Cliqset, which officially launches its public beta today, is one of the several companies looking to make online networking easier for the individual. With goals as grand as OpenID, Cliqset is actually working in tandem with the established methods of “portable profiles” in order to push the trend forward, providing an ever-accessible omnipresence for end users that benefits the participating publishers and site owners as well. With such a seamless concept for site accessibility, Cliqset presents itself as an immediate socialization tool, providing instant networks for sites, while bridging the gap between computer-based and mobile applications as well. Below is an interview with Darren Bounds, co-Founder and President of Cliqset.

Kristen Nicole of Social Times: Could you tell me the principles behind Cliqset?

Darren Bounds: Cliqset is all about the platform. They’ve created the first neutral social platform designed to allow a user to create a single social identity that can be shared and used by any 3rd party–in any way they see fit. With Cliqset, applications can simply share and mold one single copy of the user’s identity and have it be available in one place.

Kristen Nicole: How does Cliqset work?

Darren Bounds: Cliqset enables a new type of social interaction that couldn’t exist prior. Social applications no longer need to make a point to share content, they’re all part of the same underlying social infrastructure. Users can communicate and interact with each other across social applications without any boundaries.

Today when a user selects a social application they have to consider more than just their personal preference–they need their friends to use it as well. Cliqset eliminates that barrier, adding value for the user but also the developer. Users can pick the app that’s right for them as an individual without sacrificing interaction with their friends and family who’re spending their time on one or more other social applications. This is a win for both the user but also a big win for the developer.

Kristen Nicole: So you’re pretty reliant on the developer community and publishers for growth. How will you go about reaching out to developers?

Darren Bounds: We’ll definitely be doing a lot of viral outreach–through blogs, Twitter, etc. We think that Cliqset offers a very compelling environment for developers, as it is much more open than other platforms, such as Facebook Connect.

Kristen Nicole: On the user end, you’ll be able to market directly to them as well. What are your plans for this?

Darren Bounds: Again, we’re relying on a lot of on the ground outreach to consumers–through blogs, Twitter, events, cool contests, etc. Already, our Twitter campaign has generated a ton of visibility for the beta launch.

Kristen Nicole: You mentioned that you have a pretty focused mobile initiative for developers as well. Could you elaborate on this?

Darren Bounds: Yes, mobile is a huge part of Cliqset’s offering. At launch, we’ll have an iPhone application and Windows Mobile integration, allowing users to update their relationships and contacts on the go. The initial mobile offering is just a sliver of what we’ll be coming out with in the future.

Kristen Nicole: Where do you see the “portable profile” trend going long term?

Darren Bounds: Existing social identity will be the foundation of all social applications. Users will move from place to place, application to application, never losing touch with the people they know and never needing to recreate or reestablish content. The Web will ultimately be made up not of large, monolithic social networks but rather discrete niche services that are hyper focused on an individual’s tastes and interests. These services will share the same underlying social fabric, tying these connections together and allowing them to share and exchange information almost transparently.