3 New-Media Companies Get Funding

After four years of doing nothing but new technology research, Interval Research Corp. said Tuesday that it has provided the funding for three commercial ventures based on its findings.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen committed $100 million over 10 years to the Palo Alto-based think tank when he and computer industry veteran David Liddle founded Interval in 1992.

Allen is providing an additional $5 million to start the three companies, Purple Moon, Carnelian Inc. and Ogopogo Studios, and will seek additional venture capital funding over the next few months, Liddle said.

“Our argument to the venture community is, ‘Look, here’s the research we’ve done, here’s how much we’ve already invested in them,’ ” Liddle said. “These companies are able to survive a higher-risk environment than a typical start-up because we’ve done several years of research before starting them.”

Purple Moon, to be based in Palo Alto, will develop and publish interactive media designed for girls. Carnelian will create software for Internet publishing. Ogopogo Studios aims to develop children’s entertainment software that uses Interval’s research on play behavior to transcend the typical point-and-click metaphor of many of today’s video games and CD-ROMs.