Tycoons Row

“Live Free or Die” isn’t just the official motto for New Hampshire (adopted in 1945), this slogan also relates  to online start-ups in the information age.  Today, I am finding many services offering “Free” services, whether it be content, a software application, program, etc.  Just recently, HotorNot decided to give up $10,000 per month from their subscribers to let “Free” reign.  Charles Cooper, Executive editor for CNet writes about how “Free” has been discredited, and how free services won’t last.  Well, I recently came across one company who understands that “Free” is an internet goldmine.
“Free Stuff Provider” Xacti, a South Florida based company founded in 2000, creates & markets software applications to provide the best user experience possible.  The great thing about these applications, they build & give them away!  You may ask how this company makes money by giving away free software, what do they have to show for it.  Xacti currently has Corporate headquarters in Boca Raton, Florida, another office in Ft. Lauderdale, a R&D center in the Czech Republic, and 24/7 services with a 300 plus man-power telemarketing group in India.  With an organization and resource platform in place, and the generation of daily profits, I think they are doing something right.

Founder & CEO, Robert Oesterlund, knew what could be done online, and didn’t get bit by the dotcom bust, but took on the concept of building businesses under the helm of Xacti.  Revenues are generated through search advertising methods and click-through listings.

As Xacti has grown, they also B2B services as well as consumer services.  Some business services such as graphic design, marketing, legal & business development, office space, and strategic business services.  Just think, it all started with free.

Currently, Xacti has two platforms of services: 1.) Software Applications & 2.) Subscriptions based services.  The following are some of their software applications:

Get a myriad of free screensavers, free online games, ecards & more.  I tested out some of the games & they live up to their name.  They have flash based games that all you have to do is click play, load it up, and get your gaming action on.  Unlike some other flashbased gaming sites, the graphics are great, the gaming sounds are classic, and they definitely can appeal to the young as well as older demographic.
For parents who want to ensure their kids have a safe surfing environment, theres Crawler Parental Control software which you can download for free.  You can restrict access to folders online as well as within your computer programs folders, in addition to setting limiting the time your child spends on the computer.  The biggest piece, it also controls malware that may be on your system.

 

Free real-time spy protection software.  Now, Norton doesn’t offer that on a yearly basis

With this free service, you can get free traffic & weather info, and it can be delivered directly onto your desktop.

I think Xacti is definitely a company to look out for.  The key would be expanding into widgets & applications that can be shared.  These applications are for individual use, but now with community sites & portals, I think there is definitely opportunity for innovation.