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Under the Radar Office 2.0 Conference – Call for Companies

Posted on January 7, 2007 ·

I agreed to be on the Selection Committee for the next full-day Under the Radar event by IBDNetwork. The focus will be Office 2.0  and 32 emerging startups will present on March 23, 2007, at the Microsoft campus in Mountain View, CA.  The categories are being finalized, but they likely are:

  • Organize – Tasks, Database, Project, Notes, Bookmarks
  • Collaborate – Groups, Wiki’s, Spreadsheets, Word Processing, File Sending, Document Mgmt
  • Track – Time, Expenses, Budgets, Accounting, HR
  • Publish – Blog platforms, Web publishing, Feeds/RSS, Content Management
  • Communicate – Email, IM, VOIP, Voice, web conferencing
  • Create – Presentation Mngr, music, photo edit/manage
  • Personalize – Desktop, Calendar, personal organizers
  • Search – vertical, social, create your own.

Although I’m a bit late (what a surprisesmile_embaressed) there are still a few days left for new submissions, so if you know a startup in the above categories, please recommend them either in a comment below or by emailing me. 

IBDNetwork’s criteria for selection:

  • Unique value proposition
  • Ability to monetize product/business
  • Must be solving a problem
  • Market opportunity
  • Must still be considered “under the radar”
  • Company must be a actual startup – not a new product from a large company.
  • Series A or less in funding
  • Beta and beyond – must have customers/users testing and/or using the product in the market

Thanks for your contribution!

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, SaaS, Social Networking, Software, Startups, Technology ·
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What’s Hot And What’s Not For 2007 – SVASE Panel in Palo Alto

Posted on January 2, 2007 ·

 • How much money is sitting on the sidelines, waiting to be invested?
• Where in the world will it go – Silicon Valley, India, China, somewhere else?
• How much will be available for seed and early stage investments?
• What will be the Hot market segments?
• What will be the Hot applications within these segments?
• Where will your money be going?

For answers to these and many other questions,  join us at a lively panel discussion moderated by VentureBeat‘s Matt Marshall this Thursday evening in Palo Alto.

The Panel:
• Ken Elefant, General Partner, Opus Capital
• Rob Rueckert, Senior Investment Manager, Intel Capital
• John Steuart, Managing Director, Claremont Creek Ventures
• Erik Straser, General Partner, Mohr Davidow Ventures
• Ann Winblad, Partner, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners

Schedule:

6.00-7.00 pm: Networking and Hors d’oeuvres
7.00-8:30 pm: Panel discussion and Q/A

For additional details and registration, see the SVASE site.  See you there! smile_regular

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups, Technology ·
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ProfileLinker – Just the Opposite of What I Need

Posted on December 28, 2006 ·

ProfileLinker is a new service profiled on TechCrunch today:

“ProfileLinker wants to aggregate your social networking experience….You tell ProfileLinker your site credentials and it pulls your bio, friends and other information from those sites and centralizes it. You then use ProfileLinker to manage your activity on those networks: aggregate and manage multiple social profiles; discover new social networks and communities of interest within social networks; and receive notification of messages and friend requests from multiple networks.”

I am probably not the right target customer for ProfileLinker, I admit I don’t even have a MySpace of Facebook profile.  But I do have one on LinkedIn, and was invited to several networks whose function I’d find useful, except that I won’t take the time to create a profile from scratch again and again.  What I (and I suspect most networkers) badly need is a way to leverage the already existing profile and network (friends) information on other sites – probably by using a “central depository” of such information.

Who cares about ProfileLinker, give me ProfileCentral!

 

Filed Under: Collaboration, SaaS, Social Networking, Software, Technology ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast with Gabriel Ventures: Sold Out

Posted on December 20, 2006 ·

I’ll be moderating another SVASE VC Breakfast Club meeting this Thursday, Dec 21st in San Francisco.  As usual, it’s an informal round-table where 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

These sessions are a valuable opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to VC Partners. Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc, just casual conversation; but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Follow a structure, don’t just roam about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes. You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story. The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Bring an Executive Summary; some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time! I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to bring this up. (Arriving an hour late to a one-and-a-half-hour meeting is NOT acceptable.)

Thursday’s featured VC is Scott Chou, General Partner, Gabriel Venture Partners. For details and registration please see the SVASE site.    In appreciation of our 40% growth in membership during 2006, we are pleased to offer SVASE members free registration for VC Breakfast Club during December. Non-members will be able to register at the substantially discounted rate of $25. 

The above promotion brings up an issue: it’s easy to register for free events – please only do it if you really mean to attend. The registration system closes at 10 participants, depriving other entrepreneurs of the opportunity to join. (No walk-ins allowed).  So if you need to cancel, please notify us by email.

(Update: The event has sold out. We can not accomodate more participants, if you’re not on the list, please do not just show up – join us next year).

Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

See you in San Francisco!Zbutton

 

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups, Technology ·
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Proof Positive: The Blog is the New Resume

Posted on December 16, 2006 ·

My friend Rod Boothby got his new job thanks to his blog.  I’m happy for Rod personally, and also because it proves a point I’ve made several  times: resumes are dead. 

Resumes are tailored for a particular job, and let’s face it, often “cosmetically enhanced”.  If you’ve been blogging for years, you certainly did not do it with a particular job in mind; your blog is likely to be a true reflection of who you really are, what you are an expert in, your communication skills, your priorities … YOU as a whole person, not as a candidate for a specific job.  Thus, as Rob concludes:

“…hiring a blogger is a lower risk proposition because you have more information and a better idea of how they are going to perform.”

Blogger%20Vs%20Non%20Blogger%20Candidates.png

        Source: Innovation Creators (I don’t have Rod’s charting skillssmile_embaressed)

 

I am not in active job search mode, but will likely join a startup one day. Still, I have not updated my resume for the past 2 years or so.  Why should I?  My life is (now) an open book: my blog reveals a lot about my thinking, knowledge (or lack of), and for more facts it points to my LinkedIn profile.  I was recently approached by a stealth startup… great, I thought, they must have found me through my blog, that’s a good start. But then they asked me to submit a resume, and I lost interest.   If the blog is not enough common grounds for a conversation, then I don’t trust this Founder is hiring the right people, so why would I be interested?

Now, I don’t deny the importance of resumes in certain situations, typically in larger businesses and for documentation, background check ..etc purposes, but that’s *after* there is a level of interest.  

Tom Peters has been saying for years:

“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You”  

It’s never been easier to build that Brand Called You: if you’re still not doing it, what are you waiting for?  Start your blog today!

 

Filed Under: Blogging, Business, Marketing / PR, Social Networking, Software, Technology ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast in San Francisco

Posted on December 11, 2006 ·

I’ll be moderating another SVASE VC Breakfast Club meeting this Thursday, Dec 14th in San Francisco.  As usual, it’s an informal round-table where 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

These sessions are a valuable opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to VC Partners. Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc, just casual conversation; but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Follow a structure, don’t just roam about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes. You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story. The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Bring an Executive Summary; some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time! I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to bring this up. (Arriving an hour late to a one-and-a-half-hour meeting is NOT acceptable.)

Thursday’s featured VC is Jeremy Woan, CEO, Bampton Group. For details and registration please see the SVASE site.  In appreciation of our 40% growth in membership during 2006, we are pleased to offer SVASE members free registration for VC Breakfast Club during December. Non-members will be able to register at the substantially discounted rate of $25. 

The above promotion brings up an issue: it’s easy to register for free events – please only do it if you really mean to attend. The registration system closes at 10 participants, depriving other entrepreneurs of the opportunity to join. (No walk-ins allowed).  So if you need to cancel, please notify us by email.

Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

See you in San Francisco!Zbutton

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Social Networking, Startups ·
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SVASE: Alternative Exits for Technology Startups

Posted on December 5, 2006 ·

Startup activity is at an all-time high, venture funding has soared, but something is still missing… the huge exits.  The IPO market simply doesn’t exist.  What are the alternative exit strategies for all that venture capital?

  • Acquisition by Google / Yahoo/ eBay ..etc?
  • IPO on a foreign Stock Exchange?
  • Go public through a reverse merger?  (yuck…)
  •  or…?

These are a few of the questions our excellent panel will discuss at the Alternative Exits For Technology Startups event organized by SVASE this Thursday, December 7 in Palo Alto.

The Panel:

  • Peter Rip, Managing Director, Leapfrog Ventures
  • Robert Simon, Director, Alta Partners
  • Ungad Chadda, Director, Listings, TSX Venture Exchange
  • Curtis Mo, Partner, WilmerHale
  • Neil Weintraut, Partner, Palo Alto Venture Partners

Moderator: Stephane Dupont, Executive Vice President, National Venture Capital Association.

For details, speaker bio’s and registration link please see the SVASE site. 

See you there!Zbutton

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups, Technology ·
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SVASE VC Breakfast with Walden VC in San Francisco – Sold Out

Posted on November 28, 2006 ·

I’ll be moderating another SVASE VC Breakfast Club meeting this Thursday, Nov 30th in San Francisco.  As usual, it’s an informal round-table where 10 entrepreneurs get to deliver a pitch, then answer questions and get critiqued by a VC Partner. We’ve had VC’s from Draper Fisher, Hummer Winblad, Kleiner Perkins, Mayfield, Mohr Davidow, Emergence Capital …etc.

Thursday’s featured VC is Larry Marcus,  Managing Director, Walden Venture Capital. The Zvents post has all the info and a map; and normally I would link to registration but this event has sold out. thumbs_up (here’s a list of future events, 2 in December, so you could sign up in time)

These sessions are a valuable opportunity for Entrepreneurs, most of whom would probably have a hard time getting through the door to VC Partners. Since I’ve been through quite a few of these sessions, both as Entrepreneur and Moderator, let me share a few thoughts:

  • It’s a pressure-free environment, with no Powerpoint presentations, Business Plans…etc, just casual conversation, but it does not mean you should come unprepared!
  • Bring an Executive Summary, some VC’s like it, others don’t.
  • Follow a structure, don’t just talk freely about what you would like to do, or even worse, spend all your time describing the problem, without addressing what your solution is.
  • Don’t forget “small things” like the Team, Product, Market..etc.
  • It would not hurt to mention how much you are looking for, and how you would use the funds…
  • Write down and practice your pitch, and prepare to deliver a compelling story in 3 minutes. You will have about 5, but believe me, whatever your practice time was, when you are on the spot, you will likely take twice as long to deliver your story. The second half of your time-slot is Q&A with the VC.
  • Last, but not least, please be on time! I am not kidding… some of you know why I even have to bring this up.

Here’s a participating Entrepreneur’s feedback about a previous event.

See you in San Francisco!Zbutton

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Social Networking, Startups ·
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Art of the Start / Launch Silicon Valley with Guy Kawasaki – Last Minute Discount

Posted on November 7, 2006 ·

This is a reprint of a previous post, because with 250 registrations I can now offer the few remaining tickets at a huge discount ($49 vs $199) at this special link.

Mark November 8th, Wednesday on

your calendar for a full-day entrepreneurial

super-event (actually two) at the Microsoft Conference

Center in Mountain View.

At 8am SVASE

will present The Art of the

Start, a conference all about helping

entrepreneurs succeed, offering time-tested, battle-hardened business

strategies and the opportunity to meet experienced entrepreneurs and

investors.

The drought of the past few years is over

and venture capital is flowing again. But starting a high tech business

is no less challenging and demanding than it’s ever been, even in an

environment of venture capital overhang.

Pure

talent and winning ideas are never enough. Whether you’re an

entrepreneur in a garage, dorm room, lab or inside a big company, there

are fundamental business insights and skills you need

to succeed.

  Start-up authority and

popular business author Guy

Kawasaki and experts from Garage, along with Silicon Valley

leaders and mavericks, venture capitalists, and successful start-up

CEOs explore the art of starting up.

The conference

includes breakfast and lunch, including a Fireside Chat with

Guy Kawasaki and

Mike Arrington of  TechCrunch.  

Check out the agenda

here, then rush to register. 

Rush, as Early Bird registration ends tomorrow, November 3rd. (Yes, I

know, posting this late, sorry…)

 

The conference ends

at 3:30, and an hour later a related event, Launch: Silicon

Valley starts at the same venue.

Launch: Silicon Valley is an

opportunity for the next generation of emerging technology companies

will to tell their stories to the world – literally, as the event will

be videotaped and broadcast later.   Over 150 startup

submissions from all over the country, several European countries and

as far as New Zealand have been reviewed by an Advisory Board of

investors and executives. The 30 most interesting companies have been

invited to participate in the “Launch: Silicon Valley”

showcase, and 15 of these companies have

also been invited to deliver product

presentation to an audience of Silicon

Valley’s leading movers and shakers.

Product presentations will take place in three

categories, 5 companies each:

  • Information Technology, Communications & related

    technologies

  • Life Science, Material Science,

    CleanTech

  • Consumer &

    Other

Please check out the complete

agenda, and again, rush to register,

as Early Bird pricing ends tomorrow, November 3rd for this

event, too.  The Registration site allows you to book both

events together, or any of them selectively.

Now,

for the surprise: Silicon Valley Auto

Group will be displaying Aston Martin, Bentley, and

Lamborghini cars at both events, and I’m hearing they’ll schedule

test-drives.  I’m sure half the participants – the cream of

the Valley VC community – can actually afford these cars… as for the

other half, the Entrepreneurs, how is this for an incentive? 

smile_wink

Filed Under: Bay Area, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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Web 2.x Conferences at Your Price

Posted on November 4, 2006 ·

The Big Week is coming… and you get to pick how much you’re willing to pay for being “there”.   If you got invited and coughed up $3,500, you can be at the Web 2.0 Conference which is actually no longer a conference but a Summit.  If you didn’t make it there, don’t worry, thanks to Chris Pirillo, here’s the summary:

 Truthiness

 

Of course if you want to get ahead of the crowd, you can upgrade… all the way to  Web 2.2

The 2.2 upgrade is considerably less expensive, registration is only $32.95.  Of course it’s all so relative, the original Web 2.1 which I had a chance to sponsor was a mere $2.80 – yes, that’s not a mistake, $2.80.   Now, if we do a little trendspotting, we can figure out what one of the talk topics will be about: at Web 2.3 and Beyond, What’s Really Next? they will have to decide whether to increase next year’s price to $329.50. smile_speedy

(OK, just kidding, $32.95 is still affordable)

Happy (Un)Conferencing next week.  Oh, and if you’re not attending any of these events, meet Guy Kawasaki, dozens of VC’s and 30 or so startups here. (The Lamborghini is not included in registrationsmile_wink)

 

 

Filed Under: Bay Area, Blogging, Business, Social Networking, Startups ·
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