Broadvision sets out ecommerce network initiative

NEWS Ecommerce application company, Broadvision, today outlined the details of its Broadvision E-Everything E-Everywhere (BE4) network, an initiative designed to get ebusinesses to market faster. The software firm is aiming to attract both established companies and ecommerce start-ups by promising quicker implementation and a range of partners to support the move online. Michael Kennedy, Broadvision's VP for global strategic alliances, said the company aims to be "the SAP of the Internet". "With a team from our BE4 partners, we support definition, design, development and deployment," he said, "we can get projects to market in 60 to 90 days." BE4's partners include design and consulting company, Syzygy, and data management specialists, Exodus and IS Solutions. Rakesh Gandhi, chairman and CEO of E-Exchange, a Broadvision customer, claimed BE4 is a model for the future of the Internet economy. "Speed to market is everything - and the best way is through mutually beneficial partnerships. The underlying technology certainly isn't cheap but luckily Broadvision are open to creative solutions," he said. Broadvision is also offering a pool of investment capital as an added incentive to Internet start-ups. According to Perry Thorndyke, head of Broadvision's business development team, companies will be eligible for between $250,000 and $500,000 in either first- or second-round financing. But he added that applicants would already need to be a Broadvision customer before they could become eligible for funding.