Some of the biggest names in technology, as well as some prospecting upstarts have entered applications with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for hundreds of new Internet domain name extensions. The list includes common words, such as .auto, .attorney, .baby and .beer, as well as well-known proper names such as .Google. .FedEx and .Microsoft.
Amazon.com applied for more than five dozen names, including extensions such as .app, .author, .box and .fire. Microsoft also was active, applying for names such as .azure, .bing, .docs and .skype. Google, meanwhile, has its eyes on .android, .app, .buy, .dad and dozens of others.
But one of the biggest to emerge on the scene was a new Seattle area upstart by the name of Donuts Inc., which announced earlier this month that it had raised more than $100 million to become a player in what are known as these generic top-level domains. The company — led by eNom founder Paul Stahura — applied for more than 300 domain name extensions.
Its list includes extension such as .academy, .auction, .baby, .baseball, .bingo, .credit, .dentist, .gold, .golf, .pizza, .poker, .rugby, .spa and others. Many of names were applied for under unique LLCs. Asked about that structure, Donuts’ Mason Cole said that “it fit with the corporate and tax advice we received.”
In some cases, such as .baseball and .art, Donuts faces tough competition. Major League Baseball applying for the .baseball extension, while 10 entities are vying for .art.
The Washington Post reports that companies paid $187,000 per application, meaning that Donuts potential payout could top $57 million. ICANN plans to review the applications in the coming months, and post results later this year or early next year.
You can view the full list here or in the doc below.
[Domain name image via Bigstock]
