As the market picks up, Edmonton-based Empire Avenue has announced the virtual stock market site has closed $1.2 million in funding. The round was led by Crosslink Capital, and also included iNovia Capital, as well as BioWare co-founders Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. The funs will be used to expand their team and platform, as well establish addition partnerships for branded virtual items and achievement.
“We’re really excited to be backed by such a respected group of investors, who’ve all shown that they believe in the long-term potential of our socially-driven economy,” said Duleepa Wijayawardhana, CEO of Empire Avenue. “We will be leveraging the experience and involvement of all our incredible investors to grow the company and explore new ideas, platforms and connections to further develop Empire Avenue.
The company has also announced addition integration with social media sites Foursquare and Instagram, it already ties into Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Flickr and offers a range of metrics to show users the value of their networks on the various social networks.