iPIN

Computerworld - Location: 577 Second Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, Calif. 94611
Telephone: (415) 547-2700
Web: www.ipin.com
The technology: Internet micropayments
Why it's worth watching: Appends charges to existing customer bills, like ISP fees and wireless phone bills
Company officers: Jim Justice, founder and chief adviser Bradley Rode, CEO Alexandre Gonthier, chief technology officer and vice president of product development
Employees: 50; increasing 100% per year
Milestones: 1998: Founded Fall 1999: Global payment system debuted
Burn money: Accel Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, Gil Amelio, Geneva Venture Partners
Products: E-Content Payment System
Customers: EMusic.com Inc., ArtistDirect Inc., The Orchard LLC, Mjuice.com, The Digital Music Co.
Partners: FlashNet Communications, GRIC Communications Inc., AT&T Corp.
Red flags for IT: Few ISPs and other billing services have signed on. Plus, marketing efforts are split between ISPs and merchants. There's a four-year history of consumers snubbing micropayment schemes. Is anyone besides music sites interested?

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