Polis-backed Web venture offers online tech reports

Business Report Correspondent

BOULDER ? Backed by Boulder money, a Chicago-based Internet media company has expanded here.

Boulder entrepreneur Jared Polis provided the lion’s share of capital to launch eMileHigh.com, a 2-month-old Web site that presents technology news and events, primarily covering the Front Range but also national trends affecting the area.

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A clone of its parent company, ePrairie.com of Chicago, eMileHigh presents news on the changing business climate, strategies and who’s who in technology circles. Founded in 2000 by the tech-savvy quartet of Josh Schneider, Rick Stratton, Keith Amonlirdviman and Brad Spirrison, ePrairie’s initial funding was provided by Schneider, chairman of Epigraph Inc., which is located in Chicago.

Polis, founder of bluemountain.com, which he later sold to Excite@Home for almost $1 billion, led the first round of funding for eMileHigh. “The round that was completed in December came to right about a million dollars, of which he (Polis) gave more than half,” Stratton said.

Spirrison, editor of eMileHigh, said ePrairie has a 10-person staff ? reporters, salespeople and a programmer. Schneider, Stratton and Amonlirdviman are based in Chicago where sales, programming and design of eMileHigh are filtered. Spirrison is the only staffer living in Boulder, working out of his house. But plans include growing the staff and opening an office at 17th and Walnut streets.

“Everything at eMileHigh is driven toward people here, people in the Front Range, including topics about venture capital and profiles of technology entrepreneurs,” Spirrison said. “Those are the key things and areas that we cover.”

The group recently drew mild attention to itself by offering $25,000 for the naming rights to Denver’s new football stadium, pale compared to Invesco Funds Group’s proposal of $120 million. Matt Sugar, director of communication for the stadium district, said the offer was official, but not serious. “It was basically a publicity stunt to get their name in ink,” Sugar said.

Spirrison said the group suggested the name eMileHigh Stadium as opposed to Invesco Field at Mile High. “It certainly is only a fraction of what Invesco paid, but we figured we could kind of retain the history. I do think the stadium board could have a hell of a pig roast with the money we are offering them,” he added.

EMileHigh’s mission is to be the channel between entrepreneurs and investors by providing the communication link. Its Web site, in addition to news and commentary, provides a special events list. Stratton, general manager, said eMileHigh receives 3,000 user sessions per week, while ePrairie receives 20,000.

Spirrison said eMileHigh plans to make money through banner ads and building a database of companies, including venture capital firms and service provider businesses. “We’re selling advertising to appear in that database,” Spirrison said. “Instead of a banner ad that would be seen by everybody, we are trying to create content where inventory can line up next to that, allowing it to be more specific and more targeted.”

Future plans include expanding from a weekly to a daily report, each day with a specific theme, and expanding to markets in Atlanta; Austin, Texas; San Diego; and Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“The game plan is to go to two or three additional markets hopefully within the next 12 months the way we have done it here. We have proven that we can take the concept other places,” Spirrison said.