Convio Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Shares Web 2.0 Insight at TiEcon 2007

Austin, Texas (May 22, 2007) —

Vinay Bhagat, Convio’s founder, Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, addressed entrepreneurs from around the world on Saturday, about using social media to build and monetize online communities. A participant in a five-person panel that included representatives from Flixster, Inc., DoubleClick, Profile Linker and Affinity Labs, Bhagat shared insight into Convio’s work with nonprofit organizations and political campaigns across America to bring more than 60 million people into greater levels of engagement via the Internet.

During his portion of the discussion, Bhagat shared how Convio’s clients have reached and engaged new constituents through organizing viral campaigns and by focusing on a compelling user experience.  He also discussed the importance of integrated channel campaigns, using offline media to direct people online and encouraging online constituents to participate offline, for example, at rallies.  He also shared best practice examples from business social communities and other consumer communities that he tracks.

Bhagat added that while social networking is still in its infancy, the nonprofit community is well positioned to benefit from the “Web 2.0” world because of its ability to grow and retain a community to rally around a cause or issue. He stressed that Convio and their nonprofit clients are tracking the integration of online communities and their offline behavior to determine the return on investment in online marketing as well as the long term value of the constituent relationship.

TiEcon is TiE Silicon Valley’s annual flagship event. Founded in 1992 in Silicon Valley, TiE is a not-for-profit global network of entrepreneurs and professionals. TiE stands for Talent, Ideas, and Enterprise; it is an open and inclusive organization that has rapidly grown to more than 45 chapters in 10 countries with a membership base of over 10,000. TiE Silicon Valley is sponsored by the top venture capital firms, Fortune 500 corporations, and professional service providers. TiE fosters entrepreneurship through mentoring, networking, and education. At the heart of TiE is its strong ecosystem, which has enabled members to facilitate and create a cohesive network of strong, viable and sustainable chapters worldwide. The TiE brand is synonymous with entrepreneurship and wealth creation globally.

About Convio

Convio is a leading provider of software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet strategically to build strong relationships with constituents for driving fundraising, advocacy and other forms of support. Convio has online solutions for fundraising, advocacy, Web content management, event fundraising, ecommerce and email communications. All solutions include the Constituent360™ platform, a sophisticated, online marketing database that centralizes constituent data and integrates with offline databases.

Convio's clients include American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AVON Foundation, Easter Seals, Farm Aid, National Association of REALTORS®, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Sierra Club, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and Thirteen/WNET New York. For more information, please visit www.convio.com.

Press Contact:
Karoline McLaughlin
Director, Corporate Communications
Convio, Inc.
kmclaughlin@convio.com
512-652-7865