TechCrunch is a prime example of the role new media can play in a company's success. The popular technology blog wrote about WizeHive, a web-based collaboration platform that allows for group messaging and task management, in December, 2008, and the Bryn Mawr start-up's user base grew from about 100 to more than 1,000 nearly overnight.

That kind of recognition confirmed what co-founders Mike Levinson and Mike Carson already knew: They're meeting a need in online collaboration services for small businesses and freelancers. TechCrunch wasn't just paying lip service, either. For its annual technology start-up competition conference, TechCrunch50, the blog used WizeHive to sort through hundreds of applications it received.

WizeHive was born from another great idea, DreamIt Ventures, Levinson's Philadelphia-based effort started in 2008 to invest in early stage technology companies. Levinson grew frustrated with trying to manage tasks and ideas among numerous collaborators via email. Google and Yahoo Groups weren't cutting it, either.

WizeHive got an early shot in the arm from Ben Franklin Technology Partners' $150,000 funding in the summer of 2009 as well as a few doses of angel funding. That's allowed WizeHive to expand its development team as it has grown to more than 1,000 active users who have submitted no fewer than 7,000 tasks to the service. By spring of 2011, the company was offering $250,000 of free grant and scholarship software to U.S. nonprofits. That came around the same time it was closing on a $950,000 round of venture funding.

WizeHive has worked hard to gain feedback during beta testing and roll out new versions, applets and upgrades almost every other week. The company will likely pursue institutions that receive large amounts of applications, like universities and foundations, as well as small businesses looking for a more affordable online collaboration tool.