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SME Global Solutions Creates a Splash in Local Online Advertising Pool With WebVisible(TM) and $5 Million in Redpoint Series A Financing; Tier 1 VC Firm Redpoint Ventures Invests in Growing Local Search Leader

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 September 2005, 12:00 CDT

SME Global Solutions, the leading provider of local online advertising products and services, announces it has received $5 million in Series A financing from Redpoint Ventures. SME Global Solutions will use the funding to grow a concentrated local advertising service, WebVisible, to exclusively serve its growing list of local market customers and partnerships, including Dex Media, BellSouth, Verizon, Yellowpages.com, Knight Ridder, Interland, The Berry Company and others.

With WebVisible, SME Global Solutions will continue to provide products and services that make online advertising easily available and manageable to millions of local merchants across the country through traditional local advertising sales channels, such as Yellow Pages publishers and newspapers.

"Their WebVisible service is defining the local search market by providing the best solutions for bringing local advertisers to the Web," said Redpoint Principal Greg Martin. "With experienced management, great technology and a unique business model, they're poised for tremendous growth in this rapidly expanding market."

"This round of financing will help us meet the furious demand for local online advertising services and we're thrilled to be working with such a high-quality investment team as Redpoint," said Kirsten Mangers, co-founder and CEO of SME Global Solutions. "The emergence of our WebVisible service is a sign of the times and an endorsement of the local business mindset that we've adopted to serve our customers."

As a result of the financing, Brad Jones and Greg Martin of Redpoint will be joining the board of directors.

About WebVisible(TM)

WebVisible's local advertising products and services, sold by the local ad sales professionals of Yellow Pages, newspapers and online marketers, bring visibility to millions of local business Web sites that would otherwise be lost in a vast Internet landscape. The WebVisible service suite includes local search, locally targeted banner advertising, eCRM, and click-to-call services. In addition, the WebVisible service provides a Web-based proprietary order entry and campaign reporting application, affording easy self-management of order input, processing and reporting.

The service supports local resellers with sales training, product positioning and merchandising to increase reseller's product line, revenue, and consumer loyalty.

A service of SME Global Solutions (incorporated in September 2001), WebVisible evolved in 2005 as a collective of local market professionals with more than 150 years experience in local market advertising and product development. The service is sold by Fortune 500 companies including Bell Operating Companies, newspaper publishers and ISPs worldwide.

SME Global Solutions Inc. is a privately held company with funding from Redpoint Ventures.

WebVisible, a service of SME Global Solutions Inc., has headquarters in Irvine with offices in Atlanta.

For more information, please visit www.webvisible.com or call 949-502-5757.

About Redpoint Ventures

Redpoint Ventures was founded in 1999 by partners from two of the top firms in the venture capital industry. The firm is focused on funding innovative companies that have the potential to define, lead, and change industries. Redpoint partners have many years of experience and success in technology investing; combined with this foundation, the firm is able to leverage a thriving network of entrepreneurs, partners, and industry experts to accelerate building the market-leading companies. Redpoint (www.redpoint.com) has headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., with offices in Los Angeles.

Source: Business Wire

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