In a rather complex transaction with multiple companies involved, a new healthcare site focused on Q&As called Sharecare has been launched, and the entity has acquired health social network Dailystrength from HSW International, one of the founders of Sharecare. Other founders involved with Sharecare: Discovery Communications (NSDQ: DISCA), Harpo Productions, Sony (NYSE: SNE) Pictures Television, WebMD (NSDQ: WBMD) founder and Discovery’ Chief of Global Digital Strategy Jeff Arnold, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, health expert and host of “The Dr. Oz Show”. As part of the deal, HSW is contributing its health social net service DailyStrength to the venture, a site it acquired late last year for up to $6.6 million. From the SEC filing made this morning by HSW, the latest deal with sell DailyStrength to Sharecare includes an ear-out payment of $3.25 million, among others. The site will officially launch next year.
HSW International is developing Sharecare’s customizable social QA platform and will manage the website, Sony Pictures Television will sell the ads. Jeff Arnold, who has taken an expanded role at Discovery as Chief of Global Digital Strategy and HowStuffWorks.com Chairman Emeritus, will also become Chairman and Chief Architect of Sharecare. Dr. Oz is putting together a coalition of expert doctors, hospitals and practitioners, to answer users’ health questions. The site is also working with Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and New York-Presbyterian Hospital, among others. Initial sponsor is Dove. Of course, there’s tons of competition in the health content space, from WebMD, EverydayHealth and many others. Details in release.
