GuruNet

GuruNet Corporation ( at GuruNet([1]) and Answers ([2]), offers a free reference service site and a free downloadable reference service. It is used by Google's definition link.

Ever since the early search engines emerged in the mid-1990s, Web users have been trained to accept a single search engine paradigm: look up a term and receive a long list of Web links – drawn from the vast, unstructured Internet – that contain that term. In contrast, a single click on any word or phrase on the screen triggers GuruNet software to deliver snapshot, multi-faceted definitions and explanations from credible, attributable reference sources (including Wikipedia) on over 750,000 topics in its database.

GuruNet’s answer engine may be accessed through a browser toolbar, or by accessing the website using a standard web browser, without the need to download any software. The Web-based product does not provide the “alt-click” feature, reference source library tree view, or context analysis that is included in GuruNet’s downloadable software.

GuruNet has partnership deals with Amazon.com and FindWhat. The first agreement involves GuruNet supplying its reference services via Amazon.com’s new A9 search engine, a deal providing credibility, branding and traffic to GuruNet. Similarly, GuruNet provides FindWhat with its reference information service.

GuruNet Corporation (which was called Atomica during 2000-2001, when it sold a server/software solution to the Enterprise market) was founded in 1999 by Bob Rosenschein. Previous institutional investors include America Online / Time Warner Ventures, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Dawntreader Ventures, Israel Seed Partners, Highland Capital and individual investors Mort Meyerson, Bob Lessin, John Sculley, and Yossi Vardi.