct friends (2nd degree) and the friends of the friends of direct
friends (3rd degree).
In early 2010, Hi5 began to evolve from a social network into a site focused on social gaming
and opened to new game developers.
Davidow Ventures, as well as $15 million in venture debt, in 2007 ,
and announced it had raised $3 million convertible note from existing
investor Mohr Davidow, bringing the funding up to $38 million.Features
In Hi5, users create an online profile in order to show information such as interests, age and hometown and upload
user pictures where users can post comments. Hi5 also allows the user
to create personal photo albums, play online games, and set up a music
player in the profile. Users can also send friend requests via e-mail
to other users. When a person receives a friend request, he may accept
or decline it, or block the user altogether. If the user accepts
another user as a friend, the two will be connected directly or in the
1st degree. The user will then appear on the person's friend list and
vice-versa.
Some users opt to make their profiles available for everyone on Hi5
to view. Other users exercise the option to make their profile viewable
only to those people who are in their network. The network of friends
consists of a user's direct friends (1st degree), the friends of those
direct friends (2nd degree) and the friends of the friends of direct
friends (3rd degree).
In early 2010, Hi5 began to evolve from a social network into a site focused on social gaming
and opened to new game developers.
