1. Activities

2. Company Background
    1999  2000  2001 

3. History
    2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010  2011  2012  2013  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018 

4. Staff

5. Management

6. Projects

7. Filmography

8. Awards and Distinctions

9. Social activities

10. Educational activities

11. Interesting facts

12. Brand

13. References

14. External links

}}{{Infobox company

Simpals (in English is spelled "sim-pals") - is a group of Moldovan companies which provides online services and has one of the largest animation studios. Simpals is the leader ^[1] of the online advertising market in Moldova and owns the largest portals including the most visited Moldovan site 999.md. The general coverage of Simpals portals reaches almost 75% of the Moldovan internet.

Activities

Web portals

The company owns 12 portals, 5 of them (999.md, point.md, play.md, forum.md, drive.md) being in the {{ru icon}}top 10 most visited sites in Moldova. Simpals web platforms are visited by approximately 1.3 million unique visitors per month (over 70% of all internet users from Moldova).

Online advertising

In 2011, Simpals had 48% market share of online advertising (999.md, play.md, point.md, forum.md). According to this indicator, Simpals {{ru icon}}is the leader. (According to {{ru icon}}Logos-Press)

In 2011, Simpals launches Numbers – the first internet sales house, joining the most important platforms of the Moldovan internet.

Animation and computer graphics

Simpals owns the largest animation studio in the country, which has a portfolio of more than 100 advertising videos and five animated short films. Since 2008, the studio has been working on the first Moldovan 3D animated feature film – {{ro icon}}“Ţigan” (The Gipsy). In 2010, Simpals opened “The School of Monsters” ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110613063017/http://monsters.md/ro-RO MONSTERS.MD]) – the school of animation and computer graphics.

E-Commerce;

Simpals owns one of the largest online shops in Moldova – [https://web.archive.org/web/20120629153018/http://999.md/Shop/ 999.md/Shop].

Venture investment;

In 2011, Simpals launches the first venture incubator – „Simpals Garage”.

The company's customers include the biggest local and international companies and brands: «Orange Moldova», «Moldcell», «Nestle», «British American Tobacco-Moldova», «Microsoft» — Moldova, «Moldtelecom»(local telephony operator), «Efes Vitanta Moldova Brewery» (EVMB), «Lafarge», «Kraft Foods», «Хортица»(factory), «Audi», «Volkswagen», «Finlandia Vodka», «Procter&Gambell», «President».

Company Background

1999

• The future founder of Simpals, Dmitri Voloshin, registered the 999.md domain – the site that later became the basis of the company and {{ru icon}}the most visited web portal in Moldova.
• in the dream of Simpals Animation Studio, Sergey Kirilov was going to make a 1996 American-Moldovian children's cartoon "Dina's Exotic Adventures", but he makes other cartoons like Kung-Fu Chickens, Peny the Penguin, Dinoperspectives and Neither Underworld.

2000

• The platform {{ru icon}}Gsm.md was launched.
• The site moldovanin.com was created. At this stage, the site is the Dmitri Voloshin’s personal webpage containing a portfolio of work. In future it will form the basis of the corporate website of the company.

2001

• The first Moldovan forum – the Forum.md was launched. A characteristic feature of the forum was its format and the content generation system – UGS (User-generated content). The site gave Moldnet users the ability to communicate on a variety of topics.

History

2002

• On April 1, 2002 Simpals was registered in Chisinau by Dmitri Voloshin.
• On November 14, 2002 Simpals moved into a new office. The company had 4 employees.
• The job market – Joblist.md was launched.
• As part of the MTV Music Awards 2002, Simpals received the award for best special effects in the music video created for {{ru icon}}“O-Zone” band.

2003

• At the “WebTop 2003” contest, Simpals received {{ru icon}}[https://archive.is/20120712160801/http://old.webtop.md/2003/winners/ru.html 2 awards] for economic development of the {{ru icon}}999.md site.
• Due to the company's growth, Simpals moved into a new office. The staff included 9 employees.
• The automotive portal – Drive.md was launched.

2004

• Simpals created a social networking platform {{ru icon}}Yes.md, which became some kind of {{ru icon}}symbiosis between online games and modern social networks.
• Forum.md became the Internet Project of the Year in Moldova and received the award with the same title during the International Youth Day, celebrated in Chişinău.

2005

• On March 23, Simpals moved into a new office. The number of employees increased to 48 people.
• The daily chat was launched on {{ru icon}}Yes.md.
• As part of the {{ro icon}}"Tineretul în acţiune" (Youth in action) program, {{ru icon}}Yes.md website received the title of the Internet project of the year in Moldova.

2006

• On April 1, 2006 the company launched the Point.md platform – an information resource in Moldova. The portal was the official partner of Yandex Company in its regional program.

2007

• Simpals launched {{ru icon}}Play.md – the first online television in Moldova. The portal broadcast both own news materials made by a team of professional journalists and alternative video versions of the events filmed and posted by the users of the portal.
• Simpals finalized the platform Colegi.md. The portal became a Moldovan social network.

2008

• In 2008, Simpals began to work on the production of the first Moldovan 3D animated film {{ro icon}}“Ţiganul” (The Gipsy). {{ru icon}}   
• Simpals created the PointMessenger 2.0 software, which synchronized all services of the company’s interactive sites. The software was an analogue of ICQ.
• On December 21, 2008 Simpals moved into a new office. The number of employees reached 62 people.

2009

• In 2009, Simpals launched the “[https://web.archive.org/web/20120629153018/http://999.md/Shop/ 999]” online shop, which allowed Moldovan Internet users to make purchases without leaving home.
• The online map of Moldova {{ru icon}}point.md/Map was updated. The new map was created together with “INGEOCAD”- the State Institute of Geodesy, Engineering Research and Cadastre. Simpals added the dynamic map – point.md/Map to the Point.md portal, so that the internet users could freely access the most detailed map of Moldova.
• Simpals Company worked on the music video for the song “Hora din Moldova” performed by Nelly Ciobanu, who represented Moldova at the prestigious international song contest Eurovision – 2009. [https://archive.is/20120910040735/http://www.siesta.md/?l=ru&a=events&i=314]    
• In 2009, Simpals animation studio produced 3 short 3D animated films, two of them     being dedicated to New Year, and the third one-   – April Fool’s Day.

2010

• Simpals moved into a new office. The number of employees reached 71 people.
• In 2010, Simpals opened “The School of Monsters” (MONSTERS.MD – the school of animation and computer graphics).
• Simpals opened a representative office of the International Mafia Game Club (MAFIA.MD). {{ru icon}} 

2011

• In 2011, Simpals launched the real estate agency – Imobil.md
• Simpals launched the first venture incubator of startups in Moldova – “Simpals Garage”.
• The “Simpals Garage” startup incubator became a co-organizer of the “Startup Weekend Moldova”.  
• In 2011, Simpals launched Numbers.md – the first internet sales house in Moldova.

2012

• In 2012, Simpals began combining all its online platforms into a single project and launched a unified login system SimpalslD for all websites of the Simpals company: 999.md, point.md, play.md, tigan.md, numbers.md.
• The social project [https://play.md/profile/StopHam%20Moldova "StopHam Moldova"] began its activity.
• The company launched Point Money Mobile Currency Converter for IOS devices.
• Simpals launched a new section on the first Moldovan video-hosting site play.md - "Video Channels".
• 999.md hit record with more than 100 000 unique visitors per day and more than one million unique visitors per month.
• The most visited classified ad site 999.md won the gold award at the contest "Trademark of the Year" in the category "Favorite".

2013

• In 2013, Simpals opened the sports portal sporter.md and, under the auspices of the business incubator Simpals Garage, the portal marry.md.
• The animated film [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1bbN08o6Y4 "Dji. Death fails"] produced by Simpals Animation Studio won awards at various film festivals.
• The Point Money mobile application was adapted for Android operating system.
• 999.md won the silver award at the contest "Trademark of the Year" in the category "Favorite".
• Sporter.md held the first open water swimming competition Sea Mile, where the participants had to swim 1700 meters across the Ghidighici reservoir.
• Simpals launched a toy rocket into the stratosphere.

2014

• The company launched the project Chisinau is Me.
• Simpals Animation Studio produced the animated film [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBmlLKzMA_s “Dji. Death sails”].
• Simpals started the rebranding of 999.md.
• Sporter.md held the first major cycling race in Moldova - Chisinau Criterium, which was subsequently included in the list of annual competitions, supported by the Ministry of Youth and Sport of Moldova. In order to meet international requirements, Simpals was the first to use professional timing system in Moldova.
• The information portal point.md hit record with more than 119 000 unique users per day.
• The company launched Point Map mobile application for Android devices.
• Simpals held the second annual open water competition Sea Mile. As compared to last year, the distance was increased to 1852 meters.
• In 2014, Simpals launched the 999.md mobile app for IOS and Android devices.
• 999.md hit record with more than 150 000 unique visitors per day.
• After the introduction of the visa-free regime between Moldova and Romania, under the auspices of sporter.md Simpals held an 80 km "visa-free relay race", which started on the Great National Assembly Square and ended in Romania.

2015

• On April 26, Simpals held the first international marathon in Chisinau.
• The company launched an online price comparison service [https://999.md/market/ru/ 999 Market] aimed at promoting Moldovan producers.
• Simpals launched Play Live, a mobile app for online streaming.
• 999.md hit record with more than 170 000 unique visitors per day.
• Under the auspices of Sporter.md, Simpals held the first race in the Cricova wine cellars.
• For the third consecutive year, Simpals held the open water swimming competition Sea Mile, where participants could choose one of three distances: 200 m, 1852 m, 3704 m. The city beach near the Ghidighici reservoir was renovated specifically for this event.
• The animated films "Dji. Death fails" and " Dji. Death sails" produced by Simpals Animation Studio " received awards at various animation festivals and got more than 1 million views each on the popular video-hosting website [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBmlLKzMA_s&list=PLkxyG95wwswJZqTR3Cjjp-6oeFtoMBqMX youtube.com].

2016

• Launches an updated version of the first job search and staff selection portal, [https://joblist.md/ro/ Joblist.md].
• Launches an updated version of the entertainment portal, [https://afisha.md/ro/ Afisha.md].
• The most viewed online advertising platform, 999.md, expanded and reached the market of Transdniestria.
• April 17, with the assistance of Sporter.md the second edition of Chisinau International Marathon is held, with a number of participants reaching over 15,000 people.
• 999.md set a new record in attendance – 200,000 unique visitors in 24 hours, which is also a record among all sites in Moldova.
• With the assistance of Sporter.md, the first and unique official race in the wine cellars, Cricova Wine Run, is held.
• Sporter.md launches the first online platform for manufacturers and sportswear, [https://sporter.md/market/ro/ Sporter Market].
• Point Map cartographers have added detailed maps for all the district centers in the Republic of Moldova.
• The fourth edition of the open water swimming competition, Ghidighici Sea Mile 2016, is organized.
• For the first time, under the patronage of the new project Afisha.md, the electronic music festival is organized, with an audience of over 10,000 people.
• Point.md portal launches the map navigation system.
• The number of posts on the most visited advertising site exceeds 30,000,000 throughout the project.
• Online price comparison service, 999 Market, is moved to a new platform, [https://price.md/ro/ Price.md].

2017

• 1 April, out of a tradition, on its anniversary date, Simpals company launched a new project, in collaborative development with the government - [https://achizitii.md/en/ Achizitii.md]. This is an online platform for all tenders in the country, for commercial agents, both public and private. In a matter of months, the project saved the state around 200,000 Moldovan lei.
• In 2017, the Sporter project also started a three-years ultramarathon, Rubicon, which will be run through all districts of the country. February 10–12, the participants covered the distance of 463 kilometers through the eastern districts of the country, including Transdniestria. Over 200 runners participated in the first stage of this timed event.
• 30 April, for the first time in its history, the NGO Sporter organized the half-marathon in Balti, the northern capital of the Republic of Moldova.
• Following the abnormal snowfall in April 2017, Simpals company launched a new project - [https://verde.md/ru/ Verde.md], with the aim of restoring the green spaces that have suffered from the weather. With city residents' participation, in the first planting stage held in autumn, over 400 trees were planted in Chisinau.
• 25 June, Sporter held the first triathlon championship in Moldova - Triathlon Triumph. The most popular online bulletin board 999.md set a new record in attendance – 250,000 unique visitors per day.
• 1 July, Afisha project in cooperation with 999.md as well as other co-organizers in the person of MS-Prod and Media Show Grup, held the third edition of the most large-scale electronic music festival in Moldova, [https://fosfor.md/horesti/ro/home-ro/ FOSFOR], which set a new record in event attendance, having gathered 24,000 spectators.
• Chisinau International Marathon, held on October 1, was attended by over 17,000 participants.
• Under the auspices of 999.md project, [https://master.999.md/ 999 Master] is launched – a referral specialist service.

2018

• Simpals company has become a resident of the first IT park in Moldova.
• Dmitrii Volosin is decorated with state distinction for contribution to the development of sport - the Civic Merit.
• In April sports organization Sporter organized for the first time the Music and Sport Festival Hai Haiduci!
• In June and July, the Sporter sports organization organized Sea Kids Aquathlon and [https://triumph.md/en/news/vpervye-v-moldove-proshel-detskii-chempionat-po-triatlonu-kids-triathlon-triumph Kids Triathlon Triumph Trials.]
• On August 5, the Sporter sports organization first hosted the [https://glodiator.md/en/news/in-premiera-la-chisinau--cursa-cu-obstacole--glodiator-mud-race Glodiator Mud Race mud race.]
• In September, the sports organization Sporter organizes for the first time in the history of the Republic of Moldova a marathon with a number of 18,000 participants.
• [https://simpals.com/en/simpals-redirect-video/ In November, Simpals is set up in a new office.]

Staff

• Today Simpals has more than [https://www.facebook.com/photo.phpfbid=459679864046845&set=a.459678974046934.127206.235135413167959&type=3&theater 200 employees].

Management

• General Director — Dmitri Voloshin
• CEO— [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stirbu/ Roman Shtirbu]

Projects

• [https://999.md/ 999.md]
• point.md
• forum.md
• tigan.md
• yes.md
• garage.md
• monsters.md
• numbers.md
• [https://play.md/ play.md]
• [https://999.md/category/transport drive.md]
• mafia.md
• joblist.md
• colegi.md
• smsmarket.md
• gsm.md
• mama.md
• [https://999.md/category/real-estate imobil.md]
• sporter.md
• marathon.md
• seamile.md
• winerun.md
• [https://criterium.md/en/ criterium.md]
• freediving.md
• [https://afisha.md/ afisha.md]
• chisinau.me
• [https://fosfor.md/ru/home/ fosfor.md]
• [https://price.md/ru/ price.md]
• [https://rubicon.run/?lang=en rubicon.run]
• triumph.md
• [https://simpals.studio/ simpals.studio]
• [https://lobsterweight.com/en/ lobsterweight.com]
• [https://verde.md/ru/ verde.md]

Filmography

• Baro and Tagar
• Gypsy and Death

• Santa and Death

• Dji. Death fails

• Dji. Death sails

Awards and Distinctions

Social activities

• {{ru icon}}“Мальчикам и девочкам посвящается” (Dedicated to the boys and girls) – a social project developed by Simpals to help orphans from Moldovan orphanages. (2006, 2007, 2011).
• {{ru icon}}„Wерни Wетеранам Wеру " (Give Faith to Veterans) – a social project for veterans developed by Simpals in partnership with {{ru icon}}Forum.md portal. The projects exists since 2005.
• The social project "StopHam Moldova" in partnership with forum.md exists since 2012 with the consent from the organizers of the Russian StopHam movement.

Educational activities

• “School of Monsters” – the school of animation and computer graphics. (MONSTERS.MD).

Interesting facts

• The company celebrates its birthday on April 1, which is known as April Fools' Day. It has become a tradition that on this day the company announces the start of new projects, companies and events.
• One of the company's corporate entertainment activities is to break old computers.
• In 2008, the director of Simpals was invited to visit Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, United States. Pixar representatives were interested in Simpals’ project – "The Gypsy" animated film.  
• Simpals made the first online video broadcast in Moldova (according to {{ru icon}}Logos-Press).
• Simpals was the first in Moldova to hold a marathon, free-diving competitions, a race in the wine cellars and a number of other sporting events for amateur and professional athletes.

Brand

• The company's slogan - "All is simple".

References

• Production Blog
• [https://www.facebook.com/Dji.Deathfails Dji. Death Fails Facebook Page]
• [https://www.behance.net/simpals Simpals on Behance]
• [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3788263/reference IMDB]
• [https://www.youtube.com/user/simpals Official YouTube Channel]
• [https://vimeo.com/user7438872 Simpals on Vimeo]

External links

• Officlal website
• Simpals Garage helps you transform your idea into a successful business moldova.startupweekend.org
• Moldovan Animation Studio Brings Death to Life!
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150228093251/http://renderdigimania.com/blog/an-interview-with-the-makers-of-death-sails/ An interview with the makers of Death Sails]
• Making of Dji. Death Sails
• [https://www.behance.net/gallery/6608897/Making-of-Dji-Death-fails Making of Dji. Death Fails]

• 2010 Boleslaw Chrobry Tournament
• 2010 Bolesław Chrobry Tournament
• 2010 Bolivar season
• 2010 Bolivia forest fires
• 2010 Bolivian Football Regional Leagues
• 2010 Bolivian regional elections
• 2010 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council election
• 2010 Bolton protest
• 2010 Bolton protests and riots
• 2010 Bombardier Learjet 550
• 2010 Bonaire constitutional referendum
• 2010 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
• 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival
• 2010 Borrego Springs earthquake
• 2010 Bosnian general election
• 2010 Bossier-Shreveport Battle Wings season
• 2010 Bossier–Shreveport Battle Wings season
• 2010 Boston Blazers season
• 2010 Boston College Eagles football team
• 2010 Boston Pizza Cup
• 2010 Boston Red Sox season
• 2010 Boston water emergency
• 2010 Boston Water Emergency
• 2010 Bougainvillean general election
• 2010 Bougainvillean presidential election