January 12, 2009, Mountain View, Calif. — Goodmail Systems, the creator of CertifiedEmail™, the industry’s standard class of trusted email, today announced that it has received $4 million in funding from Omidyar Network as part of a $5 million second closing of a funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners. This brings the total investment in this round to $25 million. The new funding will enable Goodmail to further enhance its core product, CertifiedEmail, so that non-spam messages with multimedia and active content can be delivered and opened with complete security.
“We’re excited that Goodmail is Omidyar Network’s first investment related to our recently added focus on trust, reputation and identity,” said Matt Halprin, partner, Omidyar Network. “Goodmail stands out in a crowded field of companies looking to take the security risks like phishing scams, malware and viruses out of email communication. By supporting companies that help foster trust online, Omidyar Network hopes to encourage increased engagement in online platforms.”
Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm that was started by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife, Pam. In addition to capital, Omidyar Network will also support Goodmail with expertise related to building trust online. Matt Halprin, partner at Omidyar Network, will join the Goodmail board of directors. Halprin previously held the role of vice president of Global Trust and Safety for eBay, where he was responsible for minimizing fraud and other trust-reducing behavior while increasing marketplace revenue.
Goodmail CertifiedEmail™ provides the only reliable way for consumers to identify authentic messages from legitimate commercial and non-profit senders from whom they have asked to receive email. CertifiedEmail messages are marked with a blue ribbon icon that consumers can easily recognize. Available only to senders with the best email practices and consumer reputation, CertifiedEmail assures delivery of all messages to the inbox, and provides a rich experience for consumers by keeping all links and images enabled.
“Even during this challenging financial environment, it’s clear that Goodmail’s business model is a winning formula,” said Goodmail CEO Peter Horan. “The funding Omidyar Network has provided along with the firm’s high level of expertise in online consumer trust, reputation and identity issues will certainly help to strengthen the Goodmail brand.”
About Goodmail Systems
Goodmail Systems makes CertifiedEmail™, the industry standard class of trusted email. CertifiedEmail provides a safe and reliable means for consumers to easily identify authentic email messages from legitimate commercial and nonprofit email senders. Each CertifiedEmail is sent with a cryptographically secure token that assures authenticity, and is marked in the inbox with a unique blue ribbon envelope icon, enabling consumers to visually distinguish email messages which are real and sent from email senders with whom they have a pre-existing relationship. Available to email senders meeting strict standards for best practices and low complaint rates, it is the only class of email available that assures delivery of all opt-in email messages to the inbox, with links and images automatically rendered intact, yielding measurable improvements in email campaign effectiveness. CertifiedEmail has been adopted by seven of the nation’s top ten email mailbox providers, and is in use by 500 commercial, government and non-profit senders. It is supported in North America and Europe by a wide network of email platforms and service providers. For more information, go to www.goodmailsystems.com (businesses) or www.certifiedemail.net (consumers).
About Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a philanthropic investment firm committed to creating opportunity for people. Established by Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay, and his wife Pam, Omidyar Network supports nonprofit and for-profit efforts that enable people around the world to improve their lives and make powerful contributions to their communities. Since 2004, Omidyar Network has funded a number of organizations in areas such as microfinance, social media, and government transparency. To learn more about Omidyar Network, please visit www.omidyar.net.