Client

Wading Pool Corporation

Project Name

HomeTownStart Network

Amount

$275,000

Description

HomeTownStart is a network of localized Internet "start portals", designed to provide local content, such as news, weather, sports and local events, which will give the Internet user a localized and informative home page from which to begin, or "launch" his Internet session. For a complete introduction to HomeTownStart Network, click on the link below:

The HomeTownStart Network
Product Line

The company has acquired "start" domain names for 34 of the top 50 major U.S. media markets, and will develop a unique web site for each location. The flagship site, TampaBayStart.com, has been operational for over a year, and receives well in excess of 100,000 hits per month. This site traffic to date has been generated with little or no advertising or promotional expenditures. With even a moderate advertising budget, it is projected that this site could achieve over 1,000,000 hits per month within a 90 day period. Using this site as a model, The HomeTownStart Network could reach an average of 1.2 million visitors every day within the next 12 months. The Tampa Bay Area ranks as the 14th largest media market in the US as of January 1, 1999, and represents 1.472% of the total US share. This prototype site has demonstrated that there is an unfulfilled demand for locations specific launch portals that are as informative and convenient as a local TV newscast or the morning newspaper. Like the TampaBayStart.com, these new sites will be location specific internet portals, providing local content that is updated daily and tailored for each individual market. Along with TampaBayStart, PortlandStart is up and running, and BuffaloStart will be the next site to be developed in the network. The link below is to TampaBayStart, the Network's premier portal site.

Trends

One of the more far reaching and interesting trends for the future of the Internet comes from the automobile Industry. Both Ford and General Motors have announced that they will provide Internet capable cars starting with high end models in 2000. What better way to provide local Internet content for car owners than to bundle HomeTownStart Networks into each new car sold? Wading Pool will pursue this aggressively.

Management

Adrian Wyllie, Founder and CEO of wading Pool Corporation has years of experience in HTML code writing, site design and development, and Internet related endeavors.

Revenues

Although the company is only two years old, there has been some revenue generated by advertising on the HomeTownStart Network, as well as fees generated from web site design, development and maintenance. National accounts can be added when all portals are completed.

Use of Proceeds

Portal development 36 @ $3,000 each	$108,000
Salaries	$120,000
Capitalization	$47,000
Total	$275,000