PIXAZZA becoming LUMINATE

Luminate recognizes objects in images and overlays them with ads.

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When former NETSCAPE executive Bob Lisbonne looks at images on the web, he sees vast amounts of wasted space. Most don't even have a caption, let alone tags to identify specific objects within the picture. "Images are like the dark matter of the search universe," he says.
   Three years ago, he and fellow Netscape alum James Everingham started PIXAZZA  to change that. The Mountain View (calif.) company, which changed its name to LUMINATE on july 27th, has designed software that scans trillions of photos on the web.They've used data to craft algorithms that can automatically recognize specific objects and products within a photo, from the brand of sunglasses worn by Lady Gaga to the bike used by this year's Tour de France winner. For web publishers, that means new opportunities to sell advertising. More than 4000 websites, including tvguide.com and those owned by Hearst Digital Media , use Luminate's  technology. When they post a photo that includes, say, a new pair of Keds, the startup's software can overlay the sneakers with a link to a shoe store. Retailers such as Gap, Macy's and Zappos promote their products through the service, and Luminate shares the revenue with publishers.