Etelos

Etelos, founded in 1999 by Danny Kolke, operated as a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) provider, focusing on the development and distribution of browser-based applications. The company, which is now deadpooled, was established to simplify the backend complexities for developers, handling aspects like marketing, billing, account management, and usage tracking. Kolke, a technology entrepreneur with a long history in SaaS, served in various leadership roles including CEO and CTO during his 16 years with the company. His technical vision led to the creation of the English Application Scripting Engine (EASE), a proprietary programming language designed to allow for the creation of web applications using conversational English.

The company's core offerings included the Etelos Development Environment for building custom applications and the Etelos Marketplace. This marketplace served as a hub for developers to license, distribute, and host their applications, while businesses could find customizable, on-demand software solutions. Etelos targeted developers of SaaS extensions and enterprise users, providing solutions for sales force automation, project management, and various office applications. The business model provided developers with multiple billing options, including ad-supported free versions, per-user fees, or usage-based pricing. The company also developed its own applications, such as Etelos CRM and Etelos Projects, which were integrated with Google Apps. One of its notable achievements was gaining recognition for its CRM for Google, a web-based contact management application.

Etelos went public through a reverse merger with the defunct Tripath Technology in 2008, a move intended to provide capital to expand its marketplace ecosystem. The company raised funds over several rounds, including a final post-IPO round in May 2012. Throughout its history, Etelos aimed to provide a platform-agnostic distribution environment with features like on-demand licensing and the ability for applications to run both online and offline. After his time at Etelos, which later evolved into Cloudward, founder Danny Kolke pursued his passion for music and is now known as a jazz musician and composer.

Keywords: Etelos, platform-as-a-service, PaaS, Danny Kolke, SaaS marketplace, web application development, browser-based applications, Etelos CRM, EASE, English Application Scripting Language, on-demand applications, application distribution, developer tools, cloud development, software-as-a-service, application hosting, reverse merger, Tripath Technology, Cloudward, Google Apps integration, CRM for Google, developer ecosystem