Guide Note

Wikia provides wiki creation software and wiki-based search services to users. The site is based on the MediaWiki software application.

Fast Facts

1. Founders: Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley
2. Year Established: 2004
3. Originally named Wikicities
4. Industry: Technology
5. HQ: San Mateo, CA
6. Press: 415.365.0360
7. CEO: Gil Penchina
8. Angel Investor: Joi Ito
9. Series A Funding: Bessemer Venture Partners
10. Series B Funding: Amazon
11. Products: Wikia Search, Wikia, Scratchpad Wiki Labs

• 2004: Founded
• February 3, 2005: 100th wiki created
• March 17, 2006: Changed named from Wikicities to Wikia
• January 7, 2008: Public Alpha of Wikia Search launched

Wikia allows users to create their own wikis, but wikis must be licensed under a GNU Free Documentation or Creative Commons license and be broad-based enough to attract a wide community of potential editors. Wikis based on too narrow a topic can be made into mini-wikis via the Scratchpad Wiki Lab creation service.

Wikia Search is an open platform search engine that gives developers the opportunity to edit its code and contribute to the quality of its search results. Wikia acquired web crawler Grub in 2007 to help support its Wikia Search product.

• Wikia
• Wikia Search
• Scratchpad Wiki Labs

• Wetpaint
• pbwiki
• Topicle