Vice President of Marketing
San Francisco - CA United States
The big idea: In 25 words or less, please tell us how this Fast 50 Nominee is helping to address the planet's problems.
SynthaSite is at the forefront of the Web 2.0 movement today, empowering everyday users and small businesses to easily create a free professional quality Web site.
Please describe how this nominee is using business as a force of positive change. What technology, idea, or strategy is the nominee using -- and what problem, such as global warming, poverty, or pollution, does it address? (suggested length: 100 words)
SynthaSite is forcing positive changes as it enables anyone with access to the Internet, including kids, retirees, etc., the ability to easily create and own a Web site for free. SynthaSite has quickly established itself as the leader in the build-your-own-Web-site ecosystem. Its goal is to help users of all skill levels build Web sites that cater to their needs – whether it’s a neighborhood Thai restaurant creating a site that reflects its spicy atmosphere, senior citizens designing pages devoted to their grandchildren, kids learning about technology by helping create a page for a school project, or teachers sharing their worksheets with colleagues.
With SynthaSite’s easy-to-use interface, it’s a snap for average Joes to build a great-looking Web site in minutes; its various templates and drag-and-drop feature ensures users a pleasant and unique Web building experience. For example, a teacher at a private school that serves many senior retirement communities recently told SynthaSite that the free and easy-to-use site has not only helped his fellow retirees learn to create their own Web sites without the concern of cost and feeling of being overwhelmed but has also been a fun activity that keeps them engaged and learning. SynthaSite’s free Web site creation tool is encouraging profound social change on the way everyday people communicate and connect.
SynthaSite is also meeting the needs of the small business community. In today’s world, a company’s presence online is critical. Yet some experts estimate less than 72 percent of small businesses have a Web site. SynthaSite is enabling these small businesses that lack the resources of large corporations to develop high-quality professional Web sites.
Moving forward, SynthaSite CEO Vinny Lingham envisions the industry will continue to evolve and move toward user-generated eCommerce which he calls “We-Commerce” where consumers can interact and trade with each other using their own personal Web sites. It’s the next step of the current paradigm of just User Generated Content. With a tighter integration of social networking tools such as Google’s Friend Connect and Facebook Connect, it is not only possible, but also natural for everyone who has their own Web site to make it a place for content-sharing, collaboration and commerce.
What are the results, both financial and social? How has the nominee's business performed, and what impact has it had on the problem it addresses? (suggested length: 100 words)
Seeing the tremendous growth opportunities in the U.S. market, CEO Vinny Lingham and his team have recently made their way to Silicon Valley with a goal of building a strong presence in America to tap into users and small businesses who want an easy way to create their Web sites. The company has already raised more than $5 million in venture capital funding.
SynthaSite has grown into a popular resource with a variety of users across many demographics. It has garnered raving reviews from TechCrunch and Network World and is making a splash in the blogosphere, with positive feedback from numerous bloggers and user communities.
