July 20, 2002 -- WebVision Corporation entered the managed hosting arena this week, offering services based on the Microsoft.NET platform out of a former Fourthstage Inc. Internet data center in Austin, Texas.
WebVision CEO Jakob Scherer describes his company as part of a new breed of "stronger and wiser" companies to emerge from the ashes of the dot-com meltdown. WebVision will target medium-sized business customers, he said.
"We believe the time is right for this strategy, as the medium-sized market represents the majority of the growth opportunities for managed hosting services," said Scherer.
WebVision recently acquired some of the assets of Fourthstage Technologies, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February. Fourthstage had previously acquired five Internet data centers from Aperian.
Among those assets is a 35,000 square-foot data center in Austin. WebVision says it has 70 customers in the center, some of which are continuing FourthStage customers. Staying focused on its niche will be critical to the company's plan.
"We're serious business people," said Scherer, "and we believe that by staying focused on a specific market segment, we can avoid many of the difficulties faced by the overbuilt, 'everything-for-everybody' hosting services providers that have encountered serious difficulties in recent years."
Scherer has 25 years of experience in the tech sector, primarily in the semiconductor and energy management industries. In recent years, he has managed the U.S. business interests of a Swiss investment group.
WebVision's chief operating officer, Michael Tighe, was formerly a vice president for Network Two, a managed data network services company, and also worked with GTE Communications Corp.
WebVision Corporation, based in Austin, is a certified Microsoft Solution Provider.