DEMO: Copia looking to make a social network for bookworms

Copia is one of 70 companies chosen by VentureBeat to launch at the DEMO Fall 2010 event taking place this week in Silicon Valley. After our selection, the companies pay a fee to present. Our coverage of them remains objective.

As the popularity of e-readers and e-books explodes, Copia is hoping to create a social network that helps provide users with a way to discover and discuss books. It’s unveiling the network, set to launch next month, today at the DEMO conference.

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Copia is looking to create a complete content-delivery network for e-books that includes more than 1 million titles for multiple devices, enhanced content for authors and celebrity personalities and a way to discuss and review titles. It’s currently developing the network for both desktop and mobile platforms, including Windows Mobile 7, an unnamed Windows multi-touch tablet, and the iPad.

After tackling the e-book world, Copia hopes to expand into other content — like music, movies and video games — and says its platform is ready to include that kind of content. The company hopes to generate three sources of income: analytics from users on tablets, computers and mobile devices; traffic and interactions between users, likely through advertising revenue; and finally subscription-based services.

Amazon.com owns between 70 and 80 percent of the e-book market and makes one of the most popular e-reader devices, the Kindle. It will pose a formidable challenge to Copia.

Copia will launch October 1, but will strut its stuff at DEMO 2010 next week, and plans to launch its Android app in the fourth quarter this year. The e-reader network has raised $20 million from DMC Capital Funding.

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