Wednesday's B2B Solution Provider Report

Viant Corp., a Boston-based e-business builder, is establishing an incubator for its employees. The internal program is designed to cultivate, build, launch and grow digital businesses conceptualized by Viant employees.

The new program, called Viant Ventures, includes a formal process to source, evaluate and select the most viable digital business ideas originating from its employees. Once an idea is selected, Viant will work with the entrepreneur to further develop the business plan, recruit the management team and source the venture financing.

Viant expects a number of these ideas will receive outside funding and will move forward into the digital business-building phase. Viant will provide these businesses with its core digital business building services, including digital business strategy development, site design, marketing, branding and promotion, interim and permanent management services, and systems integration. Viant expects one to three ventures will be selected to participate in this program over the next 12 months. In addition to the entrepreneurs, other Viant employees will be offered the opportunity to work with the new companies in management and operating positions.

Other B2B News

Cambridge Technology Partners Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based service provider, is teaming up with Dedham, Mass-based business-to-business e-commerce firm eCredit.com to provide joint clients with the services needed to create e-markets. The new partnership will allow real-time credit and finance between two parties that may not have interacted previously.

Cambridge will now be able to help customers use the eCredit.com Global Financing Network, which connects businesses to information sources and financing vendors so credit and financing decisions can be processed online at the point-of-sale.

The network will enable Global 1000 organizations, financial institutions and net-market makers to automate their entire credit decision process--from credit bureau information access to credit scoring and notification of decisions, the companies said. These capabilities will boost the number of customers that can be approved for credit, increasing sales and revenue.

FAO Schwarz selected Allaire Corp.'s Internet Business Platform to strengthen its online presence (www.FAO.com). After an evaluation of the platform market, MarchFirst, Inc., FAO Schwarz's Internet professional services provider, recommended Allaire based on total cost of ownership, support and service offerings. Allaire Spectra is a system for content management, e-commerce and personalization. The enhanced online store is expected to launch next quarter. Initial site enhancements will include scalability, enhanced navigation and order tracking, using United Parcel Service tracking numbers.

Sabre Holdings Corp., a solution provider in Dallas, will be a charter supplier in PeopleSoft MarketPlace, a b-to-b trading exchange where customers, suppliers, corporations and their employees can collaborate and conduct business. Incorporating the Sabre Business Travel Solutions system into the PeopleSoft MarketPlace will provide corporations with access to online travel booking and policy management tools, company executives said.

The Sabre BTS system will integrate into PeopleSoft MarketPlace using the PeopleSoft Internet Architecture, an XML-based integration platform. The companies say the solution will reduce administration time and costs by simplifying product implementation and allow end users to handle all purchases through one application with a single login.

Communication News

Lucent Technologies signed a three-year, $200 million deal with Telia, a Scandinavian Internet and communications company, to supply technology for Telia's new optical networks in Europe and the United States. Telia's Viking network will use Lucent's multiplexing technology to provide telephone, Internet and data transmission services to Scandinavia, Europe and the United States. Work is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year.

The U.S. portion of the network will be equipped with Lucent's WaveStar OLS 400G optical networking system. The 400G delivers a per-fiber capacity of up to 400 Gbits per second, which is equivalent to transmitting 2,000 encyclopedia volumes per second. Lucent also will provide network integration and consulting services using its NetworkCare Professional Services portfolio, including planning, installation, integration and network management services.

Financial News

Reuters is reporting Intel Corp. and one of its executives are selling some stock.

The news agency reported that Intel recently sold about $74 million worth of Micron Technology Inc.'s stock and plans to sell $63.2 million more, according to a SEC filing.

Intel sold 1,190,300 common shares of Micron on May 4 and intends to sell an additional 1,032,700 shares, Intel's filing said. The companies are among the world's largest makers of PC chips.

Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., initially invested in Boise, Idaho-based Micron in October 1998. Intel's chief financial officer, Andy Bryant, plans to sell $11.34 million worth of Intel's stock, a SEC filing said. Bryant is looking to sell 90,000 common shares he acquired after exercising a stock option. He has not sold any Intel shares in the past three months, according to the filing.

Reuters also reported that Compaq Computer Corp. plans to boost purchases of South Korean-made computer components to nearly $4 billion this year, up 50 percent from 1998. Compaq Chief Executive and President Michael Capellas also said the company would invest $100 million in Korea's Internet sector, one of the world's fastest growing.

Compaq said it will invest most of the money in e-commerce projects and set up a unit next month to offer leasing and financial services. Plans include a $5 million investment in a joint venture with Dacom, LG International and other Korean Internet firms to build a b-to-b portal.

A couple of companies are planning to extend their reach.

Cisco Systems Inc. is planning to buy about 110 acres in New Hampshire for a new manufacturing site. The proposed New England Manufacturing Center will be in Salem, N.H., about 40 miles northwest of Boston. The new facility consists of 674,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space and is expected to provide space for up to 2,500 employees within five years. It will be used for testing, assembly and distribution of Cisco products, including optics-based routers and networking solutions.

Razorfish, Inc., a New York-based digital solution provider, is opening a new office in Milan, Italy, to meet demands for its services in Southern Europe. Razorfish is transferring members from the London office to Milan to build the infrastructure to support existing business and to act as a strategic digital partner for future Italian clients.

Hiring And Promotions News

Reuters reports Tom Jermoluk, former chairman of Excite@Home Corp. is joining Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Jermoluk, who resigned as Excite@Home chairman on Monday, will be a general partner at Kleiner Perkins. Kleiner Perkins was an early investor in @Home Network prior to the merger that formed the Internet content and access business Excite@Home. Jermoluk joined @Home as chairman in 1996 when it had fewer than 100 employees.

For news tips and story ideas, contact CRN News Radio Associate Producer Clay Gollobin at (781) 487-7591 or cgollobin@cmp.com; or Executive Producer Jeff O'Heir at (516) 733-8786 or joheir@cmp.com.CRN