LaunchRock Makes Viral Launch Pages Easy

WHAT: Gets people to sign up for a startup's service before it launches and share via Facebook and Twitter. Also has embeddable widget and an API for integrating LaunchRock [ @getlaunchrock ] into an existing sign-up process. Provides data on traffic and demographics. "Discovery network" for launching startups coming soon.

LAUNCHERS: Jameson Detweiler, CEO. [ @jaymstr ] Thomas Knoll, Hustler [ @thomasknoll ]. Zachary Melamed. David Drager [ @ddrager ].

BACKSTORY: LaunchRock came out of Startup Weekend Philadelphia in February and then conjunction with SXSW ran a contest to spotlight startups in Austin in March awarding the startup with the most sign ups using LaunchRock $1 per sign up, at a max of $5K.  

BUSINESS MODEL: Freemium although paid options have not launched yet.

RAISING: Raised $400K prior to opening of new funding round of $1M -- of which $125K already committed.