Internet heavyweights pump cash into Twitter project.

THE technology heavyweights behind Bebo and Lastminute.com have invested in a project aimed at making it easier to access social networking site Twitter, it was reported yesterday.

Brent Hoberman, who cofounded Lastminute, and Bebo founder Michael Birch are among a team of investors who together have pumped pounds 1.2m into TweetDeck, according to reports.

TweetDeck was founded by for mer computer developer Iain Dodsworth last year, and it is now thought that around 10% to 15% of all tweets - messages sent on the Twitter website -are sent via the application.

The application now works with Facebook, and he is hoping to extend to cover other popular sites.

Twitter has quickly become one of the best-known names on the internet, with users posting messages of no longer than 140 characters from mobile phones or the web.

The site is used by celebrities like Stephen Fry and has added to news reporting -with tweets sent by witnesses of the Mumbai terrorist attacks and election protesters in Iran.

Mr Hoberman and Mr Birch made their TweetDeck investment through PROfounders Capital, a new fund designed to be a way for entrepreneurs to invest in young businesses. Other members include Peter Dubens, the businessman behind broadband firm Pipex.

Sean Seton-Rogers, general partner of PROfounders, said: "A lot of funds are focused on making sure that the companies they have already invested in survive."