Firefly Software

Firefly Software, legally known as Profeatable Corporation, specialized in co-browsing technology that enabled seamless, real-time collaboration by allowing users to instantly share and interact with the same web browser view. The company was founded by Dan Shipper and Justin Meltzer while they were students at the University of Pennsylvania. Their journey began in a university setting, balancing academics with entrepreneurship, a point of pride for the founders. They successfully built the company with minimal external capital, receiving only a $20,000 investment from First Round Capital's student-run Dorm Room Fund.

The business offered a distinct service in the customer support market by providing instant browser-sharing capabilities without the need for software downloads or browser plug-ins. Clients could integrate the service by adding a single snippet of code to their website's header. This simplicity was a key differentiator, making it accessible for a wide range of clients. The technology was platform-agnostic, functioning across Mac, PC, and various mobile devices, which broadened its applicability. Firefly's client base included thousands of small and medium-sized businesses, financial advisors, and at least one major U.S. retailer. A notable use case was its implementation by the state of Washington for its healthcare exchange, demonstrating its capability to handle sensitive and complex customer interactions.

The company's trajectory culminated in its acquisition by Pegasystems in June 2014 for an undisclosed amount. This strategic acquisition was aimed at integrating Firefly's co-browsing technology into Pegasystems' customer service and sales applications to enhance their customer experience offerings. Following the acquisition, the Firefly product was set to be unified with Pegasystems' platform while also continuing to be offered as a standalone solution. Co-founders Dan Shipper and Justin Meltzer, along with their team, transitioned to Pegasystems' New York City office as part of the deal.

Keywords: Firefly Software, Profeatable Corporation, co-browsing, browser sharing, customer support technology, screen sharing, Dan Shipper, Justin Meltzer, Pegasystems acquisition, Dorm Room Fund, real-time collaboration, customer engagement, no-download screen share, web-based support, financial advisor tools, healthcare exchange technology