Spiceworks
SpiceWorks 5.0 on the "Dashboard" screen | |
Private | |
Industry | Computer software |
Founded | 2006 |
Headquarters | Austin, Texas, United States |
Products | Spiceworks IT Desktop |
Website |
www |
Spiceworks is a professional network for the information technology (IT) industry that is headquartered in Austin, Texas.[1][2][3] The company was founded in January 2006 by Scott Abel, Jay Hallberg, Greg Kattawar, and Francis Sullivan to build IT management software.[2][4]
Spiceworks is an online community where users can collaborate and seek advice from one another, and also engage in a marketplace to purchase IT-related services and products.[5] The network is estimated to be used by more than six million IT professionals and 3,000 technology vendors.[6]
The company's free proprietary software is written in Ruby on Rails,[7] and runs exclusively on Microsoft Windows.[8] The software discovers IP-addressable devices and includes help desk functionality and an integrated knowledge base.[9]
History
The company was formed in January 2006 by Scott Abel, Jay Hallberg, Greg Kattawar and Francis Sullivan,[3] former executives at Motive, an Austin-based broadband and data management company that was acquired by Alcatel-Lucent in 2008.[4][10][11]
The company received $5 million in series A funding from Austin Ventures in June 2006.[12] Spiceworks' series B funding round was completed in August 2007 and included $8 million from Shasta Ventures and Austin Ventures.[13] The company's $18 million series C funding round in January 2010 was headed by Institutional Venture Partners.[14] In April 2011, Spiceworks received $25 million in series D funding from Adams Street Partners and Tenaya Capital[15] and a 2014 series E financing round worth $57 million led by Goldman Sachs.[5]
In July 2006, it released a public beta.[12] The 1.0 version of Spiceworks was released in November 2006.[16] It focussed on simplifying the process of taking inventory, monitoring networks, and generating reports for IT professionals at small and medium-sized businesses.[4][12] By the end of its first year, Spiceworks had 120,000 users.[17]
The company released the 2.0 version of its software in December 2007.[18] Subsequent versions followed, leading up to version 7.0 in 2013.[19] The company released a free network monitor product in December 2014.[20]
In 2012, it opened its European headquarters in London, England.[21]
The company celebrated its tenth anniversary in January 2016 and announced plans to add 100 additional employees during the year.[22] However, those plans were changed and in June 2016 the company announced that it was laying off approximately 12 percent of its workforce.[23] In addition to the layoffs, several employees in leadership positions at Spiceworks left the company to join former CEO Scott Abel in founding a new startup, Resly Labs.[24][25]
Business model
Spiceworks offers its professional network and software free to users.[1][11][26] The company generates most of its revenue through the sale of ads displayed on its network.[1] A small percentage of its revenue is generated through purchases of IT products and services made through the Spiceworks platform.[5] The platform also includes premium features, which are available for purchase.[5]
Conferences
Spiceworks has hosted SpiceWorld, a conference for its users, every year since 2008.[11][27] The conference was originally held at the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater.[27] The conference later moved to the AT&T Executive Education & Conference Center at the University of Texas. SpiceWorld 2013 and 2014 were held at the Austin Convention Center.[27][28] The first SpiceWorld London took place in May 2012 in Vinopolis in London's Bankside.[29]
Awards and recognition
- 2007 – PC Magazine's Editors' Choice award[30]
- 2007 – IT Solution of the Year by InnoTech Conference[31]
- 2009 – Spiceworks named InformationWeek Startup 50 Company.[32]
- 2009 – Spiceworks named “Top 10 B-to-B Web Site” by BtoB Magazine[33]
- 2010 – Spiceworks wins PCMag.com Best of 2010 Award[34]
- 2010 – Spiceworks wins six Windows IT Pro Editors’ Best and Community Choice Awards[35]
See also
- Comparison of help desk issue tracking software
- Comparison of network monitoring systems
- System administration
References
- 1 2 3 Hawkins, Lori (4 February 2014). "Austin firm gets big boost: Tech firm gets new backers". Austin American-Statesman. Austin, TX.
- 1 2 Ben Pimentel (10 February 2014). "Introducing Spiceworks: A social network for techies, IT professionals". MarketWatch. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 AMY MCCULLOUGH (3 February 2014). "Spiceworks Pioneers the Social Way to Do IT and Gets $57 Million Funding". Silicon Hills. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 Denise Dubie (21 July 2006). "Start-up offers free management tool – with a Google twist". Network World. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Eric Blattberg (3 February 2014). "Spiceworks scores $57M to reach the next 5 million IT pros". VentureBeat. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Ken Hess (September 29, 2014). "It's unanimous: The Spiceworks App Center is a hit". ZDNet. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ↑ Justin James (4 December 2006). "Spiceworks: Rapid Ruby, Customer Focus, and Starting a Company". Tech Republic.
- ↑ "Welcome to the Spiceworks Community: Spiceworks Requirements". Spiceworks.
- ↑ How the scan works "Welcome to the Spiceworks Community: Help and Documentation" Check
|url=
value (help). Spiceworks. - ↑ Klint Finley (5 November 2012). "Spiceworks Woos IT Admins With Free Everything". Wired. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 Susanna Hamner (5 March 2009). "Reaching Tech Folks on Their Turf". New York Times. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 Thomas Claburn (25 July 2006). "Spiceworks Introduces Free, Ad-Supported IT Management Software". UBM Tech, InformationWeek. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Nick Gonzalez (27 August 2007). "SpiceWorks Raises $8 Million; Google Adsense Even Supports IT Software". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Leena Rao (11 January 2010). "Spiceworks Is Becoming The Facebook For IT Managers; Raises $16 Million Series C". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Christopher Calnan (28 April 2011). "Spiceworks snags $25M to expand network". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ "Spiceworks Launches Version 1.0 of Free IT Management Software for Small and Medium Businesses". Business Wire. 6 November 2006.
- ↑ Ladendorf, Kirk (28 August 2007). "Austin firm Spiceworks raises $8 million in venture funds". Austin American-Statesman.
- ↑ "Spiceworks 2.0". Unofficial Spiceworks. December 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ "Spiceworks 7.0 Release Notes". Spiceworks. 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Adrian Bridgwater (December 17, 2014). "Spiceworks free Network Monitor system health check". Computer Weekly. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ↑ Rushton, Katherine (4 February 2014). "Facebook for IT staff' raises $57m ahead of possible IPO; Spiceworks to invest in increasing its audience from 5m users every month, before embarking on the likely flotation". Telegraph.
- ↑ lalorek. "Spiceworks Turns 10 and Plans to Add 100 Employees This Year". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ lalorek. "Spiceworks Cuts 12 Percent of its Workforce". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ Inc, Umuse. "Umuse: Making work simple again.". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ "Portfolio". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ VAUHINI VARA (27 March 2007). "Companies Tolerate Ads to Get Free Software". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 Christopher Calnan (30 October 2013). "Spiceworks' global influence on display at SpiceWorld in Austin". Austin Business Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ Susan Lahey (September 25, 2014). "SpiceWorld App Center Announced at Austin Conference". Silicon Hills. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ↑ Sophie Curtis (1 December 2011). "Spiceworks to open European headquarters in London". Tech World. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ↑ "Spiceworks 1.5". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ Spiceworks named IT Solution of the Year – AllBusiness.com
- ↑ "Spiceworks Named InformationWeek Startup 50 Company - @CloudExpo". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ Limited, Elemental Communications. "Press Releases - Spiceworks Named Top 10 B-to-B Web Site by BtoB Magazine". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ "Spiceworks Wins PCMag.com Best of 2010 Award - Business Wire". Retrieved 6 November 2016.
- ↑ "Spiceworks Wins Six Windows IT Pro Editors' Best and Community Choice Awards". Retrieved 6 November 2016.