Exhibit 23.1

                       Consent of Independent Accountants

The Board of Directors
Verticalnet, Inc.:

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on
Form S-8 (No. 333-72143, No. 333-89305 and No. 333-76326), in the Registration
Statements Form S-3 (No. 333-30254, No. 333-30408, No. 333-34860 and No.
333-76334) on and in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-38170) of
Verticalnet, Inc. of our report dated January 31, 2003, except as to Note 20,
which is as of February 6, 2003, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets
of Verticalnet, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the
related consolidated statements of operations, cash flows, shareholders' equity
(deficit) and other comprehensive loss for each of the years in the three-year
period ended December 31, 2002, which report appears in the December 31, 2002
annual report on Form 10-K of Verticalnet, Inc.

Our report refers to the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, as of January 1, 2002.

                                    KPMG LLP


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 28, 2003