WeWin.com

WeWin.com has joined the rush of startups hoping to follow YouTube’s success by building its own niche: giving away prizes.

The Pleasanton-based Web site faces challenges, including funding, copyright issues and problems surrounding user-generated content. But the motivation is strong.

Brian Carrozzi, who founded WeWin.com and has built a 10-person shop, said finding a niche is essential when going up against giants like YouTube, whose advantages includes huge financial backing.

The concept behind WeWin.com goes back to the late 1990s when “the battle of the portals” was in progress – when Yahoo, Lycos and other portals fought for dominance, Carrozzi said.

One portal, iWon.com, found a way to build and retain loyalty: give cash prizes to users. That company is now owned by Oakland-based IAC Search and Media.

That inspired Carrozzi’s idea: “incentive-based video sharing.” On WeWin.com, registered users are awarded points for uploading and watching videos. Winners receive prizes ranging from video-game consoles to jewelry. WeWin named its first sponsor for prizes on Feb. 7, the online jewelry retailer Mondera.com, which is giving away $5,000 in gift certificates to WeWin users each month.

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