Silicon Valley Watcher

Traveling Geeks: A Guardian Newspaper Media Panel, Twitter, From Back to Front And Beyond...

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:36:41 -0800

Tuesday evening our third event that day for the Traveling Geeks (but not the last) was to take part in a media debate at The Guardian newspaper's offices in north London.

The Guardian is one of the UK's largest newspapers and its media section is superb -- anyone that is anyone in the media industry reads it, and anyone that's interested in media -- reads The Guardian's media section.

It was a very good turnout for the event despite horrid downpours. Part of our TG gang (Robert Scoble, Sarah Lacy, and JD Lasica) were on the panel discussing the future of media with the Guardian's Emily Bell, and the BBC's technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones.

It was a good discussion but it felt very "2005" in terms of the subjects, which kept returning to blogger/social media versus mainstream media.

The Butcher of Fleet Street

I was sitting at the back of the room next to fellow TGer Craig Newmark of Craigslist. And inevitably, the panel's moderator couldn't resist asking him to stand up and explain himself for killing the newspaper industry.

Craig is mightily fed up with this question. And I agree. It is not his fault that the newspaper industry is in trouble. But Craig handled it all very well, throwing in a line "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition," which drew laughs and distracted the panel from further pursuit of a tired line of questioning and drew the discussion back to the favorite subject of the day: Twitter.

From Back To Front

It was fun publishing from the back of the room and having our Tweets projected onto a big screen in the front of the room.

Here is the evening's Twitstream.

And here are my contributions:

UK Startups Look For Funding And Escape From Echo Chamber

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:46:49 -0800

I've been meeting a lot of UK entrepreneurs as part of the Traveling Geeks trip and I'm hearing a lot of the same things US startups tell me. They are looking for funding and also fed up with seeing the same people at their meetups.

Funding is a big problem in the UK because there are very few European VC funds actively investing. And very few angels. Many startups are looking to the US for funding but they tell me that most US VC firms have closed their UK offices.

One entrepreneur told me: "We're thinking of relocating some of our team to San Francisco so that we can be closer to the VC firms. Several VC firms have told us that they love our product but we are not over there. And so they wouldn't consider investing."

That was a common theme: that US VCs won't invest in startups unless they are in Silicon Valley.

I didn't have the heart to tell people that even if you are in Silicon Valley funding is really tough right now.

UK: Digital Inclusion And The Moral Obligations Towards Tech Education

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 07:15:04 -0800

Traveling Geeks: Monday morning we met with Tristan Wilkinson, Intel's director for public sector, EMEA Region. His main interest is how technology can be used to improve countries' economies and improve the quality of life for people through work opportunities.

He posed an interesting question: Do the people that enjoy the benefits of the digital economy have an obligation to help those that don't have the same access and skill sets?

The way the question is phrased doesn't invite much debate because it shoots straight for the moral high ground.

This Week SVW Is In London And Cambridge

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:49:47 -0800

This week I'll be in London and Cambridge as part of the Traveling Geeks tour. We'll be meeting with various UK companies and organizations.

I'm particularly interested in the startup culture here in the UK and how it differs from Silicon Valley. I'm always looking for what makes Silicon Valley different from anywhere else and why it is so difficult to create Silicon Valley-like regions around the world.

Clearly, to create a sustainable center of innovation it takes more than building a business park around a university and injecting some startup capital. The answer must lie in the culture of Silicon Valley. But can that culture be exported? Do regional innovation centers have unique cultures specific to their particular brand of innovation?

Maybe I can find out some answers during this trip.

Also, I'll be posting about some of the companies and personalities I meet during this trip. So please check back regularly. Also, you can follow my colleagues on the Traveling Geeks website and Twitter -- and if you get a chance, join us at some of the open evening events. Here is our agenda.

Here is a brief overview. We'll be at...

A NESTA-sponsored conference about moving forward in the new economy, a U.S./U.K. Speed Date with Seed Camp Winners and UK Leaders; eConsultancy Innovator’s Open Discussion; the TechCrunch Europa Awards; University of Cambridge’s Judge Business School Roundtable on Open Innovation; as well as meetings with Nokia Labs, Microsoft Labs, East of England International, Skype and others.

The blhttpoggers will also be speaking and participating at a Reboot Britain event and the Guardian’s first Media Talk Live event, as well as organizing a TweetUp in central London on the evening of July 5, 2009, which is being sponsored by NESTA and The Conversation Group.

My Twitter is: http://twitter.com/tomforemski

My Friendfeed is: http://friendfeed.com/tomforemski

Twitter hashtag for the trip is #tg2009

Fellow Traveling Geeks:

Vinod Khosla Says Silicon Valley VCs Tried to Save Newspaper Industry In 1996

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:55:01 -0800

At the recent SDForum 2009 Visionary Awards, Vinod Khosla, one of Silicon Valley's top VCs, gave an inspiring and very humble speech.

How To Succeed In Silicon Valley By Bumbling And Failing...

Afterwards, I went over to congratulate him on his award and also say how much I enjoyed his speech. Rebecca Buckman, one of Forbe's top journalists, was also there. He then started to tell us a very interesting story, about how Silicon Valley VCs could have saved the newspaper industry--back in 1996.

Visonary 2009: Jim Clark Was Always Looking For An Exit Strategy . . .

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:38:48 -0800

Jim Clark, co-founder of Silicon Graphics and Netscape was one of four winners of the SDForum 2009 Visionary Awards. He spoke about his earlier life and how he was thrown out of school, then trying to get out of Texas, then trying to get out of the navy. It seems his instincts for an exit strategy have served him well as a Silicon Valley entrepreneur...

He also spoke about the importance of Stanford university and its encouragement of entrepreneurs. Other universities look down upon business people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfUEf8X7JIE
Please also see the other winners:

Judy Estrin: Silicon Valley Unwilling To Fix Structural Problems Around Innovation, Blame Others

Kay Koplovitz: We Need More Women Entrepreneurs

Vinod Khosla: How To Succeed In Silicon Valley By Bumbling And Failing...

Green Tech Investment Rebounds In Latest Quarter - Smaller Deals

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:31:45 -0800

Greentech Media reports:

- Second quarter VC investments jumped to $1.2 billion in 85 deals compared with first quarter $836 million in 59 deals.

- Solar power was once again the leading investment segment at more than $330 million.

- One of the drivers for steady second quarter venture investment was the promise of stimulus monies offering startup investors a non-dilutive funding source.

- Early-stage and late-stage investments dominated, while mid-stage funding was harder to come by, and the average round sizes were slightly smaller.

- No giant $100 million+ solar or biofuel rounds as in 2008.

- Second quarter was more balanced investments across sectors:

Jajah Co-Founder Leads Launch Of Talenthouse - A Social Network For Artists

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:17 -0800

Talenthouse launched today, lead by Roman Scharf, the co-founder of Jajah, a succesful free telephony service.

Talenthouse aims to be the first online community for artists worldwide. It allows them to exhibit their work and also to connect with each other to collaborate on projects.

"With Talenthouse we eliminate the age-old artistic struggle for recognition and instead focus on creative excellence,” said Roman Scharf, CEO of Talenthouse. “We are filling a tremendous void felt by the artistic community."

The site has won support from international artists:

Kay Koplovitz: We Need More Women Entrepreneurs

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:38:57 -0800

Kay Koplovitz calls for more women entrepreneurs during her acceptance speech at the SDForum visionary awards.

She said that women haven't had the access to capital and she urged Silicon Valley to "open your hearts" to more women entrepreneurs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGRyvhsP7Uk

Her Bio:

Kay Koplovitz is currently a principal of Koplovitz & Co. LLC., a media investment firm and is the founder of USA Network, the first basic cable network delivered via satellite nationwide. Koplovitz was the first woman to head a television network when she founded USANetworks under the banner of Madison Square Garden Sports in 1977. Ms. Koplovitz co-created Springboard Enterprises, a national organization that fosters venture capital investments in women-led high growth companies. Since its inception, Springboard has presented over 380 companies that have raised $4.4 billion in new capital. She also co-founded Boldcap Ventures, a venture capital fund backed exclusively by leading women executives. Ms. Koplovitz is Chairman of the Board of Liz Claiborne, Inc. and a board member of CA.

Please see:

Judy Estrin on the Gender Gap in Silicon Valley

Judy Estrin: Silicon Valley Unwilling To Fix Structural Problems Around Innovation, Blame Others

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:21:06 -0800

Judy Estrin, one of Silicon Valley's top entrepreneurs, continues to sound warnings that innovation is in danger because of fundamental structural problems.

Ms Estrin again voiced her concerns during her speech at the SDForum Visionary Awards 2009. She was one of four recepients of the annual awards.

She said that Silicon Valley has been living off the innovative work that has been created over the past 30 years but that there needs to be new work done to support future startups.

"What I've been struck by, and concerned by, is that although everybody seems to understand that we have significant structural problems, few are willing to acknowledge their role in the solution. Each group tends to point to someone else that needs to change. The VCs need to take more risk, Wall Street needs to be less short-term focused, government is too involved, government is not involved enough... This is natural because change is hard. But isn't innovation and change what this valley is all about?"

She said that there is a need for "sustainable innovation" so that our future generations, our children, can experience a quality of life at least as good as we have had.

Here is her speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmNOEZM6kpk
Please see: SDForum Garden Party Notes: Vinod Khosla is the Antichrist; Jim Clark has a size problem; Silicon Valley Trophies - Hot women and large yachts...

Thought Leader Interview: Judy Estrin on the Innovation Gap in Silicon Valley and Beyond . . .

We Have a Serious Innovation Deficit Says Silicon Valley Thought Leader Judy Estrin