Multicity.com secured $15 million in second-round venture capital funding from Grotech Capital Group--money the Vienna-based communications network company says it will use to build up its management team and invest in product innovation.

Multicity.com, which began in 1998 and launched its Web site in last March, has designed software that it distributes to Internet service providers, which in turn help the company construct a global community of Web surfers who can meet and talk in different languages on the Multicity Web site.

Multicity.com now represents 90,000 Internet service providers and has about 110,000 unique visitors a day.

Patrick Hanash, president of Multicity, said the company is looking for a management team--including a chief financial officer, chief operating officer and chief executive--with experience in big-name Internet companies.

In its first round of funding, the company received $1 million from Draper Atlantic, a venture capital firm based in Reston.

Grotech, based in Timonium, has invested in companies like USinternetworking Inc., Advertising.com, USA Digital radio, RewardsPlus, Salix, Homebytes.com and Healthscribe. With the investment, Grotech's president and chief executive, Frank A. Adams, joined Multicity.com's board of directors.

Yuki Noguchi
Washington Post Staff Writer

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