Master Skype mashup king Hans Blaauw has built a when2date, a dating site that integrates Skype and Rapleaf, a reputation management system I’m familiar with due to their partner status with Opinity, an identity management service provider I’m advising.
Rapleaf has also announced Rapleaf for Skype, a plug-in that embeds your reputation score into Skype. Useful if you want to know more about the person you are speaking with.
The focus on rate-a-date sites has been heating up in 06. The reason I know this is because investors have been contacting me to find out more about various sites.
Even though Rapleaf is not focused on dating, I have a feeling they are going to run away with the reputation market, flip the company for a princely sum and leave everyone else standing around trying to figure out what just happened.
It’s easier to add reputation features for a specific market like dating while building up a head of steam with high-traffic partners than the other way around.
Of course a lot can happen between market-building and pricing out yachts. My gut tells me that first-mover advantage, great team and proximity to Silicon Valley is going to work in Rapleaf’s favor.
Technorati Tags: identity, online dating, reputation, skype
