Cogenta seeks ISVs for research software

UK-based supplier Cogenta is looking to sign up specialist resellers and independent software vendors to push its search software through the channel.

Cogenta's product, Research Director, sits on the desktop and is a single point of entry for searching information sources such as subscription databases, newsgroups, the web and intranets.

The company is looking to market the product in eight vertical areas, and wants to sign channel partners who can offer expertise in those sectors.

"Research Director is all about helping to improve productivity and access to information by providing a single source for information needs. It is about information management," said David Phillips, chief executive of Cogenta.

"We are looking for a key partner in each of the sectors who can bring expertise to bear."

Cogenta is working with a partner in the legal sector and has just signed up Way to Blue, a public relations company in the entertainment and media business. It also expects to sign a deal in the law enforcement sector soon.

Other areas for which it is still looking for partners over the next six to 12 months include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, health, academia and financial services.

Way to Blue has been using the Research Director product internally for two months. Lee Henshaw, the company's sales director, said it had already produced benefits.

The company's consultants use the Cogenta tool, combined with its own database of online news sources, to search the web for articles it has successfully placed in the media for its clients, who include Madonna.

"It is saving around 20 per cent of our publicists' time," Henshaw said. "It gives them time to do other things and focus on the more important parts of their campaigns."

Through the Day is Done production company, Henshaw will resell the combination of Cogenta's search tool and his company's own information databases preloaded onto a PC to other PR companies in the sector.

Henshaw said the product is a combination of the expertise of Cogenta and Way to Blue.

"We couldn't do it without the software and Cogent couldn't do it without our database," he said.

The product will be launched at the end of April. Pricing has not yet been confirmed, but Henshaw expects it to sell for not less than £20,000.

See also:

A search that's all together better

New metasearch technology enables users to search bring together internal, external and for-fee data sources for searching. Stephen Arnold looked it over at Online Information.  10 Jan 2003

Lost in the information age

Surveys show that many people are overloaded with data and unable to find what they need using search engines. The only way forward is for vital information skills to be properly taught and respected, says Susan Mendelsohn.  10 Jan 2003

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