Next week at Internet World 2010 in London we’ll launch a new community platform, Zingzam. Created by Fife Ventures, a software development and systems integration boutique in London, the platform is designed for building and growing high-productivity, knowledge-centric communities 
The major shake up at Ning last week has drawn new attention to this sector and to this start-up. Unlike Ning and many others, the focus of the Zingzam platform is on increasing member productivity in communities focused on skills and knowledge, rather on purely social or fan/hobbyist engagement. Examples include developer communities; communities of channel partners, or buyers and customers; professional organizations; internal coordination and communication; community groups; registered charities; and educational institutions, among others.
Zingzam combines discussion, wiki, blogs, reporting, and other tools into a straightforward hosted solution for a fixed monthly fee o£ 79 / € 99 / $ 109. (See the note below for a 30-day free trial.) Communities can carry the brand and URL of the sponsor, and they can be open to all or only to members.
In the coming weeks, Zingzam will announce initial customers, including a well-known organization that selected Zingzam for their developer program after evaluating a long list of alternatives. And in the months ahead there will be announcements of new feature sets aligned with the needs of specific verticals.
As we look ahead to the launch next week, a thank you to Marc Nager, co-CEO of Startup Weekend, whose months-long experience selecting and implementing a community platform helped inform the Zingzam product design.
Tip: If you’ve not attended a Startup Weekend, you should. You can get an idea of the experience by reading the posts and viewing the video from the event in Boston several months ago. And if you’re in or near Boston, you can register for the event coming up in June.
And to Kate Dickman, an early innovator in social media and a long-time community manager. Today she manages Panasonic’s Living in HD community and her experiences with a variety of major platforms helped refine the Zingzam feature set.
If you’re at Internet World in Earls Court next week—exhibit hall passes are available free if you register in advance–stop by Booth E8150. If you’re interested in learning more, sign up for the announcement e-mail list or get an advance look at the Zingzam brochure to be distributed at the show.
There is 30-day free trial. No credit card or contract required. If you check out the platform, please send feedback and suggestions for the product roadmap.
