Infonautics

In 1990, Telebase founder Weinberger and outside counsel Husick conceived of Homework Helper, a $10 per month unlimited research service having a large multimedia database and a natural language user interface. Working with Brewster Kahle, a protocol was developed to run on the Thinking Machines massively parallel computer system, but in late early 1991, Conquest Software demonstrated its semantic search engine and a change in direction ensued. Hardware support was provided by Tandem Computers. Early work on the multimedia database system yielded multiple U.S. patents.

In 1996, the company was listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange.{{cite web|title=Online Firm's Stock Slips After Its Opening |url=http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-06/business/25626768_1_infonautics-electric-library-hot-internet-stocks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428033358/http://articles.philly.com/1996-05-06/business/25626768_1_infonautics-electric-library-hot-internet-stocks|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2015|access-date=3 September 2016|author=Reid Kanaley|date=6 May 1996}} It was delisted in 2001.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2001/01/08/daily8.html|title=Nasdaq sends warning to Infonautics about delisting|publisher=Philadelphia Business Journal|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/infonautics-moves-to-otc-bulletin-board-day-to-day-operations-and-pending-merger-unaffected-72273367.html|title=Infonautics Moves to OTC Bulletin Board; Day-to-Day Operations and Pending Merger Unaffected|last=Infonautics, Inc.|first=Press Release|access-date=2016-09-05}}

In 2001, Tucows acquired Infonautics through a business tactic called "reverse takeover". Initially, Infonautics purchased Tucows and then changed its own name to Tucows.Paula J. Hane, [http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104 "Tucows Sells Two Former Infonautics Services"], Information Today, August 26, 2002. On August 26, 2002, Tucows sold eLibrary and Encyclopedia.com to HighBeam Research.{{Cite web |last=Hane |first=Paula J. |date=2002-08-26 |title=Tucows Sells Two Former Infonautics Services |url=https://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/NewsBreaks/Tucows-Sells-Two-Former-Infonautics-Services-17104.asp |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=newsbreaks.infotoday.com}}

The company created online services Homework Helper on Prodigy,{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1994-03-13/an-on-line-library-for-your-little-prodigy|title=An On Line Library For Your Little Prodigy|website=Bloomberg.com|date=14 March 1994 |access-date=2016-09-06}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/04/garden/welcome-the-cyber-tutor.html|title=Welcome the Cyber-Tutor|last=Leimbach|first=Dulcie|date=1995-05-04|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2016-09-05}} Encyclopedia.com,{{Cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-20341277/infonautics-launches-encyclopedia-com|title=Infonautics Launches Encyclopedia.Com|date=March 1998|publisher=Information Today|access-date=|archive-date=2016-09-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916161302/https://www.questia.com/read/1G1-20341277/infonautics-launches-encyclopedia-com|url-status=dead}} Electric Library,{{Cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/1999-07-09/business/25523326_1_job-sleuth-information-learning-division-infonautics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141017094024/http://articles.philly.com/1999-07-09/business/25523326_1_job-sleuth-information-learning-division-infonautics|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 17, 2014|title=Infonautics Moves Electric Library To Joint Venture The Company Will Get $22 Million And A 27 Percent Stake In The Venture. Bell & Howell Will Own The Remainder.|publisher=Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=2016-09-05}} and CompanySleuth.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB910998760174238000|title=Company Sleuth Site Is Generating Lots of Buzz, Misinformation Online|last=Lee|first=Carrie|date=1998-11-16|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/infonautics-adds-to-research-site/|title=Infonautics adds to research site|last=Kane|first=Margaret|date=1999-01-04|website=ZDNet|access-date=2016-09-06}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/infonautics-new-product-finds-buzz-11-5-98|title=Infonautics' new product finds buzz 11-5-98|publisher=CBS MarketWatch|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB910998285341597500|title=Tiny Infonautics Gets Big Boost From News of a Hot New Site|date=1998-11-14|newspaper=Dow Jones Newswires via Wall Street Journal|issn=0099-9660|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/nbreader.asp?ArticleID=17104|title=Tucows Sells Two Former Infonautics Services|last=Hane|first=Paula J.|date=2002-08-26|website=infotoday.com|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/1999/07/09/mu5.html|title=The skinny on Infonautics|last=Malik|first=Om|date=1999-07-09|work=Forbes|access-date=2016-09-05}}

In 2003, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the company was "one of the first Internet companies in the Philadelphia area"{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2003/04/21/focus1.html|title=Infonautics' legacy lives on|website=Philadelphia Business Journal|access-date=2016-09-07}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2003/04/28/newscolumn2.html|title=Infonautics' players: What are they up to?|publisher=Philadelphia Business Journal|access-date=2016-09-05}}{{Cite web|url=http://seriousstartups.com/2012/06/01/phillys-novotorium-and-seed-philly-announce-entrepreneur-summercamp/|title=Philly: Novotorium & Seed Philly Announce Entrepreneur Summercamp|last=Kyle|website=seriousstartups.com|date=June 2012 |access-date=2016-09-07|quote="We’ve seen tremendous collaboration, innovation and camaraderie through the years by the people who were part of Infonautics," Krupit said. "We are now experiencing a resurgence of the entrepreneurial community in Philadelphia, so the timing is excellent to help a new wave of entrepreneurs learn from pioneers and see how and how much we have already achieved in our region, and the possibilities for the future."}}{{Cite web|url=http://technical.ly/philly/2012/06/11/infonautics-team-returns-to-talk-startups-during-entrepreneur-summer-camp-events/|title=Infonautics team returns to talk startups during Entrepreneur Summer Camp [EVENTS] - Technical.ly Philly|date=2012-06-11|website=technical.ly|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-07|quote=... bringing back some of the old Infonautics team for a discussion of what happened to the dot-com era Wayne-based startup that rolled out more talent than the old Montreal Expos farm system}}{{Cite web|url=http://technical.ly/philly/2012/06/13/infonautics-the-legendary-90s-era-wayne-infotech-business-was-just-too-early/|title=Infonautics: legendary 90s-era Wayne infotech IPO was 'just too early'|date=2012-06-13|website=technical.ly|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-07|quote=Infonautics is legend in Philadelphia’s investment and entrepreneurial communities}}

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Category:Technology companies established in 1992

Category:Business intelligence companies

Category:1992 establishments in Pennsylvania

Category:2001 disestablishments in Pennsylvania

Category:Defunct companies based in Pennsylvania

Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq

Category:Tucows

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