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§ Private Profile · Palo Alto, CA, USA
Wiki ASP developing advanced wiki platforms for businesses, enabling rapid building of lightweight business web applications.
JotSpot has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at JotSpot.
JotSpot has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
JotSpot developed an "Application Wiki," an advanced wiki platform designed to facilitate the rapid creation of lightweight business web applications. Operating as an application service provider (ASP), its platform transformed traditional text-based wikis into accessible development environments, enabling businesses to handle structured data and build custom web applications. The company secured $5.2 million in venture funding from notable investors, including Redpoint Ventures and Mayfield Fund, following its launch announcement at the Web 2.0 conference. Co-founder and CEO Joe Kraus, also a co-founder of Excite, led JotSpot until its acquisition by Google in October 2006. JotSpot was founded around 2005 by Joe Kraus and his team. Its business model centers on operated as a wiki ASP, raised venture funding and was acquired by Google.
Key people at JotSpot.
JotSpot has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
JotSpot's investors include Redpoint Ventures.
JotSpot was a pioneering technology company that developed the first application wiki platform, offering secure wiki hosting with installable applications for small to medium-sized businesses.[1] It built structured wiki software including tools like JotSpot Tracker (a wiki-like online spreadsheet), Bug Reporter (a web-based bug tracking database), and JotBox (a server appliance), solving problems in collaborative content management and application building within wikis.[1] The company served enterprises such as eBay and Intel, attracting 2,000 customers before its acquisition by Google in 2006, after which its technology was relaunched as Google Sites in 2008, providing free templates, widgets, calendars, blogs, spreadsheets, and forums.[1][6]
JotSpot was founded in 2004 in Palo Alto, California, by Joe Kraus and Graham Spencer, who were co-founders of the early internet search engine Excite.com.[1][2][3][5] The idea emerged from their experience in internet software, turning traditional wikis into a development platform with easy-to-use applications, addressing limitations in static wiki tools.[2][5] Early traction included $5.2 million in venture funding from Mayfield Fund and Redpoint Ventures, recognition in InfoWorld's "15 Start-ups to Watch" in May 2006, and adoption by 2,000 companies including eBay and Intel.[1][5][6] A pivotal moment came with its silent acquisition by Google in October 2006, integrating it into Google Apps.[1][4]
JotSpot rode the mid-2000s wiki and Web 2.0 wave, capitalizing on growing demand for collaborative, user-generated content tools amid the rise of platforms like Wikipedia.[1][2] Its timing was ideal post-Excite era, as enterprises sought lightweight alternatives to rigid content management systems, influencing the shift toward cloud-based collaboration.[5][6] Market forces like increasing broadband adoption and VC interest in internet software favored it, paving the way for Google's enterprise push via Apps.[1] By becoming Google Sites, JotSpot helped shape the broader ecosystem, democratizing site-building and inspiring modern no-code/low-code platforms.[1]
JotSpot's legacy endures through Google Sites, which remains a free, integral part of Google Workspace, continuously evolving with AI integrations and enhanced collaboration features. Trends like no-code development and enterprise wikis will sustain its influence, as businesses prioritize scalable content tools amid remote work persistence. Its acquisition underscores how agile startups amplify giants like Google, potentially inspiring similar integrations in today's AI-driven ecosystems—tying back to JotSpot's roots as a wiki innovator that redefined collaborative software.[1]
JotSpot has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Series A in July 2004.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2004 | $5M Series A | — | Redpoint Ventures | Announced |
