Ibeatyou

Ibeatyou emerged in 2007 as an online platform centered on user-generated competitions. Founded by Abdul Azeez Khan and Bong Dug Koh, with involvement from figures like Baron Davis and Cash Warren, the company was situated in the burgeoning social media landscape, headquartered in Santa Monica, United States. The venture secured $1 million in an angel funding round on March 24, 2008, with participation from investors including Prism Venture Partners and Launchpad LA.

The core business revolved around a multimedia contest platform where users could initiate and participate in challenges using photos, videos, or text. The platform allowed content uploads directly or via YouTube, and winners were determined by community votes, fostering a socially interactive environment. This model attracted not only individual users but also provided a channel for celebrities and brands to engage with consumers by hosting sponsored contests. Key features included photo galleries and editing tools to enhance user submissions for competitions.

From a market perspective, Ibeatyou operated within the competitive space of online content sharing and social engagement, with contemporaries like Instagram and Flickr. Its business strategy focused on community-driven content and the appeal of direct competition. The company's trajectory included a key development in 2010 when it was acquired by OVGuide. The Ibeatyou team was instrumental in redesigning the OVGuide platform. Subsequently, in 2011, Photobucket acquired the full stock of Ibeatyou from OVGuide, marking another significant transition for the company.

Keywords: online competitions, user-generated content, video contests, photo sharing platform, social engagement, brand contests, celebrity contests, community voting, Abdul Azeez Khan, Bong Dug Koh, OVGuide acquisition, Photobucket acquisition, Prism Venture Partners, Launchpad LA, social contest site