Gregory Fitzgerald
Austin, TX (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
DisplayPoints, Inc.
Find More Startups
Startup
Location:
Austin
Industry:
Media
Year Founded:
2006
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Description:
DisplayPoints ((URL removed)), is currently building and operating the world's first and largest interactive push media network. This network offers unparalleled reach to highly valuable target audiences in venues where they are captive, out-of-home, and ready and willing to spend money. Without the drawbacks of conventional web browsers (lock content in the PC and block ads); mobile devices (require deliberate pull interaction), or DVRs (allow ad-skipping), the DisplayPoints network extends the web into the real world by putting highly interactive touch-screen “browsers” on tabletops at restaurants and other appropriate venues, where advertising, informational, and entertainment content is both wanted and free from blocking.
DisplayPoints primary distribution is through national and large regional casual restaurant chains. The growth plan the company is currently executing will deploy to nearly 500 restaurant locations in the Top 20 DMA markets by the end of 2009. DisplayPoints is the first company to positively identify this market and recognize its staggering size and potential. The company is well positioned to build on its past success and leverage its first-mover advantage: securing several large national restaurant chains will result in DisplayPoints owning long-term contracts to a number of “eyeballs” that is roughly half what Google has today.
DisplayPoints has already achieved significant market traction with both restaurant chains (and other potential venues) and advertisers: The company has 86 Hooters and Hal Smith Restaurant Group (HSRG, Inc.) locations under agreement for deployment (another 120 pending), with significant negotiations underway for additional brands including IHOP, Harrah's Casinos, Chuck E Cheese's, and many others. Current paying advertisers include Diageo (the world's largest beer, wine and spirits company), MillerCoors, and Dr. Pepper-Snapple, as well as significant negotiations underway with several other leading national brands, including non-beverage companies.
DisplayPoints is seeking investment to help the company continue to leverage its first-mover advantage, preferably with deep ties into the consumer advertising industries and/or the consumer venue industries to capitalize on this opportunity. The invested capital will enable completion of engineering and outsourced manufacturing for the company's high-volume, lower-cost “Generation III” display and network, fund sales and marketing, and develop field operations infrastructure. Additional financing for future growth is anticipated, with both debt and equity financing models being evaluated for these future needs.