EXHIBIT 23.1

                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS




The Board of Directors
Verticalnet, Inc.:


We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on
Form S-8 of Verticalnet, Inc. of our report dated February 13, 2001, except for
the last two paragraphs of Note 21, which are as of March 16, 2001, with respect
to the consolidated financial statements of Verticalnet, Inc. and subsidiaries
as of December 31, 2000 and 1999 and for each of the years in the three-year
period ended December 31, 2000 and our report dated March 29, 2001 with respect
to the financial statement schedule as of December 31, 2000 and for each of the
years in the three-year period then ended, which reports are included in the
December 31, 2000 annual report on Form 10-K of Verticalnet, Inc.


/s/ KPMG LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
January 3, 2002