SMS Guru answers every question which is sent per text message to 37000, regardless whether the question deals with knowledge, sports, lifestyle, party or travel. An expert team researches every topic and sends the answer to the customers mobile in a few minutes. The business model based on SMS revenues and the founding team around Frederik Fleck, a pioneer of successful interactive business concepts in Europe, has convinced Wellington Partners as well as some well-known business angels like Christiane zu Salm, board member of German publisher Hubert Burda Media, to invest in SMS Guru.
Frederik Fleck’s Portfolio: SMS Guru GmbH
August 28, 2008Frederik Fleck’s Portfolio: Online Advertising Solutions Ltd.
August 28, 2008Online Advertising Solutions Ltd. is delivering video ad solutions:
Captain Ad is the premier ad network for “longtail videos”. Captain Ad allows every publisher to monetize embedded video content from any of the big video networks on his own website. To use Captain Ad a publishers only has to register online at www.CaptainAd.com and integrate a simple javascript. Captain Ad then delivers ads on top of the video content and pays the publisher on a CPM basis. Currently about 2.000 websites are registered with Captain Ad.
SpotRails is an ad serving platform and an ad network for video- and widget-ads. SpotRails offers publishers an ad player that does the placement, targeting, delivery and monitoring of the ads into the content. Publishers can choose between a video player with an integrated ad player and an ad player for easy integration into their own video player or widget. Advertisers get easy and quick access to the combined ad inventory via www.SpotRails.com and can book their (video) ad campaigns centrally.
Frederik Fleck is an early business angel investor in the company.
Frederik Fleck’s Portfolio: Talentrun GmbH
August 28, 2008
TalentRun is a karaoke media service provider that runs Germany’s first online karaoke.
Ever since the success of TV shows like “Deutschland sucht den Superstar” (the equivalent for “American Idol”) or “Popstars” (the equivalent for “Making the band”) and the high demand for Sony’s PlayStation game “SingStar”, karaoke has become a mega- trend. The idea of users singing karaoke online first came up in Asia and the US in 2006. In summer 2007, Dirk Wischnewski and Matthias Krause, both longstanding karaoke fans themselves, decided to realize such a concept for the German market.
Having overcome the challenges in royalty law, the online karaoke portal TalentRun was launched in January 2008 and has been offering free karaoke for everyone ever since. No matter if you’re home alone in your living room or at a party with friends – singing enthusiasts just choose their favorite song and can then sing along to the music, while the lyrics are displayed on the screen. You can even record your own individual version of the song! After that, you can release your song within the TalentRun community, according to the come-and-participate concept of Web 2.0 or prove your talent in a contest, just as you would at a casting, while other users comment on your recording.
Frederik Fleck is an early business angel investor in Talentrun.
Frederik Fleck’s Portfolio: Ostrich Media Ltd. (Exit 2007)
August 28, 2008
Ostrich Media pioneered Call TV in the UK by completing the first test of the format in late 2004 on the Entertainment Channel E4. In May 2005, Ostrich Media was formally established and commenced broadcasting the interactive Call TV show, Quiz Call. Until October 2006, it was majority owned by 4Ventures Limited, which is a subsidiary of the public-service commercial broadcaster Channel 4 Television Corporation. The company was subsequently bought out in a MBO. Since then Ostrich Media’s operations it has successfully expanded into Spain, Portugal, South Africa and China. To date, over £10m in prize money has been given away to over 50,000 winners and the company retains the record for the biggest Call TV jackpot in history of £1m.
The company was acquired in 2007 by Buongiorno.
Frederik Fleck founded Ostrich Media and served as its Managing Director until the end of his earn-out in March 2008.
Frederik Fleck’s Portfolio: Questico AG
August 27, 2008
Questico is the leading European multimedia group in TV, internet and print media for services, content management and life advice through astrology, horoscopes and tarot card reading. It began in 2000 as a portal for those seeking advice and expert advisors. The esoteric market in Europe was already booming by 2004 and with it the number of inquiries in this field received by the advice portal, which gave rise to the specialisation in this area. The service has since been used by millions of customers. In 2006, Questico won a Deloitte Fast 50 award: Questico was among the top 10 fastest growing companies in Germany and received an award for 25th place in Fast 500 Europe. As Sylvius Bardt, spokesperson of the board of Questico AG says, “We’ve built up the market and professionalised it. We provide a service which is geared to the customer’s interests and customer feedback. We also maintain transparency in all areas: real names for advisors and a service which is clear and comprehensibly laid out. If a customer is not satisfied, their money is refunded to them. Our customers very much appreciate this about us: the right conditions and content.”
Frederik Fleck was responsible for business development and implemented Questico’s TV strategy.
My Bio as published by FORTUNE
August 9, 2008
Frederik Fleck is a European serial entrepreneur. His latest venture is SMS Guru, a mobile search entity that uses popular text messaging services and can be accessed from any mobile phone. In 2005 Mr. Fleck founded Ostrich Media, an interactive quiz TV production company that he built into an international organization operating in five countries. Ostrich Media has been acquired in 2007 by Buongiorno. Previously Mr. Fleck was part of the senior management team of 9Live interactive TV, where he was responsible for the Strategic Marketing Division. In 2005, Germany’s largest TV group ProSiebenSat.1 acquired 9Live. Mr. Fleck began his career as part of a startup team that developed the Berlin-based expert advice platform Questico. He was responsible for business development and implemented Quetico’s TV strategy. Mr. Fleck also invests in businesses. His portfolio includes the leading German online karaoke platform, an online video advertising network, and a rapidly growing entertainment auction site.
