Site Lets Techies Swap Beta Test Invites

This handout file photo provided by Internet television service Joost shows a computer screenshot of the user interface, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Jan. 16, 2007. InviteShare connects users who have or want access to new Internet offerings, including the online TV service joost and GrandCentral, a one-phone-number-for-life communications service owned by Google. (AP Photo/Joost,file) (Anonymous - AP)

Adam Healey, co-founder and chief executive of InviteShare-listed VibeAgent, said he is happy to have his hotel-recommendation site included and has even sent invites to InviteShare users.

"InviteShare provides another channel for startups to access early adopters, which is so critical in building community," he said.

Healey said 10 percent of his site's traffic in the past month resulted from InviteShare. He also has used the site to get invites himself _ for services like joost and social networking-focused online application suite 8apps.

Eli Horne, a 21-year-old freelance Web designer in New York, has also gotten into InviteShare. So far, he has sent out about 25 invitations to various sites and gotten access to about eight new ones, including GrandCentral, he said.

Horne thinks the site _ which lists the most popular beta services on its front page _ is also a way to keep tabs on what's hot online.

"If I were trying to launch a product, I would try to get it listed on there," he said.

Arrington knows only of one other similar resource: A group for beta testers on social network creation site Ning, which was co-founded by Netscape co-founder Marc Andreessen.

And although InviteShare isn't currently a big money maker _ Arrington estimates ads placed on it bring in a few hundred dollars per day _ he believes there is real value is in its user base.

While signing up for the site, 80 percent of users have indicated they want to be notified about future private beta opportunities, he said. Eventually, he'd like to pair startups with users, either for free or for a fee, depending on the company.

"All these people want to know about all the new services," he said, "and this is a gold mine for a new startup to have access to."