Today marks the launch of a new company, Tripod Ventures. Led by three experienced executives with deep roots in the photography, retail and technology sectors, Tripod Ventures’ mission is to deliver Web 2.0 retail technology solutions that combine stellar user experiences with operational excellence.

The main focus of Tripod Ventures will be bringing rich internet applications (RIAs) to market, that meet the emerging Web 2.0 needs around user generated objects.

“In the early days of Web 2.0, consumers were focused on developing their own content and sharing this with others,” said Vahe Kassardjian, chief technology officer of Tripod Ventures. “Now that the market has matured, consumers are taking this a step further and are now developing their own customized objects that leverage their content. This can include personalized gear, custom fashion items, personally branded objects and more. Our goal is to simplify the ordering experience for retailers and to improve the overall client experience for consumers at the same time.”

Tripod Ventures was co-founded by Shant Balayan, Vahe Kassardjian and Francois Parent, three executives with a proven history in launching successful solutions in this market. At this time, the company is privately financed by the executive team.

Tripod Ventures’ first product offering, code named “Fusion”, is slated for debut in late 2008. This revolutionary platform is primed to become the new standard for photo retailers. Based on third-generation technology, “Fusion” is an integrated web platform that delivers a unified user interface for photo processing, photo merchandising and photo book orders. The platform leverages the latest web technology to streamline the ordering process and creates a robust user experience that is intuitive for consumers. For retailers, this means greater client conversion, increased revenue, and lower staff training costs.