From the August 11, 2000 print edition

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Tech-ies team for Net adventure

The Georgia Tech sky diving club brought Rick Hargett, Kirk Bauer and Bill Thomasson together, and late last year the three jumped into a start-up technology business.

The three young entrepreneurs started TogetherWeb Inc. to design software that allows people using different computers to browse the Web together.

Hargett, 25, graduated from Tech in 1998 and went to work for Compaq Computer Corp. in Houston. He returned to Atlanta at the end of 1999 to start the business based on an idea he developed from his friends sending him e-mail that included links to different Web sites.

His idea was to create software that allows for collaboration and communication on the Internet where one person can guide another through various Web sites while

communicating via their Web browsers and without the need for traditional e-mail.

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Bauer, 23, and Thomasson, 31, got back together with Hargett to start TogetherWeb. Meeting in Bauer's Georgia Tech dorm room, the three developed their strategy for the business and technology.

TogetherWeb got off the ground in February with a prototype product and received a small angel round of funding from a few investors including Allen Graber, the co-founder of HyperMart.

This spring TogetherWeb moved into the Advanced Technology Development Center on the campus of Georgia Tech.

Imlay Investments Inc., The Robinson-Humphrey Netlanta Fund I L.P. and individuals from the Atlanta Technology Angels just invested $1 million in TogetherWeb to take the company to the next stage of selling its technology.

Sig Mosley of Imlay Investments will sit on the board of directors for TogetherWeb.

Bauer still is a senior at Tech but is taking just one class per quarter so he can concentrate on writing the software as chief technology officer of TogetherWeb.

Even without a degree, Bauer is considered a programming expert and has experience designing software for the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Chicago.

On his own time, he found bugs, or defects, in the software developed and sold by North Carolina-based Red Hat Inc. He then notified Red Hat of the improvements it should make.

After Red Hat incorporated Bauer's suggested code into its final product, Red Hat gave Bauer stock options before the company's highly successful initial public offering last fall.

At age 31, Thomasson is the veteran of the three co-founders. A 1992 graduate of Georgia Tech, Thomasson worked as an independent software programming consultant before starting TogetherWeb, where he holds the title of client architect.

The 25-year-old Hargett is one of the youngest CEOs in Atlanta.

"I don't think the age difference plays any role," Thomasson said of working under Hargett. "I see us all as young, aggressive entrepreneurs."

Graber, 31, is a relatively new angel investor after his successful sale of HyperMart to Go2Net Inc. He said TogetherWeb meets all his criteria as a company he invests in and works with.

"I like to work with young entrepreneurs who are technical," Graber said. "It's easier to bring in the business pieces than the technology."

Graber said Hargett has been an impressive leader despite his age and inexperience. However, Hargett said he is not afraid to give up the CEO role.

"I'm not so high on myself to think that I'll be CEO forever," Hargett said. "There's no problem with me moving back to the technical side of the business if the right candidate comes along."

The company's technology is now being targeted at the market for expert Web portals, such as AskMe.com Inc., About.com Inc. or ExpertCentral.com Inc., where people ask questions and receive answers.

IDC projects the market for expert portals to grow to $13 billion by 2005.

Hargett said TogetherWeb's technology allows the Web portal to respond in "real time" and then guide a customer through the Internet.

While the technology can be adapted for consumers to guide their peers through the Web, the first version is designed for Internet businesses to interact better with their customers one-on-one.

TogetherWeb intends to expand into other markets that include online education and customer service software, Hargett said.

TogetherWeb plans to use the $1 million investment to build its sales team and enhance its technology. The company now has seven employees.

The company competes with Atlanta-based SideTalk Inc. and Netogether Inc. of Gaston, Ore.

Reach Moran at bmoran@bizjournals.com.

Copyright 2000 American City Business Journals Inc. Click for permission to reprint (PRC# 1.1670.331699)

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