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{{merge|Glen Meakem|discuss=Talk:Forever (website)#Proposed merge with Glen Meakem|date=January 2017}}
{{merge|Glen Meakem|discuss=Talk:Forever (website)#Proposed merge with Glen Meakem|date=January 2017}}
{{multiple issues|
{{notability|Web|date=October 2016}}
{{notability|Web|date=October 2016}}
{{incomplete|date=November 2016}}
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{{Infobox dot-com company
{{Infobox dot-com company
| name = FOREVER
| name = FOREVER
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| founder = [[Glen Meakem]]
| founder = [[Glen Meakem]]
| industry = [[Internet]]
| industry = [[Internet]]
| website_type = [[Digital Preservation]]
| website_type = [[Digital preservation]]
| registration = Required
| registration = Required
| author =
| author =
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| screenshot = [[File:Forever website screen shot.png|border|250px]]
| screenshot = [[File:Forever website screen shot.png|border|250px]]
| caption = Forever website home page screenshot
| caption = Forever website home page screenshot
| website = {{url|forever.com}}
| website = {{url|https://www.forever.com/}}
}}
}}
'''Forever''' is a digital archive and internet storage [[startup company]] for photographs, documents, videos, and audio files. Founded in May 2012 by [[Glen Meakem]], the company is headquartered in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]].
'''FOREVER.com''' is a digital archive and internet storage [[startup company|start-up]] company for photographs, documents, videos, and audio files. Founded in May 2012 by [[Glen Meakem]], the company is headquartered in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{cite news | last =Todd | first =Deborah | title =Forever.com guards personal memories from prying eyes | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] | date =January 14, 2014 | url =http://www.post-gazette.com/business/technology/2014/01/15/Forever-com-guards-personal-memories-from-prying-eyes.html | accessdate = January 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last =Nixon | first =Alex | title =Venture capitalist Meakem to detail latest business at meeting | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] | date =June 13, 2013 | url =http://triblive.com/business/headlines/4184417-74/com-forever-meakem | accessdate = January 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>Tascarella, Patty. [http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/techflash/2013/11/can-glen-meakem-do-it-again.html “Can Glen Meakem do it again?”], “[[Pittsburgh Business Times]]”, Pittsburgh, 22 November 2013. Retrieved on 17 December, 2013.</ref>

==History==
Forever was founded in May 2012 by [[Glen Meakem]] and publicly launched in November 2013.<ref name="Tascarella2015-02-06">{{cite news |last=Tascarella |first=Patty |date=2015-02-06 |title=Is there an IPO in Meakem's future? |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/financial-district/2015/02/is-there-anipo-in-meakems-future.html |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/zPVW2 |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> 1,000 people became Forever members prior to its public launch on November 22, 2013.<ref name="Tascarella2013-11-22">{{cite news |last=Tascarella |first=Patty |date=2013-11-22 |title=Can Glen Meakem do it again? |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/techflash/2013/11/can-glen-meakem-do-it-again.html |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/8zUjw |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> It is a digital archive and internet storage [[startup company]] for photographs, documents, videos, and audio files.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15">{{cite news |last=Todd |first=Deborah M. |date=2014-01-15 |title=Forever.com guards personal memories from prying eyes |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/business/technology/2014/01/15/Forever-com-guards-personal-memories-from-prying-eyes.html |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |accessdate=2017-01-18 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nbQaTudO |archivedate=2017-01-18 }}</ref><ref name="Shamus2016-01-30">{{cite news |last=Shamus |first=Kristen Jordan |date=2016-01-30 |title=Forever CEO is in the business of saving memories |url=http://www.freep.com/story/life/family/kristen-jordan-shamus/2016/01/30/forever-ceo-business-saving-memories/78507546/ |newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]] |accessdate=2017-01-18 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nbR6lkq7 |archivedate=2017-01-18 }}</ref> In 1990, Meakem and his wife went on a summer [[road trip]] from their [[Boston]] home to the states of Delaware, Connecticut, New York, Kentucky, and Florida to visit and film all of their living relatives, including their six grandparents. Their goal was to record their relatives' history. He conceived of Forever during the trip.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26">{{cite news |last=Togneri |first=Chris |date=2015-09-26 |title=Downtown-based Forever.com promises to preserve photos, files 100 years beyond death |url=http://triblive.com/business/headlines/8865861-74/forever-meakem-photos |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] |accessdate=2017-01-18 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nbQqx1gN |archivedate=2017-01-18 }}</ref> Meakem wanted to create an enduring Internet archive for all of his family photos, and he turned the idea into the company Forever.<ref name="Talati2016-01-08">{{cite news |last=Talati |first=Sonia |date=2016-01-08 |title=The Latest in Family Photo Storage |url=http://blogs.barrons.com/penta/2016/01/08/the-latest-in-family-photo-storage/ |newspaper=[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]] |accessdate=2017-01-18 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nbRMKic1 |archivedate=2017-01-18 }}</ref>

In December 2012, Forever received its [[series A round]] funding of $9 million from the venture capital firm Meakem Becker, which was co-founded by Forever founder Glen Meakem.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15"/> In December 2012, Forever moved to the twentieth floor of [[PPG Place]] in [[Downtown Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], where it is based.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15"/><ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> In November 2013, Forever's advertising efforts helped it gain 1,000 paying customers.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15"/> In December 2013, Forever had a [[Series B round]] of funding of $8.6 million.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15"/> Forever had $215,000 in revenue in 2013,<ref name="Todd2014-09-17">{{cite news |last=Todd |first=Deborah M. |date=2014-09-17 |title=Pittsburgh based Forever.com has more in store for future |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/09/17/Pittsburgh-based-Forever-com-has-more-in-store-for-future/stories/201409160164 |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nsLerFhw |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> $827,000 in revenue in 2014<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> and $2.8 million in revenue in 2015.<ref name="Tascarella2016-03-04">{{cite news |last=Tascarella |first=Patty |date=2016-03-04 |title=New startup Forever parallels FreeMarkets growth path, Meakam says |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/news/2016/03/04/new-startup-forever-parallels-freemarkets-growth.html |newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Business Times]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/zTsTe |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> In September 2015, it had 30,000 active users.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/>

==Acquisitions==
In September 2014, Forever bought Panstoria, a digital scrapbooking company. The purchase allowed Forever customers to use Panstoria's scrapbooking services and permitted Forever to advertise its services to Panstoria's 100,000 customers.<ref name="Todd2014-09-17"/>

In September 2015, Forever bought Life Highlights Digital Media, a Wisconsin company established in 2011 by Brenda Broberg, that helped customers digitize family photos and videos.<ref name="Bollier2015-09-22">{{cite news |last=Bollier |first=Jeff |date=2015-09-22 |title=Photo, video saving company opens in Suamico |url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/money/2015/09/22/photo-video-saving-company-opens-suamico/72640660/ |newspaper=[[Green Bay Press-Gazette]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nsHScpDq |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref><ref name="Gallagher2015-09-21">{{cite news |last=Gallagher |first=Kathleen |date=2015-09-21 |title=Life Highlights Digital Media acquired by Pittsburgh company. Green Bay firm will provide Forever Inc. with its first brick and mortar store |url=http://archive.jsonline.com/business/life-highlights-digital-media-acquired-by-pittsburgh-company-b99581266z1-328587231.html |newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]] |accessdate=2017-01-29 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nsJQAqPH |archivedate=2017-01-29 }}</ref> Forever turned Life Highlights' store in [[Green Bay, Wisconsin]], into a Forever retail store.<ref name="Bollier2015-09-22"/> In March 2016, Forever expanded the store's functionality also to be their North American Media Conversion and Processing place, to digitize customers' photos and videos.<ref name="Flynt2016-03-09">{{cite news |last=Flynt |first=Jeff |date=2016-03-09 |title=Forever Expands Suamico Location to Meet Growing Demand |url=http://wtaq.com/news/articles/2016/mar/09/forever-expands-suamico-location-to-meet-growing-demand/ |publisher=[[WTAQ]] |accessdate=2017-01-18 |archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/6nbRiHVkG |archivedate=2017-01-18 }}</ref> In March 2016, Forever had 50 employees.<ref name="Tascarella2016-03-04"/>

==Services==
According to ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'', Forever aims to differentiate itself from other online photo storage services like [[Google Photos]], [[Amazon Prime]] Photos, [[Dropbox]], and [[Shutterfly]] by additionally offering customized help.<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/> Customer service representatives on its [[toll-free telephone number]] offer advice about how to create [[greeting card]]s or [[digital scrapbooking|digital scrapbooks]].<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/> Forever helps customers convert [[VHS]] cassettes into digital files and pledges to convert the files' types into any new file types used in the future.<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/>

Forever gives users free 3 [[gigabyte]] accounts. Users who want to store more photos past the 3 GB limit have the option of paying for a minimum of 10 GB or a maximum of 1 [[terabyte]].<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/>

Forever backs up the data in three places different places around the world and uses bank-grade encryption to protect the data.<ref name="Todd2014-01-15"/>

==Forever Guarantee Fund==
Forever created a "fully-restricted fund" named the Forever Guarantee Fund.<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/> According to [[WTAQ]], the fund "acts like a permanent endowment or reserve".<ref name="Flynt2016-03-09"/> Forever invested $1 million into the fund when establishing it and adds more money from customers' payments.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> Of customer's payments, the company places 70% into the fund and invests the other 30% into operational expenses and expanding its services.<ref name="Talati2016-01-08"/> According to Forever's founder, Glen Meakem, the fund is invested in a [[diversification (finance)|diversified]] collection of stocks and bounds and targets an 8% annual return.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> 4% of the fund's profits is withdrawn every year to cover operational expenses.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/>

The fund's aim is to allow Forever to maintain customers' accounts for a century after the customers' deaths.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> But David Thaw, an [[information security]] specialist at the [[University of Pittsburgh School of Law]], found Forever's 100-year warranty to be uncertain if Forever closes, noting, "As with all things, you can't make perfect guarantees and ensure they will be followed because things can happen."<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/> Forever's [[terms of service]] dictates that if Forever cannot sustain customers' accounts, it will use the Forever Guarantee Fund to give the customers' data back to Forever's customers.<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/>

==Reception==
Michael Spring, a professor at the [[University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences]], said, "It seems a little overpriced. It may end up being a service used more by those who have disposable income and are vain — maybe they should check with Donald Trump."<ref name="Togneri2015-09-26"/>


==References==
In 2013, the company opened an office in [[Pittsburgh]], and launched the first version of its website.<ref name="bizjournals">Tascarella, Patty. [http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/techflash/2013/11/can-glen-meakem-do-it-again.html?page=all “Can Glen Meakem do it again?”], “[[Pittsburgh Business Times]]”, Pittsburgh, 22 November 2013. Retrieved on 17 December 2013.</ref>
⚫
{{reflist|30em}}


== References ==
==External links==
* [https://www.forever.com/ Official website]
⚫
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Economy of Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Economy of Pittsburgh]]

Revision as of 11:14, 29 January 2017

FOREVER
Forever website home page screenshot
Type of site
Digital preservation
Available inEnglish
HeadquartersPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Founder(s)Glen Meakem
IndustryInternet
URLwww.forever.com
RegistrationRequired
LaunchedMay 2012 (2012-05)
Current statusActive

Forever is a digital archive and internet storage startup company for photographs, documents, videos, and audio files. Founded in May 2012 by Glen Meakem, the company is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

History

Forever was founded in May 2012 by Glen Meakem and publicly launched in November 2013.[1] 1,000 people became Forever members prior to its public launch on November 22, 2013.[2] It is a digital archive and internet storage startup company for photographs, documents, videos, and audio files.[3][4] In 1990, Meakem and his wife went on a summer road trip from their Boston home to the states of Delaware, Connecticut, New York, Kentucky, and Florida to visit and film all of their living relatives, including their six grandparents. Their goal was to record their relatives' history. He conceived of Forever during the trip.[5] Meakem wanted to create an enduring Internet archive for all of his family photos, and he turned the idea into the company Forever.[6]

In December 2012, Forever received its series A round funding of $9 million from the venture capital firm Meakem Becker, which was co-founded by Forever founder Glen Meakem.[3] In December 2012, Forever moved to the twentieth floor of PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where it is based.[3][5] In November 2013, Forever's advertising efforts helped it gain 1,000 paying customers.[3] In December 2013, Forever had a Series B round of funding of $8.6 million.[3] Forever had $215,000 in revenue in 2013,[7] $827,000 in revenue in 2014[5] and $2.8 million in revenue in 2015.[8] In September 2015, it had 30,000 active users.[5]

Acquisitions

In September 2014, Forever bought Panstoria, a digital scrapbooking company. The purchase allowed Forever customers to use Panstoria's scrapbooking services and permitted Forever to advertise its services to Panstoria's 100,000 customers.[7]

In September 2015, Forever bought Life Highlights Digital Media, a Wisconsin company established in 2011 by Brenda Broberg, that helped customers digitize family photos and videos.[9][10] Forever turned Life Highlights' store in Green Bay, Wisconsin, into a Forever retail store.[9] In March 2016, Forever expanded the store's functionality also to be their North American Media Conversion and Processing place, to digitize customers' photos and videos.[11] In March 2016, Forever had 50 employees.[8]

Services

According to Barron's, Forever aims to differentiate itself from other online photo storage services like Google Photos, Amazon Prime Photos, Dropbox, and Shutterfly by additionally offering customized help.[6] Customer service representatives on its toll-free telephone number offer advice about how to create greeting cards or digital scrapbooks.[6] Forever helps customers convert VHS cassettes into digital files and pledges to convert the files' types into any new file types used in the future.[6]

Forever gives users free 3 gigabyte accounts. Users who want to store more photos past the 3 GB limit have the option of paying for a minimum of 10 GB or a maximum of 1 terabyte.[6]

Forever backs up the data in three places different places around the world and uses bank-grade encryption to protect the data.[3]

Forever Guarantee Fund

Forever created a "fully-restricted fund" named the Forever Guarantee Fund.[6] According to WTAQ, the fund "acts like a permanent endowment or reserve".[11] Forever invested $1 million into the fund when establishing it and adds more money from customers' payments.[5] Of customer's payments, the company places 70% into the fund and invests the other 30% into operational expenses and expanding its services.[6] According to Forever's founder, Glen Meakem, the fund is invested in a diversified collection of stocks and bounds and targets an 8% annual return.[5] 4% of the fund's profits is withdrawn every year to cover operational expenses.[5]

The fund's aim is to allow Forever to maintain customers' accounts for a century after the customers' deaths.[5] But David Thaw, an information security specialist at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, found Forever's 100-year warranty to be uncertain if Forever closes, noting, "As with all things, you can't make perfect guarantees and ensure they will be followed because things can happen."[5] Forever's terms of service dictates that if Forever cannot sustain customers' accounts, it will use the Forever Guarantee Fund to give the customers' data back to Forever's customers.[5]

Reception

Michael Spring, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, said, "It seems a little overpriced. It may end up being a service used more by those who have disposable income and are vain — maybe they should check with Donald Trump."[5]

References

  1. ^ Tascarella, Patty (2015-02-06). "Is there an IPO in Meakem's future?". Pittsburgh Business Times. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  2. ^ Tascarella, Patty (2013-11-22). "Can Glen Meakem do it again?". Pittsburgh Business Times. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Todd, Deborah M. (2014-01-15). "Forever.com guards personal memories from prying eyes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  4. ^ Shamus, Kristen Jordan (2016-01-30). "Forever CEO is in the business of saving memories". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Togneri, Chris (2015-09-26). "Downtown-based Forever.com promises to preserve photos, files 100 years beyond death". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Talati, Sonia (2016-01-08). "The Latest in Family Photo Storage". Barron's. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  7. ^ a b Todd, Deborah M. (2014-09-17). "Pittsburgh based Forever.com has more in store for future". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  8. ^ a b Tascarella, Patty (2016-03-04). "New startup Forever parallels FreeMarkets growth path, Meakam says". Pittsburgh Business Times. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  9. ^ a b Bollier, Jeff (2015-09-22). "Photo, video saving company opens in Suamico". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  10. ^ Gallagher, Kathleen (2015-09-21). "Life Highlights Digital Media acquired by Pittsburgh company. Green Bay firm will provide Forever Inc. with its first brick and mortar store". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2017-01-29. Retrieved 2017-01-29.
  11. ^ a b Flynt, Jeff (2016-03-09). "Forever Expands Suamico Location to Meet Growing Demand". WTAQ. Archived from the original on 2017-01-18. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
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