[img src="" caption="" credit="" alt=""]
More funding news (it's Monday, folks). Big Tent is a company that provides private social networking for family and friend groups as well as organizations and corporations. With $5 million in Series A funding led by Menlo Ventures, Big Tent can expand its reach and develop its tools. Return backer Mohr, Davidow Ventures, also participated in this round of funding, according to PE Hub.
Big Tent appears to be a very niche service that appeals directly to existing groups looking for an easy-to-use solution for creating a centralized network for online communication between members. In doing so, Big Tent targets non-profits and other professional organizations, along with some families and groups of friends, but given the tools, professional and casual organizations (i.e. Neighborhood Watch) are the groups that will be most likely to find value in having a network created on Big Tent.
[img src="" caption="" credit="" alt=""]
While the service is free, you'll still need to apply for a group application, and have your application approved by Big Tent before proceeding with your group. Included features for groups are integrated calendar tools for events (with RSVP functions), message boards, new members area, and messaging. The idea is to provide a tool for aggregating information in regards to a group, whether it be upcoming events, meeting minutes, or collecting membership fees.
With such a closed network approach, does Big Tent have anything to offer? There are a lot of group-creation sites, from CollectiveX to Ning (not to mention Yahoo Groups), and the majority of them are free and don't require an approved application. Outside of custom tools for individual groups, is there a reason for having such a closed network, as Big Tent does?