Zeacom Buys Communication Software; Epicor Opens Thailand Office to Serve 30 Clients TECHNOLOGY

Irvine startup Socialcast wants companies to do office meetings MySpace style.

The goal of Socialcast is get companies to adopt a social networking site to foster easier and freer communication among workers, especially in companies with several offices.

"Companies use it to connect all their employees together," said Tim Young, 27, who started Socialcast with his own money in 2005. "It becomes the hub."

The privately held company landed a $500,000 round of venture funding earlier this year.

Socialcast is profitable and doesn't plan to raise more money, Young said.

The Business Journal estimates the company sees about $6 million a year in sales.

A Socialcast site includes a newsfeed page where workers can see what others are doing, as well as forums to ask questions and make suggestions.

"Socialcast enables the company to open up to their employees and create a better sense of belonging," Young said.

Having a private, companywide social networking site that's built specifically for use in the office helps managers because "you don't have to let employees decide where the work/personal line will be drawn," he said. "Facebook won't do that"

Socialcast, which has 14 workers here, does hosting and support for customers.

It's first two workers were students at the University of California, Irvine-one from the Paul Merage School of Business and another from the Henry Samueli School of Engineering.

For big customers, such as Los Angeles-based Guitar Center Inc., Socialcast creates custom sites.

Other large clients include NASA, City of Industry-based Hot Topic Inc. and the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Another is UC Irvine's business school-where Young has become a bit of a darling.

He gives frequent guest lectures to business students there.

Socialcast recently launched an easy-to-use version of its networking site for small- and midsize businesses.

"Within 10 minutes you can have a corporate internal social network set up, change the color scheme and logo and all your workers can start using right away," Young said.

Socialcast operates on a subscription model. Small businesses can get it for about $5 a month peruser.

Zeacom Buys Software

New Zealand's Zeacom Group Ltd., a maker of call center software that has its U.S. headquarters in Irvine, bought some assets from another kiwi company.

Zeacom bought two product lines from Auckland-based Talking Computers Ltd. for undisclosed terms.