TeeBeeDee Closes $4.8 Million in Series A Funding
Led by Shasta Ventures

Experience Network Encourages Members Age 40+ to
Learn, Exchange Insights, and Connect with Each Other

 

SAN FRANCISCO, California – August 7, 2007 – TeeBeeDee Inc.
(www.tbd.com), an online experience network for those 40+, announced today $4.8 million in Series A funding, led by Shasta Ventures and joined by Monitor Ventures. Previously the company had been backed by individuals , including noted investors Ron Conway and David Nierenberg; Jan Brandt, former vice chair and chief marketing o fficer of AOL; Jim Hornthal, founder of Preview Travel and former vice chairman of Travelocity.com; Ruth Owades, founder of Calyx & Corolla and Gardener's Eden; and Bill Sahlman, senior associate dean of Harvard Business School. The site is currently in preview mode, with plans for a
consumer launch in September.

“Funding TeeBeeDee mirrored the way our site actually works – a terrific network of investors formed our financial base. This allowed us to create a site that enables individuals to connect with each other and exchange experiences.  We’re so pleased to have partners in TeeBeeDee who appreciate our fundamental belief: that midlife is a time for growth and provides a great starting line for whatever you want to make of the next phase, personally and professionally,” stated Robin Wolaner, Founder and CEO.   “I’ve known Tod Francis of Shasta, and Teymour Boutros-Ghali of Monitor Ventures, as well as several of our angel investors, since I was a beginning entrepreneur. It’s great to have them onboard for an experienced startup.  And I’m thrilled to have my former colleague , Shelby Bonnie, cofounder of CNET Networks, join the board.

The people backing TeeBeeDee are the embodiment of our tagline: Sharing Experience to Thrive.” “Robin is an innovator, and her strengths include building strong media properties; as evidenced by her experience at CNET, Sunset Publishing and Parenting. We believe the vision of TeeBeeDee to build the experience network is particularly powerful as the web enables a new way for consumers to learn from each other,” stated Tod Francis, Managing Director, Shasta Ventures.

About Shasta Ventures (www.shastaventures.com):
Shasta Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on helping build technology enabled companies that offer unique products and services to their customers.  Shasta Ventures is located in Menlo Park, CA and manages over $200 million.  Tod Francis is one of the founders of Shasta Ventures and serves on the board of TeeBeeDee. Mr. Francis has over 20 years experience with consumer companies and has invested previously in many consumer internet businesses such as Blue Nile, BabyCenter, WeddingChannel, LoopNet and LogoWorks.

About Monitor Ventures (www.monitorventures.com)
Monitor Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm, which partners with exceptional entrepreneurs to commercialize technology into world-class products and services. The firm leverages the investment, operating, and entrepreneurial experience of its partners and its privileged access to the resources of the Monitor Group (www.monitor.com) to accelerate portfolio company paths to customers, capital, and profitability.

About TeeBeeDee (www.tbd.com):
TeeBeeDee is an experience network providing a platform for those 40+ to learn, exchange information, and connect with each other. The website (www.tbd.com) includes features such as discussions, questions and answers, member profiles, and more. The company was started by Robin Wolaner, an entrepreneur who is the founder of Parenting Magazine, former executive of CNET Networks, and author of Naked in the Boardroom: A CEO Bares Her Secrets So You Can Transform Your Career (Simon & Schuster, 2005). The name TeeBeeDee is a derivative of the acronym for “to be determined,” suggesting that the next phase of life is full of opportunity. The site is currently in preview mode and plans a fullscale consumer launch in September 2007. More information is available at www.tbd.com.