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{{CompanyInfo|
{{CompanyInfo|
| logo              = minds-machines.jpg
| logo              = minds-machines.jpg
| type             = Registrar
| type           = Private,<br> Publicly Traded Parent Company
| industry         =  
| industry       = Registry Service Provider<br> [[New gTLD Program|New gTLD]] Consultancy
| founded           = USA (2008)
| founded         = USA, 2008
| founders         =  
| founders       = [[Antony Van Couvering]]
| headquarters     = 3100 Donald Douglas Loop North<br/> Hangar 7, <br/>Santa Monica,<br/> CA 90405 <br/>USA
| ownership      = [[Minds + Machines Group Limited]]
| employees =  
| headquarters   = 3100 Donald Douglas Loop North<br/> Hangar 7, <br/>Santa Monica,<br/> CA 90405
| revenue     =  
| country        = USA
| keypeople         = [[Antony Van Couvering]], CEO <br/> [[Elaine Pruis]], VP of Client Services  <br/> [[Clark Landry]], VP of Business Development  <br/>[[Robin Jonas]], Director of Corporate Partnerships <br/>[[Ilona Margolis]], Director of International Business <br/>[[Caspar von Veltheim]], Director of European Operation <br/> [[Levente (Levi) Ferencz]], Accounting Manager
| businesses      =
| businesses        =
| products        =
| website          = http://www.mindsandmachines.com
| employees       =  
| revenue         =  
| website         = [http://www.mindsandmachines.com mindsandmachines.com]
| blog            =
| facebook        =
| linkedin        =
| twitter        = newgtlds
| keypeople      = [[Toby Hall]], CEO<br/>[[Michael Salazar]], CFO & COO<br/>[[Caspar von Veltheim]], Director of European Operations
}}
}}
'''Minds and Machines, LLC (Minds + Machines or M+M)''' is a [[TLD]] registry service provider to corporations, cities, not-for-profit organizations, and entrepreneurs. They are known for offering the "Espresso" registry services technology platform for new [[TLD]] applicants,<ref>[http://www.domainnamenews.com/news/registry-consulting-new-tlds/4211 Domain Name News.com]</ref> which is based on [[CoCCA]] software. More than 30 [[TLD]]s and over 150 registrars, including many major [[ICANN]] [[registrar]]s, use this platform.<ref>[http://www.mindsandmachines.com/systems/espresso-cocca/ Minds + Machines.com]</ref>


'''Minds + Machines''' is a TLD (top-level domain) registry service provider company. Minds + Machines is known for offering the [[Espresso CC]]registry services technology platform for new TLD applicants. <ref>[http://www.domainnamenews.com/news/registry-consulting-new-tlds/4211 Domain Name News.com]</ref> According to Minds + Machines's official website, the platform is integrated with more than 20 top-level domains and over 150 registrars, including most major ICANN registars. <ref>[http://www.mindsandmachines.com/systems/espresso-cocca/ Minds + Machines.com]</ref>
Founded in 2008, this Santa Monica, CA based company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[Minds + Machines Group Limited]], (MMX).<ref>[http://ecogreenbankcard.com/a1057683-minds-machines-opens-new-network.cfm Eco Green Bank Card]</ref>


Founded in 2008, this Santa Monica, CA based company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Top Level Domains Holdings, Ltd. <ref>[http://ecogreenbankcard.com/a1057683-minds-machines-opens-new-network.cfm Eco Green Bank Card]</ref>
==History==
*In 2008, Minds + Machines was founded by IT and domain expert [[Antony Van Couvering]] (CEO) and [[Elaine Pruis]], with [[Jothan Frakes]] as COO.<ref>[http://www.domainnamenews.com/news/registry-consulting-new-tlds/4211 Domain Name News.com]</ref> Prior to Minds + Machines, [[Antony Van Couvering]] had been the Director of Marketing & Technology at [[Verisign]] and the founder and CEO at [[NameEngine]] and [[NetNames]];<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/antonyvc LinkedIn]</ref> [[Jothan Frakes]] had been the [[ICANN]] Registrar Representative for TLD Holdings and the Vice President at [[Name Intelligence]], Inc., among other IT and domain industry related jobs.<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/jothanfrakes LinkedIn]</ref>
 
*On February 28, 2009,<ref>[http://www.mindsandmachines.com/2009/02/were-launched/ Minds + Machines.com]</ref> Minds + Machines was launched during the [[ICANN]] meeting in Mexico, with an aim to assist companies and organizations navigate the new [[gTLD]] application process.<ref>[http://www.internetnews.me/2009/03/01/minds-and-machines-launch-at-icann-mexico/ Domain Internet Technology News]</ref>
 
*In March, 2009, Minds + Machines signed an exclusive agreement with [[CoCCA]], a widely deployed open-source registry platform for country-code extension, thereby granting the rights to the [[CoCCA]] registry software and the [[CoCCA]] brand for [[gTLD]]s to Minds + Machines.<ref>[http://domainmacher.com/minds-machines-signs-exclusive-arrangement-with-cocca/ Domain Cher.com]</ref>
 
*In June, 2009, Minds + Machines signed a long-term agreement with [[Packet Clearing House]] (PCH), a [[DNS]] service provider company, to provide [[DNS]] services for Minds + Machines. <ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_20090621/ai_n32090334/ Find Articles.com]</ref>
 
*In June, 2009, Wolfgang Puck, the internationally renowned chef, author, and entrepreneur, announced partnership with Minds + Machines to create the .food web address<ref>[http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1709412/wolfgang_puck_announces_partnership_with_minds__machines_to_create/ Red Orbit]</ref>. Minds + Machines subsequently sued Wolfgang Puck and his wife, in September, for $5 million over "Failed .food Deal".<ref>[http://www.eatmedaily.com/2009/09/mindsmachines-sues-wolfgang-puck-and-his-wife-over-failed-food-deal/ Eat Me Daily]</ref> In October, Minds + Machines  was reported to have settled the "food fight" with Wolfgang Puck, though the nature of the settlement was not disclosed.<ref>[http://domainnamewire.com/2009/10/28/minds-and-machines-settles-food-fight-with-wolfgang-puck/ Domain Name Wire]</ref>
 
*In August, 2009, [[TLDH]] Ltd., a publicly traded holding company from London, announced that it had completed a merger with Minds + Machines. Minds + Machines has since been acting as a wholly-owned subsidiary of [[TLDH]].<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Top+Level+Domain+Holdings+Completes+Merger+With+Minds+%2B+Machines...-a0206472595 The Free Library]</ref>
 
*In September, 2010, Minds + Machines migrated all domain names ending in .FM  to its newly opened network operations center at One Wilshire in Los Angeles, California.<ref>[http://cf.us.biz.yahoo.com/prnews/100908/ny61483.html?.v=1 Yahoo! Finance]</ref>
 
*In November 2010, [[Antony Van Couvering]] was appointed as the CEO of Minds + Machines' new parent company, [[TLDH]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/van-couvering-takes-over-mm-parent/ Domain Incite]</ref>
 
* On November 5th, 2010 [[ICANN]] passed the resolution that enabled registries to buy registrars and allow registrars to apply for and run new [[TLD]]s.<ref>[http://icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-05nov10-en.htm ICANN.org]</ref> To help finance the new [[TLD]]s for Minds + Machines, [[Top Level Domain Holdings Ltd.]] was reported to be planning to raise $4.7m (£3 million).<ref>[http://weblog.domainsiteshop.net/2010/11/26/minds-machines-to-raise-4-7m-for-new-tlds/ Domain Site Shop]</ref> [[Antony Van Couvering]] is quoted as saying, "Having reviewed [[ICANN]]’s Final Proposed Applicant Guidebook, and in view of the [[ICANN]] Board’s historic decision to do away with cross-ownership restrictions between registries and registrars, we believe that the timing is right for additional investment by [[TLDH]]." <ref>[http://www.domainsget.info/tag/mindsmachines/ Domains Get Info.com]</ref>
 
* In June 2011, [[Peter Dengate Thrush]] joined Minds + Machines as Chairman of their Board. Prior to thus, Thrush was serving as Chairman of the [[ICANN Board]], and was very involved in managing the process of approving the new gTLD program.<ref>[http://www.mindsandmachines.com/about/ About Minds + Machines]</ref> The move has been controversial,<ref>[http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2011/dailyposts/20110718.htm DNJournal]</ref> and has resulted in government bodies, such as the US [[Department of Commerce]], [[NTIA]], and the [[European Commission]] calling for firm ethics rules and enforcement policies to be written into the next [[IANA]] contract.
 
* In January, 2012, just a week after ICANN opened its [[New gTLD Program|new gTLD program]], Minds + Machines announced that it had already filed 20 applications on behalf of its clients. Minds + Machines was one of 25 companies that had created an account on the online [[TAS]] registration system.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/25-companies-register-for-new-gtlds/ 25 Companies Register for New gTLDs, DomainIncite.com]</ref> Just weeks later, in February 2012, M + M announced that they had since applied for an additional 20 extensions, bringing their company total to 40 applications.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/mm-registers-for-another-20-gtld-applications/ MM Registers for Another 20 gTLD Applications]</ref>
 
* In February, 2012, Minds + Machines' parent company, [[Top Level Domain Holdings Ltd.]], raised $14 million USD through selling its stock. The funds will provide further capital for its new gTLD applications.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2012/02/10/minds-machines-raises-another-14-million-for-new-gtlds-by-selling-110m-new-shares/ Minds Machines Raises 14 million for New gTLDs by Selling 110m New Shares]</ref>
 
* In June 2014, Minds + Machines announced that they had earned a £729,000 net profit in 2013 after taxes after years of running at a loss. The income was due to the payouts from private auctions for New gTLDs that were lost by the company. The company stated that in October 2013 they generated £2.97 million from losing auctions for [[.lawyer]] and [[.website]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/16829-mm-profits-by-losing-new-gtld-auctions M+M Profits by Losing New gTLD Auctions] (10 June 2014) Kevin Murphy, ''DomainIncite''; Retrieved 10 June 2014</ref>
 
* In December 2014, Minds + Machines put out a press release stating that it had raised $4.4 million by losing three recent [[gTLD]] auctions for .latino, .school and a third string it could not disclose due to the rules of the private auction; the press release states that after the auctions, M and M had $45 million in cash and cash equivalents on hand.<ref>[http://investors.mindsandmachines.com/2014/12/auction-and-sales-channel-update/ Minds and Machines auction and sales channel update] Press release retrieved 3rd December 2014</ref>
 
==New gTLDs==
A commentator on [[ICANN]]'s [[New gTLD Program]], Alexander Drummond-Willoughby, has filed negative comments regarding all of Minds + Machines contracted new gTLD applications, and all of its in-house applications filed via its parent company, [[Top Level Domain Holdings Ltd.]]. The comments focus on what the individual identifies as poor financial decisions by the company.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/10317-mystery-commenter-targets-mm-new-gtld-clients Mystery Commenter Targets MM New gTLD Clients, DomainIncite.com]</ref>
 
== Uncontested TLDs ==
*[http://twitter.com/puntoabogado .abogado]
*[http://twitter.com/Bayern_Domain .bayern]
*[http://twitter.com/DotBeerDomains .beer]
*[https://twitter.com/BudapestDomains?lang=en .budapest]
*[http://twitter.com/DotCasaDomains .casa]
*[http://twitter.com/CookingDomains .cooking]
*[https://twitter.com/dotDDS?lang=en .dds]
*[http://twitter.com/GetDotFashion .fashion]
*[http://twitter.com/GetDotFishing .fishing]
*[http://twitter.com/DotFitDomains .fit]
*[http://twitter.com/DotGardenDomain .garden]
*[http://twitter.com/DotHorseDomains .horse]
*[http://twitter.com/joindotlaw .law]
*[http://twitter.com/DotLuxeDomains .luxe]
*[http://twitter.com/DotMiamiDomains .miami]
*[http://twitter.com/DotMiamiDomains .nrw]
*[http://twitter.com/DotRodeoDomains .rodeo]
*[http://twitter.com/DotSurfDomains .surf]
*[http://twitter.com/DotVIPDomains .vip]
*[http://twitter.com/DotVodka .vodka]
*[http://twitter.com/DotWedding .wedding]
*[http://twitter.com/DotWorkDomains .work]
*[http://twitter.com/DotYogaDomains .yoga]
*.购物
 
== In Partnership ==
*.country
*[https://twitter.com/dotLondon?lang=en .london]
*[https://twitter.com/dotreviewtld?lang=en .review]
 
== TLDs on behalf of clients ==
*.bradesco
*[https://twitter.com/dotgop .gop]
 
== Contested TLDs ==
*.cpa
*[https://twitter.com/dotgay .gay]
*.home
*[https://twitter.com/dothotel .hotel]
 
== Contested TLDs in partnership ==
*[https://twitter.com/mus .music]
<ref>http://investors.mindsandmachines.com/</ref>
 
==Products and Services==
Minds + Machines mainly provides [[TLD]] registry service. According to the official website, the company also helps with the business plan, funding, application writing, business networking, staffing, sales and marketing, etc.<ref>[http://www.mindsandmachines.com/about/ Mind+Machine's website]</ref>
 
Minds + Machines has an extensive list of partners who provide options for registration services, [[DNS]] services, auction services, escrow services, network security, trademark and validation, public relations, web design, business and finance, dispute arbitration providers, etc.
 
In September, 2011, Minds + Machines unveiled its pricing scheme related to new .brand [[gTLD]]s. Its services start at $25,000 per year, which include preparing and filing the ICANN application and then running the technical back-end. Its price ceiling tops off at $100,000 per year. Their business strategy is marketed towards corporations that want to quickly and affordably secure their .brand gTLD, but don't exactly have intentions to develop it as a public space immediately.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/mm-offers-brand-gtlds-from-25k/ MM offers Brand gTLDs from 25k, DomainIncite.com]</ref>
 
==GAC Early Warnings==
Minds + Machines received a total fo 6 [[GAC]] Early Warnings, 5 of which were for its own TLDs. This accounts for about 7% of their 72 applications, which they noted in a press release, further stating that many of their competitors and other large portfolio applicants had received much greater percentages of warned applications to total portfolio size. The in-house warned applications are: [[.zulu]], [[.hotel]], [[.green]], [[.roma]], [[.website]]. Their client, The American Bible Society, was warned for [[.bible]].<ref>[http://www.tldh.org/2012/11/icann-prioriisation-draw/ ICANN Prioritization Draw, TLDH.org] Retrieved 1 Dec 2012]</ref>


==References==
==References==
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== External links==
== External links==
* [http://www.mindsandmachines.com Minds + Machines.com]
* [http://www.mindsandmachines.com Minds + Machines.com]
* [http://www.tldh.org/ Top Level Domain Holdings]


[[Category: Companies]]
[[Category: Registries]]
[[Category: Registrars]]
[[Category: Past Sponsor]]
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