Betaworks

On the Internet, broadcast communication is giving way to “social distribution,” in which email, SMS, instant messaging, Twitter, and Facebook together now rival traditional media in their power to drive audience. 

Betaworks is the first diversified media company to focus on social distribution. Founded in 2007, it both creates new businesses and acquires equity stakes in startups. Together, these businesses form a loosely coupled network in which each company benefits from its association with the others. Betaworks profits by investing within its area of focus, minimizing its transaction costs and other sources of friction, and providing the network with “connective tissue” that helps each company succeed.