We are hard at work preparing the release of the new version of the emPivot website for this summer. We are developing exciting new functionality and an enhanced interface (more to come about all that later!).  Until then we are taking steps to expand the ways that people find the important content uploaded to emPivot.  

Mixx.com, rapidly emerging as one of the top general content sharing sites, just released their ground breaking community functionality.  Not only do we think Mixx is great because they are local to the D.C. area, but we also know that its time to get green video in the Mixx.  Visit our new specialized community (seen above) at emPivot.mixx.com and get in to it.   You'll also get a small peak of the emPivot that is yet to come.
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In the past few months a number of sites have been stopping in and giving us reviews, becoming users and letting us talk about what we are doing.  Because of this rapid attention, emPivot has grown considerably in the last few months.  As a result, we've just announced the opening of our first full time position at emPivot.  Spread the word and check out the job description here.

The World is emPivoting

GoodCleanTech.com gave us one of the most thorough write ups we've read so far.  

KillerStartups.com got it right when they called us, "The New Green Media," which is much more appropriate than what the press has called emPivot in the past; namely, the press has called emPivot, "The Green YouTube." 


We were also happy to have the Environmental Law & Policy Center , join the community in the last month, among notable others.  Environmental politics: A conversation with David Wilhelm has already become a very popular video related to the 2008 election.   ELPC gave us a quick write up on their campaign site Global Warming Solutions. 

PainttheDistrictGreen.com (PTDG) is a local favorite of ours and recently they re-launched their website. PTDG has been a great public beta tester; they, along with other content providers such as Garden Girl and a variety of non-profits, are giving us explicit feedback on what they want from the site.  If you want to send us feedback or comments about the site, send us emails to webmaster [at] empivot.com. 

Last, but not least, Co-founder Thom Wallace took place in local incubator Launch Box Digital's (an east coast version of YCombinator) panel of technology entrepreneurs at the George Washington University's Business School in January of 08.  Click here to watch the video of the panel.   Other panelists included:

• Sean Greene, Founder LaunchBox Digital and founder and ex-CEO Away.com, an online adventure travel service that was sold to Orbitz.

• Jon Jackson, Founder and CEO Mobile Posse, a mobile advertising solution for cell phone carriers.

• Andrew Ryan, Founder and CEO of  ARC Solutions, a hosted solution for management of membership based organizations.

Thoughts from the Co-founders

So far our YouTubeesque offerings in public beta have people still calling us the "Green YouTube" and people are continually showing both excitement and curiosity. That's not a surprise to us, but in no way do we envision ourselves as a YouTube killer or competing for their share of the market as some have suggested.  As our offerings evolve over time, our users and viewers will notice (with our next technology release) a discernable differentiation from almost every video sharing website on the internet and emPivot.com.  With a niche audience comes a niche solution built specifically to solve the challenges our viewers, content providers, and users.  Our intent is to meet these challenges and exceed expectations thus creating a more thorough, informative and robust site that truly enhances a user's experience with environmental media in every digital environment, including on emPivot.com.

Of course, as a start-up we are working diligently to let our technology speak for itself and haven't done much  in the way of PR because our technology is currently evolving out of beta .  As you can read above, we haven't needed to do much in that department because people are excited about what we are doing.  So, we are happy to have the internet world checking in on us and speculating about the future of green-related video.  Keep the questions and the reviews coming.

A lot of people want to know if green-related video will be entertaining enough to keep the site going.  Will it?

Our answer:  We know environmentally-related content historically has had its challenges, however we are experiencing an era of rapid new media development and environmentally related media is evolving just as fast.  This is an era when news stations, broadcasters, organizations, farmers, politicians, and young people  have access to tell their stories.  As we've found by talking and working with users between the ages of 11 and 99 there are some core characteristics that make green-related content interesting.  Making environmental content interesting isn't our job only, at some level it's up to the content producers. However we are in the business of aggregating the widest range of green-related content, putting it in easily accessible formats, and let the best rise to the top.  We are also getting better and better at distributing relevant content to people.  As entertainment video on the web evolves, so will environmental video content.  There is no doubt that emPivot.com will be the place where the two converge before anywhere else. You will SEE that all happen here on emPivot. 

We look forward to your comments and continued suggestions....

Ever since I went to the National Aquarium in Baltimore Maryland right before Christmas this past year with my five year old nephew, emPivot has been looking for away to support one of the most important environmental education institutions in the mid-Atlantic region. As part of our growing local outreach efforts, we found a way to help the National Aquarium in Baltimore!

emPivot is now officially a sponsor of the National Aquarium in Baltimore's upcoming Green Gala on April 05, 2008. Since they are just starting to get involved in the on-line world, we wanted to encourage them to see the great potential in extending their educational and fundraising capabilities on to the internet.  So, emPivot signed on as the lead sponsor of the Aquarium's on-line auction and the silent auction at the event in April. Proceeds from the event go to supporting the Aquarium's educational programing and institutional impact in the region and across the world.

In addition to local sports ticket packages, passes to the Aquarium, hot air balloon rides, yoga classes and wine baskets, there are a lot of great green-oriented items to bid on.  Donate to the Aquarium and take a dive in the Aquarium tank,  sport a new recycled tire messenger bag,  receive a home environmental consultation,  put on some new ecoSneaks (shoes), ride a bamboo skateboard -- and among other items -- get a once in a life time chance to take part in a private dolphin encounter.

Even though we are a start-up with very little money, there is no doubt that without institutions like the Aquarium, kids might not grow up to do something to help the environment.  As a native Marylander, I am no exception to that rule; so with that in mind, emPivot makes our first contribution to this important institution.  We hope to see you at the Gala on April 5.  If you can't make it, we encourage you to make a bid on-line!


Thom Wallace
Co-founder, emPivot.com...

In late December of '07 Portfolio.com of Conde Naste (Wired, Vogue, Style, The New Yorker, etc.) highlighted emPivot.com in "Watching for the Next YouTube" as one of seven video sharing websites making a strong move in the video sharing world.  Considering the other six websites listed - Hulu, Veoh, iFilm, Joost, VuMe, and Channel 101 - we stood out as the only niche focused video sharing website.  Compared to these extremely well funded on-line video companies our small company is making big waves with our ability to deliver a diverse range of green-related content.  This story was also cross posted on MSNBC.com, view the article here.
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What's that buzzing sound? It the sound of the blogosphere writing about emPivot.com.  

From Italy to Germany to Silicon Valley we've been called the "Green YouTube" by the world and that's got people talking and people get it. Of course, we don't claim to be a green YouTube - while you can upload video, we also have a powerful video search engine bringing in ...

Attention Washington DC Locals!
On October 6th and 7th, emPivot will be exhibiting at the DC Green Festival , the largest consumer sustainability event on the East Coast of the USA.  At the festival, you can take part in our new viral video.  Everyone who participates will have the chance to win a video iPod!  Come on out and join the fun! ...