• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, March 29, 2007

Many of the people now launching online media and advertising businesses are battle-tested veterans of the Web's first boom a decade ago. Remember Flycast and Flooz.com?

Here's a look at what some are doing now, and what they were up to during the dot-com era.

Larry Braitman

Then

Along with Adify chief product officer Richard Thompson, co-founded Flycast Communications in 1995. Flycast was one of the first "blind" networks, in which marketers run ads on a network of sites but don't know exactly where they'll be placed.

Now

Co-founder, president and CEO, Adify, an online ad platform that lets bloggers and other Web publishers create branded storefronts for selling text, display, and rich media advertising. Adify raised $8 million in first-round funding last year led by Venrock Associates.

Nick Grouf

Then

Co-founded Firefly Network in 1995 with David Waxman; the company was sold to Microsoft three years later. Before starting Spot Runner in 2006, the two also co-founded PeoplePC, which went public in 2000 and is now a unit of EarthLink.

Now

Co-founder and CEO, Spot Runner, an ad agency that lets small businesses create low-cost TV commercials by selecting ready-made ads and a media schedule from its Web site. Spot Runner raised $40 million last fall from investors, including Interpublic Group, WPP, and CBS Corp.

Philip Kaplan

Then

Kaplan is best known as the founder of FuckedCompany.com, which caustically chronicled the demise of dot-com companies after the bubble burst. He also founded Internet consultancy PK Interactive, which he sold in 2001.

Now

Co-founder, chairman and chief product officer, AdBrite, an online ad exchange and competitor with Right Media. Started in 2002, AdBrite has raised $12 million to date from venture backers led by Sequoia Capital.

Andrew Klein

Then

In 1996, founded Wit Capital, which aimed to open up initial public offerings to ordinary investors rather than Wall Street insiders. After going public in 1998, Wit was later acquired by discount broker Charles Schwab.

Now

Founder, chairman and CEO, Spotzer, a rival to Spot Runner. The Netherlands-based company recently closed a third-round financing for an undisclosed sum in March from backers including Cyrte Investments.

Robert Levitan

Then

Co-founded iVillage in 1995, and online gift currency and corporate-rewards company Flooz.com in 1999. iVillage became the Web's largest women's community site and Flooz fizzled.

Now

Founder and CEO, Pando Networks, which creates software for distributing digital media. It allows Web sites to publish downloadable video, photos, and audio. Pando has received $11 million in venture funding from backers that include Intel Capital and BRM Capital.

Dave Morgan

Then

Founded Internet ad services company Real Media in 1995. The company was acquired by rival 24/7 Media in 2001, becoming 24/7 Real Media.

Now

Founder and chairman of Tacoda, a behavioral targeting ad network reaching 120 million people across 31 audience segments. Raised $12 million in a venture capital round led by Union Square Ventures.

Kevin Ryan

Then

As president and CEO of DoubleClick from 1996 to 2005, helped to build the ad services and technology company from a start-up of 20 people to 1,500 employees. DoubleClick was acquired in 2005 by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman for more than $1 billion.

Now

Co-founder and CEO, shopping search engine ShopWiki, and content delivery network Panther Express.

Michael Walrath

Then

Director of marketing and SVP of strategy and development at DoubleClick, where he was responsible for the release of DoubleClick Direct, the company's online direct-marketing service.

Now

Founder and CEO, Right Media, an online ad exchange that includes 127 ad networks, advertisers, and publishers representing 6,000 buyers and 13,000 sellers. The company raised $45 million last fall in a financing led by Yahoo.