Homegrocer was an early online grocery delivery business, founded in Bellevue in 1997. The company developed its own technology, including an award-winning website, a wireless picking system, and high-tech phones for drivers. Homegrocer went public in March of 2000, just as the dot-com bubble was becoming the dot-com bust. While initially successful and profitable, the company found itself struggling to raise funds for planned expansions. In September of 2000 Homegrocer was purchased by rival WebVan. Within a year, WebVan was bankrupt too. Amazon, which had been a major investor in Homegrocer since 1999, launched their own grocery delivery service Amazon Fresh in the Seattle area in 2007.