StartupStars is a series of posts exclusively featuring startups showcased in past e27 events. This series will be covering different aspects of the startup journey undertaken by these startups to update our readers on a continuous basis. If you’d like to be part of this, check out our upcoming event – echelon2010.

Let’s face it, Avatar has completely changed our expectations with regards to the role played by technology. Virtual worlds never seemed so real before. The 3D technology is constantly evolving to provide users with as close to the real-world experience. We caught up with Frenzoo – one of the few browser-based 3D virtual worlds, to know more about the status of their startup, since the last time we featured them in unConference’09.

Frenzoo is a Hong Kong- based company that focuses on “creative” social networking with 3D effects. They have created an online world that initially started off as a fashion community, where stylists around the world could become budding fashionistas, mix and match dresses and color themes, express their style and design and share unique creations – all within the confines of a web browser. But, now they are ramping up their game by targeting ordinary folks who like to meet people or express themselves through avatars and various other social profiles. Simon Newstead, founder of Frenzoo, aptly calls it a Meebo of virtual worlds.

Frenzoo 3D chat

Frenzoo just recently launched its first global 3D online world with their own user generated content. This allows their users to create an avatar, create, sell fashion and also 3D chat in animated scenes. The 3D chat functionality is very seamless and definitely adds on to the user experience, though it currently limits one’s interactions with other players. The experience is quite innovative and the personalization’s encourage retention of first-time users.

Simon also mentions that “whether designing stunning outfits for a fashion show to hosting a dance party on Mars to even speed-dating in a tropical island hideout, we envision Frenzoo as the website to live your virtual dreams.”

What is interesting about Frenzoo is the creative user generated content in their virtual world. Users can create clothes, hair, skin, items and animations without the pre-requisite of design skills or installing an external software. Frenzoo also supports mod sims and native import from 3D Max as well as Blender, Maya, Google Sketchup, Poser, Milkshape and others via Collada API.

From focusing on a niche market service to fashion enthusiasts, they have grown to develop more mass user features by focusing on socialization, accessibility and personalization. By making things simple and easy to understand, Frenzoo is on its way to become the most web friendly virtual world.

Their revenue model is akin to most virtual worlds i.e through virtual currency purchase and VIP subscriptions from free-mium models. Their users are mainly from the United States, but they have a healthy mix from Europe and Asia. Frenzoo also supports over 10 languages including Malay and Chinese.

With regards to virtual currency, they have partnered with First Meta, another unConference’09 featured startup. Simon believes unConference’09 provided him with great networking and learning oppurtunities and we are glad that Frenzoo is definitely on a upward trajectory and picking up some serious momentum.

[img credit: parantar]