Persistent group messaging leader and customer highlighted in new book

Microsoft is crediting Parlano Inc.’s MindAlign product with creating “a new paradigm for collaborative software” in a book called “Innovation Starts Here,” published this week by Microsoft’s Emerging Business Team (EBT).

The book also features Parlano customer Canaccord Adams, a global independent investment dealer, which is using Parlano’s MindAlign persistent group messaging software to help support significant growth and improve client service worldwide. “MindAlign is a powerful communication tool,” says Mark Maybank, COO for Canaccord Adams, as quoted in the book. “Our ability to share information in real time and further integrate our global team has been an important element in Canaccord Adams’ growth.”

The book is a look at how emerging companies have worked with Microsoft to increase revenue, reduce costs, and improve their businesses. These success stories from the Microsoft Emerging Business Team demonstrate how companies have successfully built on the Microsoft foundation.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to work closely with partners like Parlano to enhance the value of the Microsoft platform and deliver more value to our customers,” said Don Dodge, director of business development for the Emerging Business Team. “Parlano is an exciting business to watch, and it’s great to be a part of their success.”

Designed to work in conjunction with Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005, Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, and Microsoft Active Directory^®, MindAlign provides persistent group chat, intelligent messaging management, and advanced content-filtering capabilities for real-time communications and information flow. Through LCS Federation, MindAlign can connect to other LCS deployments and also support all three major public IM networks, including AOL AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, and MSN^® Messenger.

While some have described MindAlign communication as a powerful form of chat, Microsoft sees it as something entirely new, as indicated in this excerpt from the book:

MindAlign’s approach blurs the distinction between e-mail and [instant messaging] and is creating a new paradigm for collaborative software. A MindAlign chat is persistent, like e-mail, and need not be synchronous. A [MindAlign] chat session may involve a number of people, but not all of them have to be present at the time the conversation takes place. Those not present will simply see the record of the chat — like an e-mail — in MindAlign the next time they log in. This is persistent chat. So is it e-mail or instant messaging? Perhaps both.

“We have enjoyed a close alliance with Microsoft since our founding,” said Nick Fera, Parlano’s chairman and CEO. “Our products and platforms complement each other, consistently delivering new benefits for customers who need to cut costs and increase profits by extending competitive advantages in an increasingly fast-paced and fluid business environment.”

The Microsoft EBT works with venture capitalists (VCs) and start-up companies worldwide to enable innovation and accelerate the software ecosystem. The Microsoft EBT mission is to identify and facilitate opportunity for start-ups and VCs, acting as the single point of contact and accountability to Microsoft. Since its inception in 1999, the EBT has helped connect thousands of start-up companies with technical assistance, sales and marketing opportunities, venture capital support and other assets to give them a competitive edge.

To view or obtain a copy of “Innovation Starts Here,” visit www.parlano.com.

About Parlano, Inc.

Parlano is a leading provider of persistent group messaging solutions. Parlano's MindAlign solutions deliver instant, intelligent and persistent group and topic-based messaging to securely connect employees, customers and partners with the right people, information and context to execute business processes more efficiently. Companies including ABN AMRO, Bank of America, Cantor Fitzgerald, Cargill, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UBS and others rely on Parlano to utilize messaging as a strategic business tool. Backed by Longworth Venture Partners and Oak Investment Partners, Parlano supports its customers and partners from its worldwide headquarters in Chicago, Ill. and EMEA headquarters in London. For additional information please visit www.parlano.com or contact us at our HQ in Chicago at +1 (866) 727-5266 or +1 (866) PARLANO or at our EMEA office on +44 (20) 7743 6480.