bubble - Internet Marketing News and Blogs

Tickle, a " leading interpersonal media company, providing self-discovery, and social networking services to more than 17 million active members in its community worldwide ," has an interesting history.

Founded in 1999, it survived Bubble 1.0, turned a profit in 2002 and was acquired by Monster in 2004 for a combination of cash, stock and earn-outs.

Research by Ernst & Young has found that the volume of cash invested in venture capital globally has reached the highest levels for four years, which may prompt some folk to talk about dotcom bubbles once again.

Worldwide, VC investment is predicted to top $32 billion, which would make 2006 the highest year for VC investment since 2002, when the global figure was $51.22 billion. In the first three quarters of 2006, $25.39 billion in venture capital was invested.

Speaking to journalists in Belgium last week, Bill Gates warned against the rush to new web-based software service, and compared this to the doomed 1990s internet bubble.

Google's deal to pay $1.65 billion in stock for YouTube, an online video company that has yet to turn a profit, has led some commentators to revive talk of an internet bubble.

We've always stopped short of calling it a bubble, for a number of reasons, but certain recent funding rounds are making us reconsider our stance...

There are some sure signs that we’re not in a bubble, despite some of the big money being hosed at disruptive startups such as Zillow and Jobster.

However, as the pictures below prove, there are some signs that we are witnessing another – ahem – wave of dotcom madness. Notably, the hiring of powerboats…