MSNNext Founder Launches NextGroup

Written by Luyi Chen on May 6, 2007
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NextgroupNextGroup is a new matrix venture of Founder of MSNNext. Now it includes MSNNext, 5Sai and Aixinzu. It’s aiming to be an integrated social network around MSN.

MSNNext is a social network based on Microsoft Live Messenger. After you and your friend both installed a 500k client software from MSNNext, you can interact with your second degree friends. We reported this in February this year.

NextGroup Three UnitsLast month, Sina reported that Tan Yongquan, former COO of Bokee, invested in MSNNext. Based on the amount of the investment, several million RMB, this should be the seed investment.

5Sai is an earlier startup by Zhang Benwei, founder of MSNNext. It lets users turn their MSN signature into an advertising slot. We reported this in last Oct. This idea is highly praised to be innovative, but also heavily questioned as a destroyer of trustworthy of buddy list.

Yesterday, Zhang Benwei announced that he has purchased back majority of 5Sai from its share holders. Then it’s combined with MSNNext and the latest venture Aixinzu into NextGroup.

Aixinzu is a platform for companies to raise non-profit campaign. But the platform itself is a for profit business. Users join these campaigns by putting a special logo in their MSN signature, almost the same as Microsoft I’m initiative. The platform will launch by the end of this month.

The combination of these three units seems reasonable. Users can manage their business connections, earn some money and do something for good in one place.

Among them, the newest unit, Aixinzu is an interesting place to watch. More and more companies has realized non-profit activity as a good PR channel. Several weeks ago, Feedsky’s new blog advertising platform also used non-profit as its kicking-off topic.

Is Non-profit the New PR? The answer will not be simply Yes or No. It’s natural that non-profit activity will do something good for the brand of the company. But if it’s used as a PR approach with intent, it may turn into a double-edged sword.

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