Nolo - Free Legal Resources
By Adam | May 30, 2007
When I talk to successful entrepreneurs about the legal implications of launching a startup I often hear the same two sentiments: sign a prenuptial and sign a partnership agreement.
Given the horror stories you hear from entrepreneurs who have bypassed the “lawyer stuff” to save money, this seems to be good advice. However, when you are a bootstrapped entrepreneur diligently pinching pennies to get your idea off the ground it can be more than unsettling when you have to write a $5,000 check to a lawyer for a few legal documents.
If you know of any other good online legal resources, post them in the comments section.
Topics: Resources | 1 Comment »
Yoople - Collaborative Web Search from Italy
By Rob | May 30, 2007
In the midst of never ending discussions about Search Engines and the important role they play in providing useful information sources to web users, here’s a service that talks about giving back control to users so that they can alter the way websites are ranked on search results.
Yoople.net offers a service called Yoople!, a Web 2.0 application that takes a new experimental twist on web search. Carlo Zapponi at Yoople.net mentions that the project is experimental and largely based on Yahoo Web Search.
Here’s what happens –
• You type in what you’re looking for in Yoople.net search.
• You are presented with a list of results based on your keyword search.
• On visiting 3-5 of the links, you realise that the site at No 5 in the search engine results is much more informative and deserves a No 1 position.
• You drag the listing at No 5 to the first position and viola! Your preference is reflected in the results!
Thus Yoopla! Gives users the power to alter the order of results and have their say as opposed to simply accepting Search Engine results and rankings. The color coded boxes on the side reflect the shifts and provide info regarding the position shifts on Yahoo and Yoopla.net.
We don’t have enough information to give Yoopla an OTV score, but it ranks more as a project than a startup at this point.
Topics: Startups, International | No Comments »
Tag2find - Hagenberg, Austria
By Rob | May 29, 2007
We live in an information age. There is a constant need to digest, remember and access loads of information everyday. How do we deal with such information overload?
Tag2find comes to our rescue with a tool that promises to streamline such information overload by making data easily findable and quickly accessible, right on your desktop.
By information, they mean all kinds of files, documents, music, and videos, etc – you name it. As is clear from their name, Tag2find tells you to tag or label a particular file or data as you save it and using the same keyword, find it back again – only this time, quickly and effortlessly. Even if the file is further moved or copied somewhere else, the tags stay. Tag2Find shortcut can be added to the task bar or left floating on the desktop.
If you are interested in Tag2find, a technical preview is available for download. Through a pictorial display, the website explains the steps in installing and using the software. However, what remains to be seen is how effective the tool really is for its first time users. Does it take more time to understand & assign tags for usage than just browsing for information? Check out tag2find and decide for yourself.
Topics: Startups, International | No Comments »
The Next Big Thing
By Rob | May 28, 2007
Sometimes it is easy to see where a trend is going. Most people know that apps on mobile phones are going to be more and more popular. But what about the web in general? What is the next big trend?
Web 2.0 wasn’t about what people thought it was about. Mashups, tagging, sharing, and all that other stuff… those were really just sub categories of convenience and personalization, two of the forces that ultimately drive many changes in technology. The question entrepreneurs need to be asking, is how they can use the web to increase convenience, make personalization easier, or provide deeper and more thorough information.
My personal belief is that we will see a trend that doesn’t include dramatic improvements in technology, but will focus more on user interfaces and web products for the average person. What do you think? With the Web 2.0 trend winding down and becoming more mainstream, what is the next big thing on the web?
Topics: Ideas | 2 Comments »
Open Coffee Club – A New Way to Network Outside the Valley
By Adam | May 24, 2007
A necessary, but difficult, component of operating an internet startup is networking. Whether you are looking for funding, searching for employees, or seeking to engage other like-minded entrepreneurs – rubbing elbows and trading business cards is a must.
Today Read/Write Web posted about the concept of the Open Coffee Club. For the unacquainted, this meetup movement is designed to bring together entrepreneurs, VCs, and people interested in startups. The ultimate intention of the idea is to facilitate the startup scene in a variety communities throughout the globe.
There are currently 39 established Open Coffee Clubs internationally, including cities throughout Europe, the U.S., and even South Africa. For non-Valley entrepreneurs, these groups should provide an excellent bridge to VC access, community building, and idea exchanges. Check out the tool bar on the left-hand-side of the OpenCoffeeClub.org website for a city near you.
*For other networking ideas, check out a few of our previous posts on the subject:
Topics: Resources | 1 Comment »
Fargo, ND - New Microsoft Hotspot
By Sarah | May 24, 2007
Fargo, ND just got put on the tech map thanks to a move by Microsoft to expand its Fargo campus with a new 120,000-square-foot building.
This great news for the start up community in Fargo. The facility will add demand for 575 more tech-oriented employees, and thus will facilitate a stronger technology culture in the community. Great Outside the Valley news indeed!
Topics: Startups, Midwest | 1 Comment »
Kauffman Says Entrepreneurship is Alive And Well Outside of the Valley
By Rob | May 23, 2007
The latest Kauffman Index of entrepreneurial activity has some surprising hotspots. While it was filled with good news for the South and the East, the Midwest was called a declining area.
The rate of entrepreneurial activity decreased in the Midwest from 0.26 percent in 2005 to 0.22 in 2006. As a result, the Midwest had the lowest level of entrepreneurial activity of all regions for the first time in the past eleven years.
And what area has the most risk takers per capita? Montana. Big Sky country. You can download the entire 24 page report here.
Topics: Miscellaneous, Resources | No Comments »
Vidoop - Tulsa, Oklahoma
By Rob | May 23, 2007
One of the hottest companies of the year comes from a city with less than 400,000 people. Vidoop is making waves at conferences, trade shows, and all over the web with their visual password technology for better system security.
People are lax with their passwords, so I think this is a great way to improve security without complicating life for users. No one wants to change their password every three months to something that differs by at least 3 characters and so on. Vidoop solves a real problem, so I think the company has a bright future. At the Web 2.0 Expo, Vidoop was called the best new IT product of 2007. We’ll soon see if it lives up to that billing.
You can view the Vidoop TV spot below.
Outside the Valley Score
Location: Tulsa, OK = 3
Founders: Experienced = 1
Technology:Some new technology = 1
Funding: Principals and a few private investors = 2
Total Score – 7.0 Definitely outside the valley, and of all the companies we’ve reviewed so far, this is the one that I think has the best chance of long-term success. It could be transformational event for Tulsa.
Topics: Startups, Midwest | 1 Comment »
Ridester.com - Hitchhiking on the Internet
By Adam | May 22, 2007
Ridester.com, an
- Ride Requests: Users in need of a ride type in their departing and arriving zip codes. The site then looks through its database to search for matches. Based on the results, ‘requesters’ can choose the person they would like to travel with based on cost, smoking preferences, driver gender, and even music tastes.
- Ride Offers: Users planning on making a trip post their departing and arriving zip codes, planned departure date and time, and the offering price of the trip per passenger. Like requesters, those offering rides can choose the person(s) they would like to travel with based on the ride requesters characteristics.
- Payment: Once a match has been determined, the ride requester makes their purchase using PayPal or credit card. Payment is then deposited directly in the drivers PayPal account or a check is mailed directly by Ridester. A $2 ticket fee and 9.5% processing fee is applied to each transaction.
Outside The Valley Score
Location:
Founders: First startup = 2
Technology: Existing technologies = 1
Funding: $25K Angel Funding= 2
Total Score – 6.0
Topics: Startups, SouthWest | No Comments »
CBS Buys Wallstrip - Is The Future of New Media Outside the Valley?
By Rob | May 22, 2007
The rumors were true, CBS has acquired web stock show Wallstrip for $5 million. I think this is the first acquisition of a web show by a major media company. If not, it’s certainly the largest. It raises an interesting question as well… as “new media” grows at the intersection of tech (the valley) and media (new york), which will be the center of the new media world? My prediction is New York, but if you believe differently, I’d love to know why.
Topics: Strategy | 1 Comment »
