Here's great news for non-profits!

cMarket Partners with Meetup to Help Bring Together Fundraising Organizers Through Local, Offline Communities

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--cMarket, the leading provider of full-service, on-demand, online auctions solely to support nonprofit causes, today announced that it has furthered its commitment to helping nonprofits raise money by sponsoring local fundraiser Meetups through Meetup.com. As part of the partnership, cMarket will not only offer its community of fundraisers a free membership to Meetup, but it also will encourage them to start local Meetup groups and connect with their peers to share ideas on fundraising.

Meetup, the company that uses the Internet to help people get off the Internet and into their local communities, first came into prominence in 2004 as the cornerstone of Howard Dean’s grassroots campaign, when thousands of Dean supporters organized "Meetups" in their towns and broke fundraising records in the process. Since, more than 2.5 million people have signed up for Meetups on thousands of interests, ranging from politics to pets. As sponsor of fundraising Meetups (http://fundraisers.meetup.com), cMarket will be hosting, sponsoring and branding the first Meetups dedicated to educating individuals about online fundraising and, specifically online auctions.

“This partnership with Meetup represents our continuing effort as a socially responsible company to help nonprofits and fundraisers by working to advance nonprofits’ use of the Internet as a tool for community engagement,” said cMarket Chairman and CEO Jon Carson. “We hope this will inspire and aid in their efforts to reach out to and learn from other members who are interested in fundraising and doing good.”

Based on cMarket’s experience of hosting more than 1,700 online auctions, the company will provide Meetup members with expert fundraising tips, topic suggestions and best practices data.

"We're thrilled to partner with cMarket and excited about the power and value it will bring to Meetup members and organizers," said Scott Heiferman, Meetup co-founder and CEO. "Revolutionary partnerships with organizations like cMarket enable, activate and support local offline community. They are an obvious next step in how Meetups will influence communities and causes everywhere."

About cMarket

cMarket is the leading on-demand, online auction platform solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for non-profit causes. With more than 1,500 customers, online auctions powered by cMarket.com have generated funding successes by allowing organizations, both large and small, to identify new sources of income and, at the same time, build mission awareness and heightened caring for the cause. cMarket services national non-profit organizations such as United Way, JCC, Junior Achievement, Catholic Charities, The PTA, and the American Red Cross. cMarket also works with companies including Ford, Deloitte & Touche, Kimberly-Clark and General Electric to raise funds for their nonprofit causes. cMarket, which was founded in 2003, has headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.cmarket.com or call 866-621-0330.

About Meetup

Meetup.com was founded in 2002 with the mission of revitalizing local community in America. Meetup first gained national attention during Howard Dean's brief Presidential candidacy during the 2004 elections when thousands of his supporters held "Meetups" in their towns and broke fund-raising records in the process. Since, over 2.5 million people have signed up for Meetups on more than 4,500 interests. There are Meetups for everyone: Stay at Home Moms, Pug lovers, Italian speakers, Entrepreneurs, Scrapbookers and more. If you can name an interest, chances are high there's a local Meetup for it nearby. Meetups meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, in 55 countries around the world. In 2004, Meetup was honored with MIT's Technology Review "Innovation of the Year" Award and Wired Magazine's Rave Award for "Political Force." Based in New York City with a staff of 24, Meetup.com is non-partisan, privately held, and backed by investors eBay, Omidyar Network, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Esther Dyson, Allen & Company, and Senator Bill Bradley. Visit http://www.meetup.com.

MEETUP RECEIVES INVESTMENT FROM EBAY, OMIDYAR NETWORK, DFJ, ESTHER DYSON, ALLEN & CO., AND SENATOR BILL BRADLEY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY (March 10, 2006) -- Meetup.com, the fast-growing local community site that brings groups together offline, today announced an investment from investors eBay, Omidyar Network, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Esther Dyson, Allen & Company, and Senator Bill Bradley. Collectively, the investors received just over a 10% equity interest in the company on a fully-diluted basis from this investment.

Over 2.5 million people have registered with Meetup.com to find or start local community groups -- also known as Meetups -- about thousands of shared interests, causes, and health conditions in towns worldwide. Meetup gained national attention during the 2004 US presidential campaign as a grassroots organizing tool used by supporters of all the candidates, including supporters of President George W. Bush, John Kerry, and Howard Dean.

Since the 2004 presidential election, Meetup.com quietly continued to grow, in the number of people going to Meetups-- and as a viable business. From Moms to Dog Owners, NASCAR Fans to Knitters, more-and-more people everyday are creating and becoming part of local Meetups in their towns. All Meetups pay Meetup.com a monthly fee of up to $19 per month for listings and services to help them grow a sustainable Meetup. The company's sales have more than doubled in the past six months.

"The people are going to make the world a friendlier place with their Meetups," said Scott Heiferman, Meetup CEO and Co-Founder. "Imagine if you could go to a Meetup in your town about whatever you get interested in. The Meetup community is making it happen, and these amazing investors will help."

"Meetup.com and eBay share a focus on using the Internet to connect people and create communities," said Garrett Price, vice president of New Ventures, eBay. "In fact, we are now seeing groups of eBay users in local areas using Meetup.com to arrange get-togethers."

"Meetup was one of the key inspirations in creating Omidyar Network, a mission-based investment group committed to individual self-empowerment," said Pierre Omidyar, Meetup board member, Omidyar Network CEO, and founder/Chairman of eBay. "My belief that business can be a tool for social good is validated by eBay and Meetup's ability to connect people over shared interests through a for-profit model."

"Meetup is one of the rare company examples that manage to grow a solid business while also providing a wonderful public service. DFJ is proud to be a part of what Meetup is doing," said Andreas Stavropoulos, Meetup board member and Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson.

"Meetup brings to life the potential of the Internet to create real community," said Meetup board member and former United States Senator, Bill Bradley.

"Meetup is still unique in this market, with its 'united we stand' approach of getting individuals together, online and off," said Esther Dyson, Meetup board member, renowned technology industry court jester and investor (Flickr, Del.icio.us, others.). "I'm happy to help add fuel to the fire!"

About Meetup.com

Meetup.com was founded with a mission to revitalize local community. Over 2.5 million people have signed up for "Meetups" -- the 21st century's answer to community groups, support groups, mom groups, book clubs, investor clubs, fan clubs, and grassroots political groups. There are Meetups for everyone: Stay at Home Moms, Dog lovers, Italian speakers, Entrepreneurs, Scrapbookers, Prius Owners, and for enthusiasts of all kinds. If you can name an interest, chances are high there are people interested in a local Meetup for it nearby. Meetups get together regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, in 55 countries around the world. Based in New York City with a staff of 24, Meetup.com is non-partisan, privately held, and backed by investors eBay, Omidyar Network, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Esther Dyson, Allen & Company, and Senator Bill Bradley.

Start or find a Meetup @ http://www.meetup.com.

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FAQ

WHO INVESTED IN MEETUP?
eBay, Omidyar Network, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Allen & Company, Esther Dyson, and Bill Bradley

HOW MUCH WAS INVESTED?
In sum, the investors received just over 10% equity stake in the company.

HOW MUCH HAS EBAY INVESTED AS PART OF THIS ROUND?
We are not disclosing this figure at this time.

WHY DID MEETUP RAISE MORE MONEY?
Meetup seeks to help more people have more Meetups. This investment will help us serve our current Meetup Organizers better, as well as help more people find Meetups near them.

WHY DID MEETUP TAKE AN INVESTMENT FROM EBAY?
Meetup's focus on its community and the empowerment of its members is closly aligned with eBay's focus on community. We felt it was a great match.

WHY DID EBAY INVEST IN MEETUP?
Great question. Please feel free to ask them!

ISN'T PIERRE OMIDYAR, CHAIRMAN/FOUNDER OF EBAY, ON MEETUP'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS?
Yes. Pierre invested his personal money in Meetup and joined the board in October 2003, prior to the creation of Omidyar Network. To be clear, on this round, it's Omidyar Network that's investing.

DID PIERRE INFLUENCE EBAY'S DECISION TO INVEST IN MEETUP?
Not at all. eBay and Omidyar Network operate as entirely separate entities.

WILL EBAY INTEGRATE MEETUP ON EBAY.COM?
There are no plans to do so at this point in time.

WILL MEETUP BE ADDING EBAY, IN FORM OR FUNCTION, TO MEETUP.COM?
Meetup has no immediate plans of adding eBay's functionality onto Meetup.com.

ARE THERE MEETUPS FOR EBAY USERS ON MEETUP.COM NOW?
Yes. There are local Meetups for eBay Sellers and for eBay Buyers on Meetup.com. For example, The Dallas eBay Seller's Meetup is currently the most active of its kind (http://ebaysell.meetup.com/119).

Publish a web site? Blog about something you care about?

Ever think about showing your visitors a way they can find each other, locally?

Now you can. In a snap. Introducing Meetup Widgets!

Free content for your site. Turn your visitors on to each other! Strengthen Community!

Meetup.com FAQ

What is Meetup.com?
It's how people Find The Others and organize a Meetup.

What's a Meetup?
A local interest group that's organized online and meets regularly offline.

Why do people Meetup?
For community. Sometimes for people-power.

What do people Meetup about?
Most anything. Today's top Meetups are Mom Meetups.

What do people do at Meetup.com?
They sign up for a Meetup or free alerts of others that want a Meetup. Then, as more people sign up, someone organizes a Meetup and uses Meetup.com to easily grow and manage it.

How much does it cost?
Alerts are free. Organizing a Meetup costs the Organizer $19/month. Some Organizers share the fee with others, so it’s maybe a buck a month per person.

Why use Meetup.com to organize a Meetup?
Because more people will find your Meetup. And to join forces with similar Meetups elsewhere.

Why will more people find my Meetup on Meetup.com?
Because Meetup.com is where people are signing up for free Meetup alerts.

Why use Meetup.com after our Meetup has come together?
Because your Meetup can be a great local resource for a long time and more people will find it on Meetup.com.

Should I use Evite, YahooGroups, Craigslist, or Meetup.com?
Use Evite for a birthday party.
Use YahooGroups for an online mailing list.
Use Craigslist to post an ad that stays up for a day or 2.
Use Meetup.com for Meetups -- to have a great, long-lasting, local offline interest group that keeps growing.

What's the goal?
Make the world friendlier and more people-powered, using revenue to help people Meetup. Imagine everyone having access to a Meetup about most anything everywhere.

Why would 100 million people care about going to Meetups?
Because most of us, at some points in our lives, want to Find The Others, feel more community, and maybe unite for power.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Meetup.com has designated http://hurricane.meetup.com to help aid the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Meetups have proven to be fundraising machines -- and the objective of Hurricane Meetups is to help people pool resources and raise money. Meetup has waived all fees for anyone organizing Hurricane Meetups.

PLEASE ADD THIS TO YOUR LIST OF RESOURCES TO PUBLISH.

http://hurricane.meetup.com

SEE THE BUILDING MOMENUTUM:
http://hurricane.meetup.com/lists/worldwide

Thank you.

Myles Weissleder
Vice President, Public Affairs
Meetup.com
415-332-3205
myles@meetup.com

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About Meetup.com
Meetup.com was founded in 2002 with the mission of revitalizing community in America. Over 1.6 million people have joined Meetup Groups for more than 4,000 interests. There are Meetups for everyone: Stay at Home Moms, Pug lovers, Italian speakers, Entrepreneurs, Scrapbookers and more. If you can name an interest, chances are high there's a local Meetup Group for it nearby. Meetup Groups meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, in 55 countries around the world. Based in New York City, Meetup.com is non-partisan, privately held, and backed by such investors as VC Draper, Fisher Jurvetson and eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar.

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Have a product or service for Knitters?
Have a product or service for Scrapbookers?
Have a product or service for Pug Lovers?
Have a product or service for Sean Hannity Fans?
Have a product or service for Spanish Speakers?
Have a product or service for PSP players?

Meetup offers highly targeted self-serve ad placements in more than 5,000 topics, providing advertisers the ability to target topically and geographically. For instance, you can buy an ad in all 432 Pug groups or just in the New York City Pug Meetup Group.

Easy as 1-2-3.

Text ads are located above the fold in between "Meetup Photos" and "Meetup Maps" and are sold as 1-day text links, 7-day text links, or 30-day text links.

Visit any Meetup topic and click "Your message here" on the right-hand side to get started!

Hello!

Here are some reflections as Meetup passes a landmark birthday...

To say the least, things here at Meetup.com have been amazingly busy. It's all good.

The big news this week: Meetup.com celebrates its third birthday!

When Meetup.com went live on the Internet on June 14th, 2002 we hit the ground running with a mission to help revitalize community one local Meetup at a time. As we enter our fourth year, we're poised to continue building tools and services to help "grow great groups" and help people realize their own power to do good things and enhance their local community with their Meetup Groups.

John Bridgeland, President & CEO of Civic Enterprises, LLC, and former aide to President George W. Bush as Director of the USA Freedom Corps, sums it up like this:

"Meetup is fulfilling the promise of technology to bring citizens together. Meetup is a vital part of the civic reawakening we are experiencing in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Volunteerism remains on the rise, electoral participation in the last presidential election broke new ground, and thanks to Meetup, we are finding new ways to connect with one another around shared interests and needs. Meetup is providing a new pathway to civic engagement where it occurs best -- in neighborhoods and communities."

Bridgeland's insight is refreshing, especially as Dr. Robert Putnam's book, "Bowling Alone" -- a truly insightful tome that dissects the "how & why" of the severe decline of civic participation in America in recent years -- celebrates its fifth anniversary.

Bowling Alone was one of Meetup's primary inspirations.

Dr. Putnam, speaking on Civic Engagement in America at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University is also optimistic:

"What Meetup is doing is figuring out how we can use technology to make and find ways to spend leisure time together in productive and enjoyable ways... The notion of thinking of electronic technologies to create new alloys of community as opposed to fictional [online] communities is what's most interesting about Meetup... The space in which Meetup is built is a space called 'convening technologies'... technology that allows people to get together... by far, the most interesting example, I believe today, of this technology is Meetup." (video link)

It's largely because of "Bowling Alone" we set out to try to reverse the downward spiraling trends to bring back an era of community where not only do you know your neighbors, you interact with them regularly via sustainable community groups.

When we launched three years ago, we had no idea how people were going to use the service nor did we have any idea about what kind of Meetup Groups would spring to life. Since then, more than two million people have joined or organized a local Meetup in their town.

The 150,000+ group gatherings facilitated by Meetup.com over the past three years-- gatherings that didn't exist before-- is just the very beginning of a movement; and, a healthy indication that community activity is on the rise. We are even witnessing fledgling economies rise out of Meetups as various groups -- from Mommy Meetups to Doggy Meetups -- are raising money for local efforts. Some Meetup Groups are even making front page news in their local papers.

Meetup.com is 100% dedicated to helping foster a new era of community by continuously developing tools and services designed for the sole purpose of building long-lasting community groups. We're not a behemoth Internet company that does a million things. We do ONE THING-- ensure the success of live, real-world Meetup Groups. The more we serve, the more value we provide to our members. The more value realized by our members, the greater the value of network. The greater the value of the network, the better it can serve its members. It's a virtuous circle built of, by, and for the people.

Take note: Meetups will soon help level the playing field by enabling "collective action" across multiple chapters of Meetup Groups. Now, Meetup.com empowers individuals to connect locally. Soon, local Meetup Groups will be empowered to connect across the global network... Stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone who's joined or organized a Meetup group over these past three years. We guarantee the next three years will be just as exciting.

Onward ho!

Myles Weissleder

Vice President, Meetup.com

Some helpful links:

Meetup.com Forms Politics and Governance Advisory Council

New York, NY (March 10, 2005) -- At the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet 2005 Politics Online Conference in Washington, DC, Meetup.com today announced the formation of a Politics and Governance Advisory Council (http://www.meetup.com/pgac) to explore and encourage the rising citizen participation in governmental and electoral processes via "Meetups".

During the 2003/2004 national election cycle, a half-million American citizens conducted over 25,000 official political Meetups using Meetup.com, a non-partisan, publicly accessible and open community organizing tool. Other tools, largely inspired by Meetup, were used to enable thousands more political gatherings. While voting levels increased an impressive 15-20 per cent, grassroots activism skyrocketed several hundred percent.

Members of the newly formed council include: Chairman, Don Means, Senior Political Advisor to Meetup.com; Manuel Castells, Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society; Carol Darr, Director of the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet; Chuck DeFeo, eCampaign Manager, Bush-Cheney '04; Tim Draper, Founder, Managing Director; Draper Fisher Jurvetson; Jane Fountain, Director of the National Center for Digital Government, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; Phil Noble, Founder of PoliticsOnline; and Christine Williams, Professor of Government at Bentley College. (See: http://www.meetup.com/pgac)

"Providing the catalyst to transform grassroots politics and ushering in a new era of participatory democracy was not the intention of Meetup's creators, but as with many great inventions, users employed it in unforeseen yet world changing ways," says Don Means, Chairman. "This advisory council will explore whether this new level of active participation will carry over into areas of ongoing involvement in governance and policy development."

"It's great to see how people use Meetup.com to become more engaged citizens," said Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup.com. "It's the start of a new era, and we're excited to see how this all-star advisory council can make a difference."

Comment from the newly formed Council:

"Meetup represents one of the most innovative initiatives in revitalizing democracy by tapping the potential of new communication technologies. It helps to enable citizens to make their voice heard, and to organize on their own grounds, not against formal politics, but outside formal politics. So doing, Meetup greatly contributes to undo the rampant crisis of legitimacy that is deteriorating the quality of political life around the world." -- Manuel Castells, Wallis Annenberg Chair in Communication Technology and Society

"Meetup was early to the political Internet revolution, and has been a key player in the devolution of political power from political elites to interested citizens. By providing a welcoming environment for neighbors to meet face-to-face on issues and candidates that they care about, Meetup has reconnected to politics people who have been estranged from party organizations. Meetup makes political participation comfortable and convenient, and that has made all the difference." -- Carol Darr, Director of the Institute
for Politics, Democracy and the Internet

"The people at Meetup were one of the first to recognize the potential of the Internet to not only connect people across the globe but to enable them to reconnect with their local communities. They have been leaders in the resurgence of civic involvement and enabling neighbors to rebuild relationships with their neighbors." -- Chuck DeFeo, eCampaign Manager, Bush-Cheney '04, Director of Online Strategy, Salem Communications

"Meetup is an amazing solution to the problem that we all have in personally physically connecting since email and web browsing and video took over our lives." -- Tim Draper, Founder, Managing Director; Draper Fisher Jurvetson

"Around the world, political participation is increasingly taking place using online tools and applications. The potential and implications of these new forms of political activity are enormous yet barely understood by researchers or political experts. The National Center for Digital Government is delighted to work in partnership with Meetup.com to develop much needed research and understanding of these new and powerful tools." -- Jane Fountain, Director of the National Center for Digital Government, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

"Meetup is truly unique - it is a 'big idea' with global impact. It has the potential to literally change the way the people of the world engage in politics, and lots of other issues. The power and impact of the Internet in politics globally is growing every day and ability to combine this impact of online organizing with face to face meetings is nothing short of staggering." -- Phil Noble, Founder of PoliticsOnline

"Meetup is proof that networks can change our lives, our politics, and the very nature of our social interactions. I am fascinated with the potential of networks to solve the more intractable problems facing us that markets and failed government cannot adequately address." -- David Rejeski Director, Foresight and Governance Project, Woodrow Wilson International Center

"The Internet came of age in the 2004 Presidential nomination contest. And it was not in the expected role of a new medium of communication destined to supplant television. Instead, the Internet proved its worth as the high tech equivalent of pre-television one-on-one campaign techniques long used by political parties to mobilize support for their candidates, largely through Meetup.com." -- Christine Williams, Professor of Government at Bentley College

About Meetup.com

Meetup (http://www.meetup.com) is how people organize local community groups and meetings around any cause or interest. Over 2 million people are registered for Meetup Groups on over 5,000 topics and interests. From Pug lovers to Poker players, Oprah fans to Investors, Spanish speakers to Parents of Autistic children, Meetup Groups meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, around the world. Based in New York City, Meetup is non-partisan, privately held, and backed by such investors as VC Draper Fisher Jurvetson and eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar.

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THE FUTURE OF AMERICAN CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT: WILSON CENTER HOSTING DISCUSSION OF MEETUP.COM AND OTHER INTERNET ORGANIZING TRENDS FOR GOVERNMENT, NGO, AND PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES

MEETUP.COM TO ANNOUNCE FORMER SENATOR BILL BRADLEY HAS JOINED ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Washington, D.C. (December 8, 2004) -The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars announced today that it will host a series of meetings designed to foster greater public dialogue on key issues facing Americans through the application of new technologies. On December 14, 2004 officials from the government, NGO's, and the private sector will join Meetup.com CEO, Scott Heifferman and Senior Political Advisor, Don Means to discuss possible applications of its popular Internet-based, community-building tool for public policy. Meetup.com will also formally announce former U.S. Senator and New York Knick Bill Bradley has joined its Board of Directors.

The initiative is collaboration between the Center's Project on Foresight & Governance and Meetup.com, an online organization for people to organize local community groups around their causes and interests.

The effort will host representatives from the Department of State, Department of Transportation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, RAND, National Academy of Public Administration, and others. This event is part of The Center's larger effort to examine how emerging technologies are changing social interactions. The Center
intends to capitalize on the impact that Internet-based community organizing-tools had on the 2004 Presidential Election.

Lee Hamilton, President and Director of the Wilson Center, remarked that, "Increasingly our citizens feel disconnected from their own government, tools like Meetup offer new opportunities for civic participation and increased dialogue while serving to empower the individual."

David Rejeski, Director of the Foresight & Governance Project at the Center, said that "increased interconnectivity and new capabilities offered by cell phones, instant messaging, video games, and other technologies are changing the nature of social interaction. The public sector needs to understand these changes and what they mean for governance strategies."

Bill Bradley said, "Meetup is a force for building face to face community in America at a time when it is more and more important to see what we have in common as Americans and human beings."

Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup.com, "In the past year, more Americans than ever voted and became involved in the process at a grassroots level. Meetup.com is proud to have helped Americans organize over 25,000 political 'Meetups' across the political spectrum during the campaign season. This is the very beginning of a new era. People will have unprecedented power to organize and become active participants in democracy."

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is the living, national memorial to President Wilson established by Congress in 1968 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center establishes and maintains a neutral forum for free, open, and informed dialogue. It is a nonpartisan institution, supported by public and private funds and engaged in the study of national and world affairs. Information on the Center's work on emerging social behaviors at: http://www.emergingbehaviors.org.

Meetup (http://www.meetup.com) is how people organize local community groups and meetings around any cause or interest. Over 1.5 million people are registered for Meetup Groups on over 5,000 topics and interests. From Pug lovers
to Poker players, Oprah fans to Investors, Spanish speakers to Parents of Autistic children, Meetup Groups
meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, around the world.

WHEN:
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
1:00 - 3:00 pm

WHERE:
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
5th Floor Conference Room
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC

RSVP/ Media Contact:
Myles Weissleder, Vice President, Meetup.com
415-332-3205
myles@meetup.com

MEETUP.COM PARTNERS WITH BREASTCANCER.ORG TO ORGANIZE LOCAL BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUPS

October 29, 2004 (New York, NY) – Meetup.com, the Web site that helps people organize local meetings around any cause or interest, has teamed up with breastcancer.org, a leading non-profit breast cancer organization, to help facilitate support groups for Breast Cancer Survivors at http://bcs.meetup.com. This partnership will help breast cancer survivors come together for local, face-to-face gatherings, to share information and support one another. The launch of the relationship is in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Breast Cancer Survivor Meetups take place every second Saturday of the month at 1:00 p.m., in over 320 cities in 23 countries. More than 1,220 people are already members of the Breast Cancer Survivor Meetup worldwide, and the list keeps growing. By bringing people together who have a shared experience of overcoming breast cancer, breastcancer.org and Meetup hope to help ease the loneliness that many survivors feel and provide the emotional support needed to move beyond breast cancer with greater strength.

“We look forward to helping foster and cultivate local support groups for people affected by breast cancer and to help survivors become thrivers.” said Myles Weissleder, Vice President of Communications at Meetup.com. “People need to know that they are not alone in this battle, and that there are others locally also wishing to share their experiences. Meetup is helping people do this everyday.”

“Our Breast Cancer Survivor Meetups will bring together patients, survivors and others who have been affected by breast cancer to share information, encouragement, and friendship,” said Dr. Marisa Weiss, president and founder of breastcancer.org.

breastcancer.org is a leading non-profit organization for breast cancer education, with a professional advisory board of more than 50 internationally known breast cancer experts. Through its Web site, printed materials, and work with national media, breastcancer.org is dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete and up-to-date medical information about breast cancer. Its mission is to help women and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information about this dreaded disease, so they can make the best decisions for their lives.

Meetup.com is how people organize local meetings around any cause or interest. Over 1.5 million people are registered for Meetup Groups on over 5,000 topics and interests. From Pug lovers to Poker players, Oprah fans to Investors, Spanish speakers to Parents of Autistic children, there are currently over 180,000 Meetup Groups that meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, around the world.

To find out more information on prevention, treatment or the Breast Cancer Survivor Meetup in your neighborhood, visit www.breastcancer.org or http://bcs.meetup.com/.

Lulu Joins With Meetup.com To Sponsor Writing Groups Across the U.S.

RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 18 -- Lulu ( http://www.lulu.com ), the
world's fastest growing on-demand publishing site, will sponsor the Writers
topic of Meetup.com ( http://writers.meetup.com ), the site that helps people
with common interests organize and meet face-to-face. The partnership will
draw the thousands of writers who independently publish their books on Lulu
into the Meetup network so that they can meet and organize in the physical
world.

The Meetup mantra "giving power to the people" meshes perfectly with Lulu,
which gives people the power to publish. Providing its online community of
writers the means to find one another and create local groups is a natural
next step for the Lulu publishing community, which numbers more than 30,000
and adds over three thousand new author accounts each month.

"I see supporting Meetup Writers' groups as an extension of Lulu's online
community of authors and publishers," says Henry Hutton, who manages community
at Lulu.com. "Lulu has grown so much in the past year that we have reached a
critical mass of independent publishers who want to get together in person to
help educate and encourage one another."

"Meetup is thrilled at the opportunity to work with a community oriented
site like Lulu," said Myles Weissleder, Meetup's VP of Communications. "We
look forward to helping Lulu's customers form a lasting community, built
around their common interest of self-expression."

Both Lulu and Meetup have grown rapidly over the last year, largely
through Internet-driven buzz. Authors independently publish over 1,500 books a
month on Lulu in addition to music, images, calendars, and media projects.

About Lulu: Founded by open source entrepreneur Bob Young (co-founder and
former chairman of Red Hat), Lulu ( http://www.lulu.com ) provides independent
publishers with free on-demand publishing for their books, and other content.
For more information, please contact pr@lulu.com.

About Meetup: Meetup, Inc. ( http://www.meetup.com ) is the company
revitalizing local communities and energizing grassroots by revolutionizing
how people organize local interest groups and real-world, face-to-face
meetings any time, anywhere. Meetup's easy-to-use event and community
organizing tools provide a platform for local groups to form, manage, and
sustain themselves through time. To date, over 1.4 million people have
organized and joined local Meetups about Chihuahuas, Knitting, Diabetes,
George Bush, John Kerry and thousands of other topics of interest. Meetup is
non-partisan, based in New York City and is privately held.

IN FIRST-EVER “GREAT AMERICAN MEETUP BOWL-OFF” BUSH SUPPORTERS BEAT KERRY SUPPORTERS HANDILY

October 11, 2004 (New York, NY) – If the results of the Great American Meetup Bowl-Off are any indication, President George W. Bush will be re-elected White House kingpin.

The event, organized by the Web site Meetup.com and Strike Ten, was a national show of unity where President Bush and Senator John Kerry supporters set aside their differences to have a little fun and go bowling.

The Bowl-Off used a unique scoring system to prevent ballot stuffing. Bowlers were divided into teams based on their candidate (Kerry, Bush and, in some places, Nader and Badnarik). After the teams bowled, the top 3 scores for each team at each Strike Ten-affiliated bowling center were recorded. All told, President Bush carried 67% of the centers and had a higher average score of 175-161. Nearly 2,000 people participated in over 40 states.

The friendly showdown received national attention last week when Air America radio host Al Franken challenged Bill O’Reilly to go bowling on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. O’Reilly declined the challenge.

“The Bowl-Off was a phenomenal success,” said Myles Weissleder, Vice President of Communications for Meetup.com. “At the end of the day, what we witnessed take place around the nation was bigger than just a friendly bowl. It was a testament to the fact that, for all of our differences and divisions, Americans will still come together as one no matter what their views."

“Bowling has always been a great activity for family, friends and others to spend time together,” said Frank DeSocio, CEO of Strike Ten Select. "With Election Day soon approaching, it has been great to partner with Meetup to have so many participants from across the nation get together to bowl and discuss the election.”

Inspired by the best-selling book, Bowling Alone, by Harvard Sociologist Dr. Robert Putnam, Meetup.com is a platform designed to help reverse the declining trends of civic participation in America and beyond. The Bowl-Off, likewise, was conceived as a way for Americans to come together in the midst of such a divisive political climate. The Bowl-Off was a joint effort of Strike Ten, Strike Ten Select and Meetup.com that has set an example for the presidential campaign on how to keep the race for the White House “out of the gutter.”

Meetup.com is how people organize local meetings around any cause or interest. Over 1.5 million people are registered for Meetup Groups on nearly 5,000 topics and interests. From Pug lovers to Poker players, Oprah fans to Investors, Spanish speakers to Parents of Autistic Children, there are currently over 178,000 Meetup Groups that meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms, bowling centers or anywhere else, around the world.

The Meetup mission is simple: Help people revitalize local community everywhere. Meetup.com launched in 2002, is based in NYC, is privately held, and backed by such investors as VC Draper Fisher Jurvetson and eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar.

Canadians book to Meetup at Indigo

-- Indigo Books & Music Inc. partners with Meetup.com --

TORONTO, Oct. 12 - Indigo Books & Music Inc. is pleased to announce
that it has become the premier Canadian destination for Meetup.com, the Web
site that makes it easy for people with shared interests to organize local
gatherings. By striking this partnership and facilitating the growth of
Meetup.com in Canada, Indigo deepens its commitment to inspire, inform and
entertain its customers.

Meetup.com is a free 'for the people, by the people' service enabling
individuals to start local groups and get together face-to-face to discuss the
topics of interest to them. From politics and acting to photography and yoga,
more than 50,000 Canadians are already meeting this way and are now choosing
to meet at Indigo and Chapters.

"We are thrilled to be the premier destination for Meetup Groups in
Canada," says Jonathan Ehrlich, Vice President Online, Indigo Books & Music
Inc. "Indigo is committed to building stronger communities, and partnering
with Meetup.com helps achieve this. If we can offer a forum for people to
unite interests and passions, and share ideas and experiences in an
environment they are familiar with and trust - it can only strengthen our bond
with the community."

The partnership between Indigo and Meetup.com marries the best of the
retail world with the communications and community benefits of the Internet.
This convergence illustrates Indigo's continued commitment to providing
consumers with a lifestyle and cultural destination, both online and in-store
that encourages them to share their interests and bring them to life.

"Thanks to Indigo, more Canadians will be a part of local community
Meetup Groups," says Scott Heiferman, Co-Founder & CEO, Meetup.com. "We're
thrilled to partner with Indigo. Meetup.com makes it easy for people to find
or start a local Meetup Group about most any cause or topic, and Indigo stores
are great places for Meetups in Canada."

How to Meetup?
--------------
Becoming a member of a Meetup group is easy and free. Go to
chapters.indigo.ca and click on Meetup or visit www.meetup.com and enter your
country and city in the 'Find your City' spaces provided. A list of upcoming
Meetup groups in your area will appear. Select the topic(s) that interest you
and sign up to attend by creating your own Meetup account - all you need is a
valid email address - and clicking the RSVP button. Now you're ready to
Meetup! Meetup group reminders, along with any updates and/or time changes
will be sent directly to you via email.

On the day of the Meetup, just go to the appointed Chapters or Indigo in
your community to join the discussion group in a welcoming and friendly
setting. Many Chapters and Indigo locations have community rooms that are
private, comfortable and perfect for Meetup groups! So go ahead, join
Meetup.com and become an organizer yourself!

About Meetup, Inc.
Meetup, Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) is the company revitalizing local
communities and energizing grassroots by revolutionizing how people organize
local interest groups and real-world, face-to-face meetings any time,
anywhere. Meetup's easy-to-use event and community organizing tools, provides
a robust platform for local groups to form, manage, and sustain themselves
through time. To date, over 1.4 million people have organized and joined local
Meetups about Chihuahuas, Knitting, Diabetes, George Bush, John Kerry and
thousands of other topics of interest. Meetup is non-partisan, based in New
York City and is privately held.

About Indigo Books & Music Inc.
Indigo Books & Music Inc., (TSX: IDG) is Canada's largest book retailer
operating bookstores in all provinces under the names Indigo Books Music &
More, Chapters and Coles. Indigo also operates www.chapters.indigo.ca, an
online retailer of books, music, movies, gifts and jewellery. As always,
shopping at Indigo is made easy and joyful with service 'as you like it' - in
store, online or by phone. For more information, visit chapters.indigo.ca.

For further information: or to speak with a spokesperson, please
contact: Jennifer Brown or Robyn Adelson, Edelman, (416) 979-1120,
jennifer.brown@edelman.com

Contact:
Myles Weissleder
415-332-3205
myles at meetup.com

KERRY AND BUSH SUPPORTERS NATIONWIDE TO BOWL TOGETHER IN FIRST EVER GREAT AMERICAN MEETUP BOWL-OFF

Meetup.com, Strike Ten and Senator Bill Bradley Announce National Bowling Competition between Bush and Kerry Supporters

(New York, NY) – September 9, 2004 – Meetup.com, the wildly popular Website used by over 1.5 million people to get involved in real-life local community groups on just about everything, today joined Strike Ten (the centralized marketing, management, television and licensing company for the bowling industry) and former U.S. Senator and New York Knick Bill Bradley at NYC’s Chelsea Piers Bowling Center to announce the first Great American Meetup Bowl-Off, a friendly bowling competition in nearly a thousand Bowling centers between supporters of President George W. Bush and Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry, “Team Red” and “Team Blue”, respectively.

Polarization and partisanship is at an all-time high right now in America. The Great American Meetup Bowl-Off will set an example for the presidential campaign on how to keep the race for the White House "out of the gutter” and will prove Americans of opposing political views can stand – and bowl— together, united.

Information on nearby participating bowling centers and how to sign up is online at http://www.meetup.com/bowloff

"I'm excited about the Great American Meetup Bowl-Off. Everybody keeps talking about how the electorate is divided but Americans are Americans no matter whom they support,” Said Senator Bill Bradley. “The Great American Meetup Bowl-off is a wonderful opportunity to forget the rhetoric, banners and accusations for one night and meet at your local bowling center to find your community. While the teams may be divided as Bush v Kerry; the Bowl-off is really about all neighbors coming together as Americans who share a common interest; the future of our country.”

"Americans may not always agree with each other, but we need to get along," says Meetup CEO Scott Heiferman. "The Great American Meetup Bowl-Off will bring people together from across the political spectrum to chat. And bowl. Meetup's glad to help defuse some of the polarization out there and get people talking to one another.”

Inspired by the best-selling book “Bowling Alone” by Harvard Sociologist Dr. Robert Putnam, Meetup.com was designed to help reverse the declining trends in community involvement in America, and beyond.

"Bowling is the classic American activity,” said Frank DeSocio, CEO of Strike Ten Select. “It is a great platform to have voters meet together, discuss the issues of the election, show their support and have a good time."

The Great American Meetup Bowl-off is a joint effort of the PBA, Strike Ten, Strike Ten Select & Meetup.com.

Meetup.com is how people organize local meetings around any cause or interest. Over 1.5 million people are registered for Meetup Groups on nearly 5,000 topics and interests. From Pug lovers to Poker players, Oprah fans to Investors, Spanish speakers to Parents of Autistic Children, there are currently over 178,000 Meetup Groups that meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms, bowling centers or anywhere else, around the world.

The Meetup mission is simple: Help people revitalize local community everywhere. Meetup.com launched in 2002, is based in NYC, is privately held, and backed by such investors as VC Draper Fisher Jurvetson and eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar.

###

Senator Bill Bradley bowls soon after announcing the first ever Great American Meetup Bowl-Off
on Thursday at the Chelsea Piers Bowling Center. The Great American Meetup Bowl-Off is a
friendly competition between Kerry and Bush supporters that will commence on October 7, 2004
in over a thousand bowling centers nationwide.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SEAN “P. DIDDY” COMBS’ CITIZEN CHANGE JOINS FORCES WITH MEETUP.COM, ROCK THE VOTE, AND MTV'S “CHOOSE OR LOSE” TO RALLY YOUNG VOTERS

August 16, 2004 (New York, NY) - Meetup.com, the Web site that makes it easy for people with shared interests to organize local gatherings, or “Meetups”, announced today that it will partner with Citizen Change, a non-profit, non-partisan organization launched last month by entertainment mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. In conjunction with MTV's “Choose or Lose” and Rock The Vote, the organizations will encourage young people, particularly minorities, to participate in the 2004 presidential election process. Meetup.com is widely noted for fueling Howard Dean's historic grassroots campaign as well as the meteoric rise of the Heritage Foundation's Conservative Meetup groups nationwide.

Through a multi-layered, grassroots campaign, Citizen Change, MTV’s “Choose or Lose” and Rock The Vote plan to increase the young vote, from 18 million in the last Presidential election, to over 20 million this year. They will energize and empower young voters with “20 Million Loud” Meetup Groups that will form at http://20millionloud.meetup.com and meet the first Tuesday of every month in thousands of cities and small towns across the country. The “20 Million Loud” Meetup Groups will be given direction and energized by MTV’s “Choose or Lose,” Rock The Vote, Mr. Combs’ Citizen Change and its “Coalition of the Willing,” a conglomeration of high profile celebrities. 20 Million Loud is a national campaign of organizations mobilizing more than 20 million young adults age 18-30 to vote and be a deciding factor in the 2004 presidential election.

“Meetup has shown that when a group of people gets together with one voice, they have the power to make change,” said Combs. “That is exactly what Citizen Change and our democracy is all about: putting the power in the hands of the people. We will build a legacy, creating long-lasting Meetup Groups to further empower the young voter.”

“This is about giving young people the tools to organize and mobilize themselves,” said Scott Heiferman, Co-Founder and CEO of Meetup.com. “Together, Citizen Change, MTV's “Choose or Lose,” Rock The Vote, and Meetup.com will help young people change the world.”

Meetup, Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) is the company revitalizing local communities and energizing grassroots by revolutionizing how people organize local interest groups and real-world, face-to-face meetings any time, anywhere. Meetup’s easy-to-use event and community organizing tools provide a robust platform for local groups to form, manage, and sustain themselves through time. To date, over 1.4 million people have organized and joined local Meetups about Chihuahuas, Knitting, Diabetes, George Bush, John Kerry and thousands of other topics of interest. Meetup is non-partisan, based in New York City and is privately held.
-30-

Meetup Update - The Meetup Revolution is Now

1.___ Meetup-at-a-glance, April 21, 2004
2.___ New Meetup features
3.___ Politics, politics, politics
3a.__ Kerry & Bush National Caucus
3b.__ Question: Are Meetups and "Parties" different?
3c.__ The FEC says : Meetups are OK!
4.___ New Partners
5.___ Awards
6.___ Boiler

1.___ Meetup-at-a-glance, April 21, 2004

Meetup's mission is to help revitalize community in America.

Over 1,200,000 people are signed up for monthly Meetups about 4,000+ interests and curiosities.

Over 1,000 Meetups are taking place every week -- at cafes, restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and other local places in thousands of cities and small towns in 58 countries around the world.

Meetup is 1.2 Million people who are:

Moms, Pug Lovers, Elvis Presley Fans, Scrapbookers, People looking for a roomate
Teddy Bear Lovers, Substitute Teachers, Students of Chivalry, South Texas Republicans
Race Relations Discussers, People with Thalassemia, Parents of Only Children, Luddites
I Love Lucy fans, Knitters, Juggalos and Juggalettes, Poker Players, Graphic Designers
Atheists, Bill O'Reilly Fans, Japanese Students & Teachers, Vegetarians, SATC Fans
Atkins Dieters, Weezer Fans, Film People, Dancers, Laid-off Workers, Pro-Gun Rights activists . . .

You can see ALL Meetup interests and curiosities here: http://press.meetup.com/watch/archives/000638.html#more

2.___ New Meetup features

Members asked for -- and received -- a set of fantastic new features to help their local chapters better organize their Meetups. Features include greater control over where Meetups are held & new tools and ways for people to communicate between Meetups.

It's called Meetup 2.5.

See all the details and read more on our our vision in this letter to our members:
http://www.meetup.com/letter

3.___ Politics, politics, politics

Meetups didn't stop (or start) with Howard Dean. Hardly. Even now, Meetup is being hailed as a political phenomenon; and for good reason: Meetup is a key organizing tool for both sides of the aisle, politicians and supporters alike.

"One of the most dynamic political phenoms since the birth of the Internet." -- Business Week. 3.29.04

3a.__ Kerry & Bush National Caucus

Between Bush Meetups and "Parties for the President" on April 29 and the Kerry & DNC Meetups taking place this week, we will have the makings of a de facto caucus -- at least as far as participation levels can be estimated and interpreted. (Are Meetups and "Parties" different? Yes, see below.)

Kerry Meetups - This Thursday night (4.22) @ 7pm there will be over 500 Kerry Meetups in over 300 cities, over 95,000 people are registered.
http://kerry2004.meetup.com

Bush Meetups - Nearly 5,000 people are registered and are organizing nationwide on Tuesday, May 11th. National Bush Supporter Meetup Day is here to stay -- the second Tuesday, every month.
http://bush2004.meetup.com

The DNC's Democrat Meetup will have at least 342 Meetups in 272 cities on Wednesday, April 21 @ 7:00PM, over 47,000 people are registered.
http://democrat.meetup.com/

People are also beginning to mobilize and "window shop" for candidates at Meetups for ALL declared races: Presidential, Congressional, Senatorial, Gubernatorial.
http://www.meetup.com/browse/polact/cand/state/

Of note:
Pat Toomey (R-PA) reveled in a crowd of about 450 supporters and undecided voters at his Meetup-organized rally the past Tuesday night. Toomey's Meetups are energizing his race against incumbent, Arlen Specter.

See: http://toomeyforsenate.meetup.com
http://www.toomeyblog.com/2004_04_01_archive#108246011688237024

3b.__ Question: Are Meetups and "Parties" different?

Quite simply --- Yes.

Meetups are regularly scheduled monthly events that commence in public spaces. Due to their high accessibility and reliability, Meetups are great to energize current supporters and recruit new, undecided supporters.

House parties are private events usually set in one's home or backyard. Parties are great to energize current supporters -- however; due to their restrictive, private nature, are not conducive to recruit new, undecided supporters.

According to a study by Bentley College, Meetups really encourage further involvement in campaigns:

-Larger donations (the average Meetup attendee has donated $312 to their candidate)
-More involvement (51% of attendees got involved with the campaign through Meetup)
-Stronger support (58% of attendees say they are stronger supporters due to Meetup)
-Getting engaged (54% of Meetup attendees had never volunteered prior to this year)

"Meetups are more than just a new tool in this election cycle; I see them being planned into all future political campaigns and becoming a standard tool in the grassroots political repertoire." -- Jesse Gordon, senior analyst for Perot Systems Government Services

Links:
http://www.bentley.edu/news-events/pr_view.cfm?id=1430
http://press.meetup.com/announce/archives/000637.html

3c.__The FEC says : Meetups are OK!

The Federal Elections Commission has recently published an Advisory Opinion
(#2004-06) stating that Meetup is fully compliant with all existing campaign finance laws.

Read the official advisory from the FEC here:
http://herndon3.sdrdc.com/ao/ao/040006.html

4.___ New Partners.

Meetup welcomes two diverse new partners:

Townhall.com
The Heritage Foundation's Townhall.com, is the leading online destination for conservative public policy organizations and media, congressional staff, and political activists -- a one-stop mall of ideas in for the latest news and information from the conservative movement.  The Heritage Foundation, is a conservative think tank, whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

National Conservative Townhall Meetup Day
Tuesday, May 4 @ 7:00PM (1st Tuesday of every month.)
23,344 Members.
http://townhall.meetup.com

---

The Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that GLBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

National Human Rights Campaign Meetup 
Tuesday, April 27 @ 7:00PM (4th Tuesday of every month.)
7,829 Members.
http://hrc.meetup.com/

Speaking of partners, check out some of these great partner links and Meetups in action...

http://www.townhall.com/meetup
http://www.johnkerry.com/meetup/
http://www.hrc.org/meetup
http://www.mtv.com/chooseorlose/partners/meetup/
http://www.democrats.org/meetup/
http://www.marchforwomen.org/meetup/
http://www.rockthevote.com/rtv_meetup.php
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/view.cfm?item=meetup2
http://www.unfoundation.org/meetup

5.___ Awards.

Still reading? Cool. We won some awards!

A Pollie Award!
Public Affairs Excellence for "Technology Product/Innovation of the Year" as presented by the American Association of Political Consultants

A Wired Magazine Rave Award!
Scott Heiferman, Meetup CEO takes home a Wired Rave Award for "Political Force" and "Electrifying the Grassroots".

Links:
http://www.theaapc.org/content/pollieawards/pastwinners/pastwinners2004.asp
http://press.meetup.com/announce/archives/000618.html

And we just found out we're nominated for two Webby Awards this year!

6.___ Boiler.

Meetup, Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) creates global Meetup Days for most any topic. Meetups are real world, face-to-face get-togethers that take place in thousands of cities and small towns in 58 countries at local cafes, restaurants, bookstores, and other local establishments. Meetup's mission is to revitalize community in America. Since launching in June 2002, Meetup has become a grassroots phenomenon, with more than 1.2 million people signed up for monthly Meetups about more than 4,000 topics and interests. Meetup's partners include AARP, Bill O'Reilly, California Democratic Party, Capital Advantage, Convio, Howard Dean's Democracy for America, The Democratic Party (DNC), eAdvocates, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Environmental Defense, Get Active, Grassroots Enterprise, Human Rights Campaign, Investors' Business Daily, John Kerry for President, March for Women, MTV & Rock The Vote, Red Hat, Townhall.com (The Heritage Foundation), The UN Foundation, among others. Meetup is based in New York City and is privately held.

Townhall.com and The Heritage Foundation Enlist Meetup.com to Connect Conservatives Face-to-Face at Monthly "Meetups"

-- "National Conservative Townhall Meetup Day" scheduled for the 1st Tuesday of every month @ 7pm Local Time, Everywhere --

Washington, DC -- April 12, 2004 -- Townhall.com and The Heritage Foundation today announced Meetup.com has been enlisted to help bring conservatives together locally all across the USA at monthly get-togethers --  "Meetups" -- to help spread conservative ideals through the organization's membership, readership base, and beyond.

Already, over 23,000 conservatives from all 50 states have signed up for "National Conservative Townhall Meetup Day" -- representing one of the largest grassroots organization of monthly meetings for conservatives ever, and one of the fastest growing political Meetup groups to form since the inception of Meetup.com in June 2002.

"National Conservative Townhall Meetup Day" is scheduled for the first Tuesday of every month at 7pm local time -- everywhere and anywhere five or more people have registered to attend. Meetups commence at member-selected local establishments (via vote) such as local cafes, restaurants, bars, bookstores, etc. The next "National Conservative Townhall Meetup Day" is Tuesday, May 4, 2004. Register to attend and vote for a local establishment in your area by visiting http://townhall.meetup.com

"By partnering with Meetup.com it has never been easier to schedule and maintain monthly strategy sessions to promote and further substantiate the national conservative agenda," said Jonathan Garthwaite, editor of Townhall.com. "We are dedicated to helping conservatives find -- and connect with -- their like-minded neighbors and we're happy to partner with Meetup.com to develop brand new ways to advance conservative ideals."

"Meetup.com is a perfect platform for issue-centric organizations from either side of aisle to rally their current base and to use as a strategic tool to attract new interest," said Scott Heiferman, CEO of Meetup, Inc. "We're happy to see Townhall and The Heritage Foundation embrace Meetup as a way to energize conservatives everywhere."

About Townhall.com & The Heritage Foundation
Townhall.com, a project of The Heritage Foundation, brings citizens, conservative public policy organizations and media, congressional staff, and political activists together under the broad umbrella of "conservative" thoughts, ideas and actions. Townhall.com is a one-stop mall of ideas in for the latest news and information from the conservative movement.   Townhall.com, launched on the web in 1995, is a project of The Heritage Foundation.  Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute - a think tank - whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.

About Meetup
Meetup, Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) creates global Meetup Days for most any topic. Meetups are real world, face-to-face get-togethers that take place in thousands of cities and small towns in 57 countries at local cafes, restaurants, bookstores, and other local establishments. Meetup's mission is to revitalize community in America. Since launching in June 2002, Meetup has become a grassroots phenomenon, with more than 1 million people signed up for monthly Meetups about more than 4,000 topics and interests. Meetup's partners include AARP, Bill O'Reilly, California Democratic Party, Capital Advantage, Convio, Howard Dean's Democracy for America, Democratic Party, eAdvocates, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Environmental Defense, Get Active, Grassroots Enterprise, Human Rights Campaign, Investors' Business Daily, John Kerry for President, March for Women, MTV & Rock The Vote, Red Hat, Townhall.com (The Heritage Foundation), The UN Foundation, among others. Meetup is based in New York City and is privately held.

CONTACT:
Myles Weissleder, Meetup, Inc.
(415) 332-3205 / myles@meetup.com

Kate Pomeroy, The Heritage Foundation
(202) 608-6157

Bentley College Study

According to Bentley College’s recent survey, Meetup really encourages further involvement in a campaign, in:

-Larger donations (the average Meetup attendee has donated $312 to their candidate)

-More involvement (51% of attendees got involved with the campaign through Meetup)

-Stronger support (58% of attendees say they are stronger supporters due to Meetup)

-Getting engaged (54% of Meetup attendees had never volunteered prior to this year)

"Meetups are more than just a new tool in this election cycle; I see them being planned into all future political campaigns and becoming a standard tool in the grassroots political repertoire." more

Meetup Wins: Wired Magazine Rave Award for "Political Force"

View Quicktime of Award HERE

Peter Jackson, David Byrne, Steve Jobs Among Winners of Wired Magazine Rave Awards

Internet Political Organizers Joe Trippi and Scott Heiferman also Honored at San Francisco Event

SAN FRANCISCO, March 15 -- Wired magazine revealed the winners of its fifth annual Rave Awards, honoring 20 mavericks, dreamers and innovators inventing the future, at a gala event in San Francisco on March 15. "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson was lauded for achievements in film and multi-talented artist David Byrnes for his creations with PowerPoint. Steve Jobs was named Wired's 2004 Renegade of the Year for setting the agenda in digital entertainment with Apple's iTunes Music Store and with Pixar's animated hit "Finding Nemo."

Joe Trippi, former head of Howard Dean's political machine, and Scott Heiferman, cofounder and CEO of Meetup, two men whose use of the Internet has rewired grassroots organizing, share the Rave Award for politics.

Wired named 15 other people, who are paving the way to tomorrow, as Rave Award winners in 10 additional categories: books, Rebecca Solnit; business, Jeff Bezos; industrial design, Antenna Design's Sigi Moeslinger and Masamichi Udagawa; music, The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, Steven Drozd and Michael Ivins; architecture, Zaha Hadid; software, Bram Cohen; games, Richard Marks; television, Mike Lazzo; medicine, Joseph DeRisi; and science, Public Library of Science's Patrick Brown, Michael Eisen, Harold Varmus.

Wired's "Brain Trust," an international jury of visionaries including film producer Brian Grazer, Pulitzer-prize-winning science writer Natalie Angier, Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley, recording artist Moby, Netflix President Reed Hastings, and MoMA's chief curator of architecture and design, Terrence Riley, assisted in the selection of nominees; the magazine's editors chose the winners. Readers voted online to help determine the prestigious Renegade of the Year. The complete list of nominees can be found at http://www.raveawards.com.

"This year's Rave Award winners are known for their bold, provocative ideas and accomplishments," says Wired Editor in Chief Chris Anderson. "They are among the visionaries who are transforming our culture, and we are eager to see what they do next."

Anderson and Wired Publisher Drew Schutte unveiled the winners at the Rave Awards celebration at The Fillmore, San Francisco's legendary entertainment venue. A full editorial feature on the winners appears in the magazine's April issue, on newsstands March 23. Jackson, Byrne and Jobs each is featured on a leaf of the issue's unique three-page cover.

The Wired Rave Awards presenting sponsors were Johnnie Walker Black, Hummer and Intel Centrino. The event sponsors were Napster and Sharp.

SOURCE Wired magazine
Web Site: http://www.raveawards.com

Red Hat Embarks on World Tour with IBM and HP

Meetup.com will power the seven city tour focused on customers and community.

RALEIGH, NC, March 10, 2004, Red Hat, Inc. (Nasdaq:RHAT), the world's premier open source and Linux provider, today announced a seven-city international tour to meet, educate, and present to customers and users around the world. The tour, sponsored by IBM and HP, will spotlight the worldwide momentum surrounding Linux and open source software. The tour stops in Tokyo, Brisbane, Sydney, Munich, London, Boston and Toronto.

Current open source topics such as intellectual property, technology roadmaps and insider perspectives on the future of open source will be presented by Red Hat executives and partners at each tour stop. Agendas will be built to address a range of attendees, from Fortune 500 customers to software developers and community members. Open forums of discussion to communicate with representatives from HP, IBM and Red Hat will be encouraged for all attendees.

Individuals can also participate in local events --Red Hat Meetups-- in thousands of cities and small towns in 51 countries via http://redhat.meetup.com . Meetup.com is a free online service that organizes gatherings of communities with common interests. Meetup.com also uses Red Hat to power its global network. "The open source community is one of the only true technology-focused communities that works together, regardless of geographical location, to improve innovation at a constant pace," said Myles Weissleder, Vice President, Communications at Meetup. "We are excited to begin working with the open source community to bring members together for the Red Hat World Tour and in the future."

"We are seeing an explosion in Linux growth where many enterprise customers are looking to run Linux with their mission critical applications utilizing the proven robustness of IBM's 64-bit POWER(TM) technology," said Brian Connors, Vice President, Linux on POWER, IBM. "IBM is joining Red Hat on this exciting world tour to address and share key insight with our joint enterprise customers on current and future open source innovations."

“ HP is a market leader in Linux server revenue, and we're pleased to again work closely with Red Hat to sponsor open source initiatives and help drive Linux deeper into the enterprise and beyond,” said Martin Fink, vice president of Linux, HP. “This is the latest chapter in the rich history between these two companies and we look forward to listening to software developers and the open source community to bring more value to our many shared customers.”

For more information on the Red Hat World Tour or to register to attend a global event, please visit http://www.redhat.com/worldtour/ Viewers may also follow the tour via redhat.com and redhat.meetup.com.

###

About Red Hat, Inc.
Red Hat is the world's premier open source and Linux provider. Red Hat is headquartered in Raleigh, N.C. and has offices worldwide. Please visit Red Hat on the Web at http://www.redhat.com

LINUX is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. RED HAT is a registered trademark of Red Hat, Inc. All other names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements in this press release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release that are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, management's plans and objectives for future operations, and management's assessment of market factors, constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, reliance upon strategic relationships, management of growth, the possibility of undetected software errors, the risks of economic downturns generally, and in Red Hat's industry specifically, the risks associated with competition and competitive pricing pressures, the viability of the Internet, and other risks detailed in Red Hat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which may be accessed through the SEC's Web site at http://www.sec.gov

For more information:
Leigh Day
Red Hat, Inc.
(919)754-3700 ext. 44369
lday@redhat.com

Myles Weissleder
Meetup, Inc.
415-332-3205
press@meetup.com

THE SPECIALTY COFFEE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA TAPS MEETUP.COM TO KICK OFF SPECIALTY COFFEE MONTH AND INTERNATIONAL COFFEE LOVERS MEETUP DAY

For Immediate Release

New York, NY (January 23, 2004) -- Meetup.com and The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) today announced a strategic partnership to promote Specialty Coffee month and the launch of International Coffee Lovers Meetup Day in thousands of cities and small towns in the US and around the world.

Specialty Coffee Month will help increase the awareness of specialty coffee excellence and awareness in America and drum up business at SCAA retail-member establishments.

International Coffee Lovers Meetup Day (http://coffee.meetup.com) commences the first Monday of the month @ 7pm local time in thousands of cities around the world.

As part of the partnership, Meetup has extended a discount to SCAA coffee shops that sign-up for Meetup’s “MVP” program (Meetup Venue Partner) designed to drive new customers into their establishments. SCAA coffee shops that become MVPs will be listed as a choice for local coffee lovers wishing to Meetup locally during specialty coffee month and beyond. Interested coffee shops can read more about the program here http://www.meetup.com/scaa .

“This is an exciting time for lovers of specialty coffee,” said Ted Lingle Executive Director of the SCAA. “Coffee lovers worldwide can now enjoy their favorite specialty brews in the company of other specialty coffee enthusiasts and make new friends in the process.”

“Meetup is pleased to help the SCAA kick off Specialty Coffee Month while supporting SCAA member coffee shops around the country,” said Bill Bicket, Director of Partnerships for Meetup. “Through this partnership and this specialized MVP program, SCAA coffee shops will see new faces in their establishments -- and more and more empty coffee mugs.”

About the SCAA
Founded in 1982, SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association with over 2,500 member companies. SCAA members are located in over 40 countries and represent every segment of the specialty coffee industry, from coffee growers to coffee roasters and retailers. The SCAA's mission is to be the recognized authority on specialty coffee, providing a common forum for the development and promotion of coffee excellence and sustainability. The SCAA's dedication to excellence in coffee is realized through the setting of quality standards for the industry; conducting research on coffee, equipment and perfection of craft; and providing education, training, resources and services for members. The SCAA's annual conference is the coffee industry's largest gathering and exhibition. SCAA's 16th Annual Conference & Exhibition will be held in Atlanta, April 23-26, 2004.

About Meetup
Meetup, Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) creates global Meetup Days for most any topic. Meetups are real world, face-to-face get-togethers that take place in 660 cities in 34 countries at local cafes, restaurants, bookstores, and other local establishments. Meetup's goal is to try and revitalize community in America. Since launching in June 2003, Meetup has become a grassroots phenomenon, with more than 1 million people signed up for monthly Meetups about more than 3,800 topics and interests. Meetup is based in New York City and is privately held.

See: http://meetup.com/scaa/

Here's a great study conducted by Carol Darr of The Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet at The George Washington University.

Study inquiries, contact Carol Darr: 202/994-5141 / darr@gwu.edu
Meetup inquiries Contact Myles Weissleder: 415/332-3205 / myles@meetup.com

Meetup.com Registrations Foreshadowed John Edwards and John Kerry's Iowa Victories
 

During the month of January, John Edwards and John Kerry saw a dramatic increase in nation-wide grassroots support via Meetup registrations, foreshadowing their come-from-behind victories in the Iowa caucuses. John Edwards received the most significant surge. In the 19 days preceding the Monday night caucuses, Edwards' supporters signing up for Meetup events increased by 44% to 3,949 people from 2,751.  This is four times the rate of increase for Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt, whose registrations increased 10% and 9%, respectively.

In the same three week period, John Kerry saw a 22% increase in registrations for Meetup events by his supporters.  His registrants jumped to 22,076 from 18,140. The day after the caucuses, Kerry's registrations at MeetUp soared by 1,000 people, the largest daily increase since he became a candidate. This dwarfed Dean's next day registrations of 386 people and Edwards' additional 242 supporters.

"The Internet can act as an early warning system for candidates and their supporters," said Carol Darr, director of GWU's Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet. "The results in Iowa prove that the Internet is a vital tool in measuring key fluctuations in grassroots support."

Howard Dean has always enjoyed a significant lead over the other Democratic candidates in number of supporters registering for Meetup events, an advantage he still commands.  On the day of the Iowa caucuses, 180,655 Dean supporters had signed up for Meetup gatherings. While this represents an additional 16,264 people during the month of January, the percent of increase, 10%, was dwarfed by Edwards and Kerry's sudden boost in registrations.  

During the month of January, Wesley Clark showed a 15% increase in supporters signing up for Meetup events, jumping to 61,541 registrants from 53,341.
 
Meetup.com is an Internet-based company that helps people self-organize local face-to-face gatherings on virtually any topic.  Political meetings now comprise approximately 20% of all Meetup events.

The Institute for Politics, Democracy & the Internet is the premier center for online political research. Its mission is to promote the use of the Internet in a manner consistent with democratic principles. It is administered by the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University.

About Meetup:

Meetup Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) helps stimulate local community by creating global "Meetup Days" for most any topic of interest. Meetups are real world, face-to-face group gatherings that can take place in thousands of towns in 45 countries at local cafes, restaurants, bookstores, bars, and other local establishments. Since launching in June 2002, Meetup has become a grassroots phenomenon, with over 1 million people registered for monthly Meetups on more than 3,700 topics and interests. Meetup's commercial and political partners include Bill O'Reilly, Clark for President, Common Cause, Dean for America, Democratic National Committee, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Grassroots Enterprise, Investor's Business Daily, John Edwards for President, John Kerry for President, Kucinich for President, March for Women, Townhall (Heritage Foundation), United Nations Foundation among others. Meetup is non-partisan, based in New York City, and is privately held.

http://www.ipdi.org/News%20Advisory%20For%20Immediate%20Release%2001.21.04.htm

Over One Million People Sign-up on Meetup.com to ''Meetup'' with Neighbors

NEW YORK--Jan. 19, 2004--Meetup Inc. today announced that over one million people have signed up on Meetup.com to "Meetup" with their like-minded neighbors.

The company has one word to express this achievement in its effort to help revitalize American community: "Yeehaw!"

About Meetup:

Meetup Inc. (http://www.meetup.com) helps stimulate local community by creating global "Meetup Days" for most any topic of interest. Meetups are real world, face-to-face group gatherings that can take place in thousands of towns in 45 countries at local cafes, restaurants, bookstores, bars, and other local establishments. Since launching in June 2002, Meetup has become a grassroots phenomenon, with over 1 million people registered for monthly Meetups on more than 3,700 topics and interests. Meetup's commercial and political partners include Bill O'Reilly, Clark for President, Common Cause, Dean for America, Democratic National Committee, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Grassroots Enterprise, Investor's Business Daily, John Edwards for President, John Kerry for President, Kucinich for President, March for Women, Townhall (Heritage Foundation), United Nations Foundation among others. Meetup is non-partisan, based in New York City, and is privately held.