Press Release
Google Executive, JotSpot and Excite Founder to Help OpenCandy Extend the Success of its Software Distribution and Monetization Platform
San Diego, CA – January 19, 2009 – OpenCandy, the distribution and monetization platform exclusively for consumer software providers, today announced the appointment of Joe Kraus to its Board of Directors. He will be joining Darrius Thompson, co-founder and CEO of OpenCandy and James Cham of Bessemer Ventures Partners on the Board. Mr. Kraus recently joined the Google Ventures team and had previously co-founded successful companies, such as JotSpot and Excite.
“Since joining OpenCandy as an early investor, Joe has provided invaluable wisdom that has carried a perfect balance of pragmatism and passion,” said Darrius Thompson, CEO of OpenCandy. “Joe has become a true member of our team, and we’re proud that he has joined our Board of Directors.”
Prior to joining Google Ventures, Mr. Kraus was director of product management at Google, where he oversaw the OpenSocial project, the company’s effort to develop API standards for social networking platforms. Mr. Kraus joined Google through its 2006 acquisition of JotSpot, where he was co-founder and CEO.
“Everyone talks about the ‘cloud,’ but the dirty little secret is that more and more software is being downloaded every year,” said Joe Kraus. “Given that growth, there is a real need to help users find quality software, give software advertisers efficient distribution and deliver software publishers revenue. OpenCandy is extremely well positioned on all three fronts and that’s part of the reason I joined their board.”
Before JotSpot, Mr. Kraus co-founded Excite, and was deeply involved in product strategy, direction and vision. He also held senior operation roles in business development, international development and content. After leaving Excite, Kraus co-founded Digitalconsumer.org, a non-profit consumer organization with more than 50,000 members focused on expanding consumers’ fair-user rights to digital media.
Besides OpenCandy, Mr. Kraus also serves on the board of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the world’s leading organization dedicated to advocacy for cutting-edge issues like defending free speech, privacy, innovation and consumer rights in the digital age.
Mr. Kraus graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
About OpenCandy
OpenCandy is the distribution and monetization platform exclusively for consumer software providers. The Company maximizes value for its partners by delivering compelling recommendations through an exceptional user experience. OpenCandy helps users discover useful applications by powering millions of recommendations during installation of the world’s best software every month.
OpenCandy was founded in 2008 by early and founding DivX employees. The company is privately held and funded by Bessemer Venture Partners and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures. Other investors include Joe Kraus of Google Ventures, co-founder of JotSpot and Excite, Jordan Greenhall, co-founder and former CEO of DivX, and Reid Hoffman, co-founder and Executive Chairman of LinkedIn. For more information, visit http://www.opencandy.com.
Media Contact:
Brian Merrill
fama PR
Phone: (858) 461-0217
Email: opencandy@famapr.com
Released: January 19, 2010