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Salesforce.com acquires Jigsaw to complete business contact data

Salesforce.com, the enterprise cloud computing company, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Jigsaw, a specialist in crowd-sourced data services in the cloud. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions. 

Jigsaw’s unique Wikipedia-style crowd-sourcing model delivers one of the world’s most complete, accurate and up-to-date business contact data. Since Jigsaw’s offering is delivered in the cloud, companies can expect to realize success instead of focusing on legacy enterprise data management models that require expensive integration and continuous, dedicated maintenance.

The acquisition will combine the power of Salesforce.com’s suite of CRM applications and leading enterprise cloud platform with Jigsaw’s cloud-based model for the automation of acquiring, completing and cleansing business contact data.

Jigsaw’s data cloud platform also creates an enormous opportunity for developers and independent software vendors to deliver entirely new applications that leverage the business contact data found in Jigsaw.

The proposed acquisition will mark Salesforce.com’s strategic entry into the US$3 billion market for cloud-based business to business data services, and will create new opportunities for salesforce.com to partner with information services companies like D&B, Hoover’s and LexisNexis.

“Salesforce.com is excited to bring the data services industry into the era of Cloud 2,” said Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO, Salesforce.com. “With Jigsaw, we’ll make it as easy as Wikipedia to source data, as easy as iTunes to buy data and as easy as Facebook to stay updated as the data changes.”

“Companies are utilizing crowd-sourced data services in the cloud more than ever because it offers the best quality information,” said Jim Fowler, CEO, Jigsaw. “This is an exciting opportunity for all of us at Jigsaw, and will help us accelerate our ability to bring cloud-based data services to a wider audience.”

Companies and professionals, whether or not already Salesforce.com customers, can become members of the Jigsaw community by sharing common contact data that is found on a business card, including name, title, company, mailing address, business telephone number and email address.

Jigsaw also offers premium automated data cleansing services to update and enrich data critical to success for any CRM deployment for a subscription-based fee. Jigsaw sets the standard among business contact data service providers by allowing business professionals included in the database to easily edit their information, set their contact preferences or if they choose, opt out of the listing.

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