Friendster, Love and Money: "Since Friendster first attracted backing from two high-profile venture capital firms, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Benchmark Capital, the company has also served as a litmus test for the new Silicon Valley, haunted by its recent past but fiercely needing to believe that heady days lay ahead. In October 2003, the company was valued at $53 million, even though it was a fledgling start-up with less than a dozen employees."—The New York Times