To date, fledgling search engine ChaCha is the first and only search engine which can connect users instantly in real-time with a human search assistant in order to help with search queries. The search engine was founded by Scott A. Jones and Brad A. Bostic in 2006 and is dedicated to providing entirely new search functionality - with or without the help of a search guide. By combining the best in technology with human intelligence, ChaCha claims that both methods will produce relevant results gathered from all the best resources on the deep web, along with results from more than 20,000 human ChaCha guides.
ChaCha is the first search engine to offer two methods of searching: one with a human guide who provides assistance in real-time via an instant message chat and the other providing immediate search results, including instantaneous user-ranked results. In this way, ChaCha is carving a unique niche for itself in an otherwise crowded search engine market. And with constant innovations from its search system, there have already been 18 patents filed in its first year.
Scott Jones, ChaCha CEO, commented:
"We often give you instant search results that are better than other search engines. But if you're still stuck and searching for something a little more difficult, we can connect you with a live human guide in real-time who will assist you with your search, for free."
ChaCha was recently rated by Search Engine Optimiser Charles Knight as the "No.1 search engine of 2006", a sentiment echoed by John Battelle of Battellemedia, a highly respected blogger.
Of the co-founders, Jones is perhaps best known as the inventor of the voicemail system used by over half-a-billion people worldwide and incorporated by most major telecoms companies. Jones is also the head of many other successful tech ventures, including Gracenote and the MOG music system. Bostic has led a number of hi-tech start-ups including the global enterprise integration software company Bostech Corporation.
The $6 million in private funding was led by 'Bezos Expeditions' - the personal investment firm of Jeff Bezos - along with additional involvement from Rod Canion and Jack Gill. Canion is the founding CEO of Compaq Computer, while Gill is a veteran investor into Silicon Valley and founder of Vangard Ventures. Jeff Bezos was voted TIME magazine's Person of the Year in 1999 for his 'visionary leadership' and is the man behind internet retail giant, Amazon. Other investors into ChaCha include Don Aquilano, MD at Gazelle TechVentures, a venture capital firm based in Indianapolis.
Jack Gill & Rod Canion are joined on the ChaCha board of directors by Michael McRobbie, Indiana University's Provost and VP of Academic Affairs. Alongside CEO Jones and company President Bostic, the three men provide ChaCha with extensive industry knowledge to help guide the venture as it continues to expand its presence within the marketplace.
ChaCha launched its experimental 'Alpha' version in September 2006, and has since seen more than 20,000 people sign up to be guides on the service. During the first four months of operation, ChaCha has already attained a level of user traffic that exceeds that seen by many first generation search engines.
