• TechCrunch, Thursday, February 7, 2008 11:15 AM

Howcast, a New York City startup founded by former Googlers, wants to be the YouTube of "how to" videos. The Web site launches today with JetBlue as its first sponsor; it's also announcing a fresh round of $8 million in series A financing, led by Tudor Investment Corp.

Howcast isn't just a Web site, it's also a syndicated content provider. The company has its own YouTube channel and has other distribution deals in place with MySpace, Joost, ROO and on Verizon's VCast phones, as well as FiOS TV. However, Howcast isn't the only player in the "how to" space. The company faces competition from Expert Village, 5min, and Instructables, which uses step-by-step images more than video.

Some of Howcasts launch videos include "How to Paint a Wall", "How to Groom Your Cat" and "How to Get Laid." The videos follow a similar format where an instructor tells the viewer what he or she needs to complete the task, followed by step-by-step instructions explained in a voiceover. If users want to write their own "how to", they can use the Howcast template; scripts are then sent to film school students for production.

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