BIZNIK SOCIAL NETWORK RECEIVES “OFFICIAL HONOREE” DISTINCTION IN 12TH ANNUAL WEBBY AWARDS

Seattle, WA – April 10 – The Webby Awards, the leading international honor for the Web, today recognized Biznik.com as an Official Honoree, a distinction that recognizes work exhibiting remarkable achievement.

Biznik.com is an online business networking community for solopreneurs, self-employed professionals, and small business owners. Biznik provides a networking platform and member-hosted events designed to connect independent business owners. Biznik differs from most social networks in its focus on personal businesses, which account for nearly 20 million of the 27 million businesses in the United States, according to the most recent U.S. Census.

Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Interactive Advertising, Online Film & Video, and Mobile Websites. The awards are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, a global organization that includes David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Jamie Oliver, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf, and RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser.

"The Webby Awards honors the outstanding work that is setting the standards for the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, executive director of The Webby Awards. "Biznik’s Official Honoree selection is a testament to the skill, ingenuity, and vision of its creators.”

“We’re delighted that our tiny bootstrapping Seattle startup of just three people has been able to compete so effectively with much bigger and better financed competitors,” said Biznik cofounder Dan McComb. “I think it’s because in a way, we are our customers. We understand their needs and the success of this online community is a reflection of that.”

The 12th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from over 60 countries and all 50 states. Out more than the 10,000 entries submitted, fewer than 15% received this honor and were deemed an Official Honoree.


About Biznik:
Biznik is an online business networking community for independent business people. Members sign up for free, and additional services can be added for $10 or $24 per month. Biznik, which was started in Seattle in 2005, now has nearly 10,000 members in 95 countries. Small business owners can promote their business, raise their profile and share their expertise by publishing articles, attending social and educational events and by using the online networking tools, which include video profiles.

About The Webby Awards:
Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Interactive Advertising, Online Film & Video, and Mobile Websites. Established in 1996, the 12th Annual Webby Awards received nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards is presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: Adobe; The Creative Group; Verizon; AOL Video; dotMobi; Level3; Adweek; Fortune; Reuters; Variety; Wired; IDG: Brightcove; PricewaterhouseCoopers; 2advanced.Net; KobeMail and Museum of the Moving Image.

About the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS):
The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the creative, technical, and professional progress of the Internet and interactive media. The Academy is an intellectually diverse organization that includes over 500 members consisting of leading experts in a diverse range of fields, such as musician David Bowie, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf, Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, fashion designer Max Azria, “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening and Real Networks CEO Rob Glaser. The Webby Awards and The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences are registered trademarks of International Data Group. For more information, visit www.iadas.net.