Austin Business Journal by Christopher Calnan, Staff Writer
Online movers marketplace uShip Inc. is positioned to capitalize on a new reality television series depicting its carriers.
The show, which premieres on cable TV station A&E at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, is called “Shipping Wars” and features six uShip carriers competing against each other for business. But it’s Austin-based uShip that stands to win if the series generates the projected 2 million to 5 million viewers.
“We hope the show will single-handedly make uShip a household name,” CEO Matt Chasen said.
UShip, founded in 2003, hosts Web-based auctions for shippers. The company employs about 90 workers. Since launching, the company has managed 6 million moving bids and $250 million in sales, company officials said.
Chasen said he expects “Shipping Wars” to raise the awareness of both the company and independent shipper. UShip plans to track how the series affects its website activity, he said.
Last year, uShip reported receiving nearly $2 million of a planned $4 million round of financing from a lone investor. During two financing rounds in 2005 and 2006, the company received $5 million to $10 million from Benchmark Capital, a California-based venture capital firm.
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