ChaCha, the only real-time human-powered search engine in the world, announced today it received $8 million in private equity funding and a $2 million grant from Indiana’s 21st Century Technology Fund resulting in total proceeds to the company of $10 million. Morton Meyerson joins Jeff Bezos, Rod Canion,  and Jack Gill.

Morton Meyerson was formerly the Chairman and CEO of Perot Systems in addition to serving as president of EDS. By the time of his departure, EDS was the largest computer services company in the world. At his private investment firm 2M Companies, Inc., Meyerson invests in companies that exhibit the same qualities and values as the most successful teams he led at EDS and Perot Systems.

”It is rare to find a company offering such a game-changing disruptive equation, even in the context of giants like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. Having had the opportunity to work with the entire ChaCha team, I am especially impressed with the caliber of people driving this groundbreaking company,” said Meyerson. “I am excited for ChaCha’s future potential and think its plan to build upon its human-powered search engine to develop a mobile answers application is brilliant. ChaCha is absolutely in the right place at the right time in a multi-billion dollar industry that is ripe for innovation.”  Meyerson’s investment supports ChaCha’s plan to launch several unique services in early 2008. ChaCha is also pleased to announce Meyerson has been elected to its board of directors.

ChaCha’s desktop search service is free to users and can provide searchers with as much or as little assistance as they would like with their questions. ChaCha is the first search engine to offer two options for searching – instantly or with the assistance of a human guide in real-time. If the instant results from “ChaCha Search” option do not completely answer a users’ question, ChaCha can immediately connect them with a human guide who will assist them with their search in a real-time instant-message chat.

For example:
Status: Sakina has connected to help you with your search on Which is the best search engine?. Please wait while your guide searches for your results.
Sakina: Welcome to ChaCha!
Sakina: Hello! I will be helping you with your search
Sakina: Just to clarify. What can I help you find regarding your search?
You: Hi, in general which is the best overall search engine to use?
Sakina: Are these results sufficient?
You: Yes – perfect! Thank you.
Sakina: Is there anything else on this topic I can find for you today?
You: No, that is all. Bye!
Status: Your ChaCha guide was Sakina ID: 53363
Status: Session ended.

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