LINKEXCHANGE

LinkExchange was the web's largest banner exchange network and expanded to become the web's first small-business portal before being acquired by Microsoft for US $265 million in 1998: http://news.cnet.com/Microsoft-acquires-LinkExchange/2100-1033_3-217516.html LinkExchange was founded in the spring of 1996 by 23-year-old Harvard grads [Tony Hsieh](/people/tony-hsieh) and [Sanjay Madan](/people/sanjay-madan). 24-year-old Harvard grad [Ali Partovi](/people/ali-partovi) joined them a few months ... later as a third partner. At its peak, the LinkExchange banner network reached over half of Internet-enabled households every month, according to Media Metrix. In June, 1998, LinkExchange acquired Submit It! Inc. (makers of Submit It!, ClickTrade, and ListBot), and MerchantPlanet (a turnkey e-commerce solution for merchants). In November, 1998, LinkExchange was acquired by Microsoft for US$265 million. Other notable LinkExchange people included CFO [Alfred Lin](/people/alfred-lin), and via acquisition of Submit-it, [Scott Banister](/people/scott-banister), and contractor [Max Levchin](/people/max-levchin).More