Friday, September 9, 2011

WhaleShark Competitors Band Together, Get Funding

Three competitors of Austin-based WhaleShark Media, the online coupons site operator backed by Google, Austin Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners, and Adams Street Partners, have banded together for support, and gained a round of venture funding. EBates, an online rebates and coupon site, said today that it has acquired both FatWallet, and AnyCoupons two online coupon sites, and scored funding from August Capital, Cannan Partners, Foundation Capital and Silicon Valley Bank. Size of the funding and acquisitions was not disclosed, however, the move puts the new combined firm--Performance Marketing Brands--on the same track as WhaleShark. WhaleShark has been pursuing a strategy of acquiring and rolling up coupon web sites, and now runs RetailMeNot.com, VoucherCodes.co.uk, Deals.com, and other coupon sites.