Conduit (company)

From 2005 to 2013, the company's most well-known product was the Conduit toolbar, which is flagged by most antivirus software as potentially unwanted and adware.{{cite web | title = PUP.Optional.Conduit removal instructions| publisher = Malware Removal Guides | date = 2013-08-07 | url = http://www.malwareremovalguides.info/pup-optional-conduit-removal-intructions/ | accessdate = 2013-10-12}} Conduit's toolbar software is often downloaded by malware packages from other publishers. The company spun off the toolbar division that manages the Conduit toolbar in 2013.

Today, the company's main product is a mobile development platform that allows users to create native and web mobile applications for smartphones. App creation for its App Gallery is free, but it charges a monthly subscription fee to place apps on the App Store or Google Play.

Conduit was founded in 2005 by Shilo, Dror Erez, and Gaby Bilcyzk.{{cite news|url=http://www.thestreet.com/story/10455713/1/conduit-builds-on-the-power-of-the-web-toolbar.html|title=Conduit Builds on the Power of the Web Toolbar|date=January 2, 2009|accessdate=May 16, 2011|work=TheStreet.com | first=Steve | last=Cooper}}{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/israeli-startup-conduit-with-more-users-than-twitter-negotiating-billion-dollar-exit-1.353446/|title=Israeli startup Conduit with more users than Twitter negotiating billion-dollar exit|date=January 4, 2011|accessdate=May 16, 2011|work=Haaretz | first=Guy | last=Grimland}} Between years 2005 and 2013, it ran a successful but controversial toolbar platform business.

Conduit was part of the so-called Download Valley companies monetizing free software and downloads by bundling adware.[http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304547704579563281761548844 Conduit Diversifies Away From 'Download Valley'] Wall Street Journal, Orr Hirschauge, updated May 15, 2014[http://www.haaretz.com/business/.premium-1.542896 Game over in Download Valley?] Haaretz, Inbal Orpaz, Orr Hirschauge, August 22, 2013 The toolbars were criticized by some as being very difficult to uninstall.{{cite news|url=http://pando.com/2012/09/14/conduit-turns-toolbar-riches-into-massive-dividend/|title=Conduit Turns Toolbar Riches Into Massive Dividend|date=September 14, 2012|work=PandoDaily | first=Erin| last=Griffith| accessdate = 2014-07-14}} The toolbar software was referred to as a "potentially unwanted program" by some in the computer industry because it could be used to change browser settings.{{Cite book |title=Technocreep: The Surrender of Privacy and the Capitalization of Intimacy |last=Keenan |first=Thomas P. | date=August 1, 2014 | publisher=Greystone Books |isbn=9781771641227 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RExHBAAAQBAJ&dq=Conduit+malware&pg=PA157}}

The company had more than 400 employees in 2013.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.inc.com/jeremy-quittner/billionaire-club-conduit.html |title=The "Real Valuation" Is About Having Fun |author=Jeremy Quittner |magazine=Inc. Magazine |date=January 1, 2013 |accessdate=March 13, 2013}} In September same year, Conduit spun off its entire website toolbar business division, which combined with Perion Network.{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/10/07/after-buying-wibiya-for-45m-conduit-is-discontinuing-the-website-social-toolbar-service/ |title=After Buying Wibiya For $45M, Conduit Discontinues Product As It Shifts Away From Toolbars |date=October 7, 2013 |author=Ingrid Lunden |work=TechCrunch}} After the deal, Conduit shareholders owned 81% of Perion's existing shares and both Perion and Conduit remained independent companies. The substantial size of the Conduit user base allowed Perion to immediately surpass AOL in U.S. searches.

In 2015, Conduit announced it would purchase Keeprz, a mobile customer loyalty platform, for $45 million.{{cite news|last1=Weinglass|first1=Simona|title=Israel's Conduit acquires Keeprz customer loyalty platform for $50M|url=http://www.geektime.com/2015/07/16/israels-conduit-acquires-keeprz-customer-loyalty-platform-for-50m/|accessdate=24 July 2015|publisher=GeekTime|date=16 July 2015}}

• Perion Network
• Download Valley
• Conduit toolbar

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Category:Software companies established in 2005

Category:Software companies of Israel

Category:Mobile applications