W3i

W3i, LLC, a privately held company in St. Cloud, Minnesota, is an application network that increases revenue, distribution and engagement for Windows and browser consumer applications. W3i uses a network approach combining the demand for free and trial applications monetized by the distribution of relevant applications when the consumer is in the installation mindset.

History

Originally founded in 2000 under the name Freeze.com (now owned and operated), the three Weber brothers (Aaron, Robert and Ryan) set out to create a business model to fund the pent-up demand for free consumer applications, including screensavers, games, etc. In August, 2003, Freeze.com purchased Screensaver.com from Rhode Island Soft Systems. In 2005, Alta Communications partnered with W3i's management team to facilitate a recapitalization of the Company and support its future growth.

Freeze.com changed its name to W3i in 2007 to reflect an evolution of its application business. Other application publishers and marketers learned of the success of the W3i application recommendation model, and started asking if W3i would make its solutions available to them. In 2008 the W3i Application Network was launched as a network of application publishers, advertisers, and consumers brought together during the installation of applications using a proprietary installation manager, InstallIQ. In May, 2008, InstallIQ became the first, ad-supported installation manager to achieve TRUSTe certification. Since inception W3i has installed over 300 million applications.

In July 2009 W3i introduced 3quency, a toolbar platform that simplifies the building of complex toolbars to increase consumer engagement.

See also

• Rhode Island Soft Systems
• Alta Communications

External links

• W3i.com - Company Web Site
• Freeze.com - Owned-and-Operated Web Site
• Screensaver.com - Owned-and-Operated Web Site
• Wallpapers.com - Owned-and-Operated Web Site