Imaginova

Imaginova Corporation was a United States digital commerce and media company headquartered in Watsonville, California. Its origins date to 1999, when the business was established as Space.com by CNN business anchor Lou Dobbs. The company initially centered on space-related information and publishing, but subsequently developed a broader portfolio aimed at consumers interested in science, technology, astronomy, and other subjects associated with its stated audience of the “intellectually curious.” The company’s corporate identity changed as its business expanded. In 2002, Dan Stone became president, chief executive officer, and a member of the board. In 2004, during Stone’s leadership, the company changed its name from Space Holdings Corp. to Imaginova. The new name reflected an effort to operate beyond a single space-focused media property and to combine online publishing, commerce, and specialist software under a wider corporate platform. Imaginova operated an online media network and distributed original content through major portals including Yahoo!, MSNBC, AOL, and FoxNews.com. Its activities therefore extended beyond ownership of individual websites: it also functioned as a producer and syndicator of science and technology-oriented editorial material. The company’s portfolio included SpaceNews, which was later sold to Pocket Ventures, LLC, in 2012, and Orion Telescopes & Binoculars, a specialist astronomy retailer that Imaginova previously owned. Orion was repurchased by its employees in November 2017. The company also entered software and interactive product development through Starry Night, a planetarium and astronomy software product available for platforms including Mac OS X, Microsoft Windows, BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod touch. Starry Night was acquired by Simulation Curriculum Corporation in 2008. Imaginova’s commerce activities included LiveScienceStore.com and other consumer-facing properties associated with its science and space audience. Imaginova received financial backing from Blue Chip Venture Capital, Gannett Co., RedShift Ventures, Steelpoint Capital Partners, and Venrock Associates. In August 2006, it raised $15 million in growth-equity financing. The company later sold its consumer businesses to TechMediaNetwork, then formally known as TopTenReviews, in 2009. That divestiture, followed by the separate sales of SpaceNews and Starry Night and the employee repurchase of Orion, substantially changed the company’s portfolio. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current operating status, a current leadership team, or a current corporate website, so those fields remain uncertain.

Imaginova began in 1999 as Space.com, a company founded by Lou Dobbs around a space-focused digital publishing concept. The early business was associated with the development of an online destination for space information and with the broader growth of web-based specialist media. As the company developed, it adopted the corporate name Space Holdings Corp. and expanded its ambitions beyond a single website. A significant management transition occurred in 2002, when Dan Stone became president, chief executive officer, and a board member. Under Stone’s leadership, the company changed its name to Imaginova in 2004. The rebranding signaled a portfolio strategy: rather than presenting itself solely as a space publisher, Imaginova sought to serve a wider audience interested in science, technology, astronomy, and related subjects. The company described its target audience as the “intellectually curious.” Imaginova combined media production with digital commerce. Through an Imaginova Network of media properties, it supplied original content to portals such as Yahoo!, MSNBC, AOL, and FoxNews.com. Its portfolio also included commerce activity connected with science and astronomy, including LiveScienceStore.com. The company’s ownership of Orion Telescopes & Binoculars gave it a specialist retail presence in telescopes, binoculars, and related observational equipment, while its ownership of SpaceNews extended its reach into professional space-industry journalism. Software was another part of the company’s development. Imaginova developed Starry Night, an astronomy and planetarium software line that supported Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows as well as mobile and handheld platforms including BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod touch. In 2008, Simulation Curriculum Corporation acquired Starry Night, removing an important software asset from Imaginova’s portfolio. The company raised $15 million in growth equity in August 2006. The investor group included Blue Chip Venture Capital, Gannett Co., RedShift Ventures, Steelpoint Capital Partners, and Venrock Associates. The financing supported a company whose business model combined advertising and syndicated media with specialist commerce and digital products, although the available reference material does not provide a detailed breakdown of revenue or spending. Imaginova subsequently reduced and reorganized its holdings. In 2009, it sold its consumer businesses to TechMediaNetwork, then formally known as TopTenReviews. SpaceNews was sold to Pocket Ventures, LLC, in 2012. Orion Telescopes & Binoculars remained associated with Imaginova for a longer period, but its employees repurchased the business in November 2017. These transactions transformed Imaginova from a diversified owner of science-media, retail, and software properties into a company with a much smaller publicly documented portfolio. Available sources do not clearly identify its present ownership, leadership, operating activities, or active website; its current status is therefore recorded as unknown rather than assumed to be active or defunct.

• 2017

  Orion employee repurchase

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Employees repurchased Orion Telescopes & Binoculars in November.

• 2012

  SpaceNews sold

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  SpaceNews was sold to Pocket Ventures, LLC.

• 2009

  Consumer businesses divested

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Imaginova sold its consumer businesses to TechMediaNetwork, formerly known as TopTenReviews.

• 2008

  Starry Night acquired

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Simulation Curriculum Corporation acquired Imaginova’s Starry Night astronomy software.

• 2006

  Growth-equity financing

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Imaginova raised $15 million in growth equity from a syndicate that included Blue Chip Venture Capital, Gannett, RedShift Ventures, Steelpoint Capital Partners, and Venrock Associates.

• 2004

  Company renamed Imaginova

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  The business changed its corporate name from Space Holdings Corp. to Imaginova.

• 2002

  Dan Stone joins as chief executive

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Dan Stone became president, chief executive officer, and a member of the board.

• 1999

  Company founded as Space.com

  [1]Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org

  Lou Dobbs founded the company as Space.com, establishing its original focus on space-related digital media.

A digital destination and commerce platform for scientifically minded consumers, combining specialist media, astronomy retail, and educational software.

• Digital media · 1999

  Space.com

  Space.com was the company’s original space-focused digital media property and the source of its initial corporate identity. It formed the foundation for Imaginova’s later development as a broader science and technology media company.

• E-commerce

  LiveScienceStore.com

  LiveScienceStore.com was an Imaginova-associated online retail property aimed at consumers interested in science-related merchandise and products. The available reference material identifies it as part of the company’s e-commerce activities but does not provide a current operating status.

• Trade journalism

  SpaceNews

  SpaceNews was a professional space-industry news property previously owned by Imaginova. Its coverage served a more specialized audience than general consumer science media. Imaginova sold the publication to Pocket Ventures, LLC, in 2012.

• Astronomy retail

  Orion Telescopes & Binoculars

  Orion Telescopes & Binoculars was a specialist astronomy retailer previously owned by Imaginova. Its assortment centered on telescopes, binoculars, and related observing equipment. The company was repurchased by its employees in November 2017.

• Astronomy software

  Starry Night

  Starry Night was an astronomy and planetarium software line developed by Imaginova. It supported desktop operating systems including Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows and was also made available for platforms such as BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod touch. Simulation Curriculum Corporation acquired the product in 2008.

• 2017

  Employee repurchase of Orion Telescopes & BinocularsM&A

  Background

  Orion was a specialist astronomy retail business previously owned by Imaginova.

  Action taken

  Orion was repurchased by its employees in November 2017.

  Aftermath

  The transaction ended Imaginova’s documented ownership of Orion.

  Source

• 2012

  Divestiture of SpaceNewsM&A

  Background

  SpaceNews was part of Imaginova’s specialist space-media holdings.

  Action taken

  Imaginova sold SpaceNews to Pocket Ventures, LLC.

  Aftermath

  SpaceNews left the Imaginova portfolio and continued under new ownership.

  Source

• 2009

  Sale of consumer businesses to TechMediaNetworkM&A

  Background

  Imaginova was reorganizing a portfolio that combined consumer commerce and specialist media.

  Action taken

  The company sold its consumer businesses to TechMediaNetwork, then known formally as TopTenReviews.

  Aftermath

  The transaction reduced Imaginova’s directly owned consumer-business portfolio.

  Source

• 2008

  Sale of Starry Night to Simulation Curriculum CorporationM&A

  Background

  Starry Night was one of Imaginova’s software and interactive astronomy assets.

  Action taken

  Imaginova sold Starry Night to Simulation Curriculum Corporation.

  Aftermath

  The software became part of Simulation Curriculum Corporation, headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

  Source

• 2004

  Rebranding from Space Holdings Corp. to ImaginovaStrategy

  Background

  The company had expanded beyond its original space-focused identity into science media, online commerce, and software.

  Action taken

  It adopted the Imaginova name, presenting itself as a broader destination for scientifically and intellectually curious consumers.

  Aftermath

  The rebranding accompanied the development of a portfolio that included media properties, astronomy retail, and Starry Night software.

  Source

1. 1Imaginovaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Archived Imaginova websiteweb.archive.org
3. 3Simulation Curriculum Corporationsimulationcurriculum.com