Starting Dot’s New gTLDs: .SKI, .ARCHI, .BIO and .IMMO (in contention)

Founded in October 2011 in Paris, Starting Dot is a new registry business developing a portfolio of 4 new Top Level Domain names (TLDs) dedicated to major sectors: .SKI, .IMMO (in contention), .ARCHI and .BIO.

Here are a few updates on the Starting Dot New gTLD applications:

Contracts have now been signed and exchanged with ICANN for the .BIO top-level domain on March 6, 2014.

The now uncontested .SKI top-level domain is expected to be invited to contracting with ICANN in the coming days.

The contested .IMMO TLD failed the Community Priority Evaluation announced by ICANN. This New gTLD string will probably go to the New gTLD auctions in a few months from now.

.ARCHI is in the process to pass through pre-delegation test (PDT) and will continue to move smoothly until delegation into the Internet’s root zone, expected in the coming days. Starting Dot schedules to start .ARCHI Sunrise later in April.

On March 18, 2014 Starting Dot Ltd. announced that 20 global domain name registrars have signed its Registry Registrar Agreement to offer the .ARCHI new community gTLD, scheduled to launch on 8 April 2014, and is negotiating with another twenty.

The first 20 registrars include:

• 101domain
• Ascio
• Crazy Domains
• Domaine.fr
• DonDominio
• Dynadot
• EnCirca
• Euro DNS
• Gandi
• Hosteur.com
• Key-Systems
• LexSynergy
• Mailclub
• Marcaria
• Markmonitor
• Netim
• OpenProvider
• Safenames
• Vautron
• Webnames.ru

Godefroy Jordan, Founder and Executive Chairman, commented:

“Our unique portfolio of sector-related TLDs is now entering in launch phase: .ARCHI will soon be the first community new gTLD of the program to be open, which is a great milestone for our company.”