VCs are seeking Vietnamese Web 2.0 Startups

Announcing TechLang

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:28:52 +0100

Late last year with some friends and partners, I launched TechLang a new website covering technology news in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. In addition to profiling and reviewing new technology companies, Techlang holds technology events and connects startups to investors, advisors, job seekers and service providers through community networks.
I will dedicate more time on TechLang from 2009, however my blog http://jasonlog.supersized.org/ is still live with my personal view on Vietnam's web landscape.

TechLang welcomes all you guys as contributors, guest writers or whatever you name it. As startup entrepreneurs you can tip us your ventures so that we can follow and help you connect to the right circles.

Recap 2008

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:41:47 +0100

One year ago I made the predictions for 2008, now it is time to recap:
Again there is no momentum for startups to get to fast track: lack of seasoned management, hard to monetize with high traffic sites. Most chased consumer entertainment services and few startups target enterprise apps SaaS and click and mortar hybrid that have more sustainable revenue model.

My predictions for 2008:

Social Media:

    * Many new startups will be launched until mid year then some quit of exhausting. [Right: 2nd half 2008 saw few new startups, VC Corp quit Facebook clone game (Zoomban)]
    * Some large tech companies such as FPT, CMC will opt for acquisition instead of in-house development. [Wrong: FPT launch its own incubator (Visky) and the FPT chairman takes care of these projects. I think it was not a good choice.]
    * Self hosted Wordpress based blogs are increasing popular. [Quite true.]
    * Active Yahoo360 accounts will drop 50% [Right: rumor of Yahoo SE Asia shutting down Yahoo360 service.]

Search Service:

    * No local player can challenge the Google' dominant position. [Official launch of local search service xalo.vn, no bright future for this search engine.]

Online Gaming:

    * WOW will be exploring the market through Asian affiliate. [The local market was ready for WOW, I did not know why Blizzard Entertainment still did not enter this promising game land.]
    * Audition Online is still the top casual MMO. [Audition rocked again.]

Mobile:

    * iPhone would be the top choice of wish list among local professionals and Vietnam would be the largest market of iPhone in Southeast Asia with sales of 200K to 250K of units end of the year 2008. [iPhone was truly a hit in Vietnam mobile market, without software based unlock solution iPhone 3G was a bit slow demand, but the number was still about 200k.]
    * No one remembers DVB-H ever in existence. [What did DVB-H mean?]
    * Wimax is still in testing and not a commodity until yearend. [Did Intel still bullish on Wimax this year?]

Investment:

    * Some international VC firms will enter Vietnam market in addition to incumbent IDGVV, DFJ Vina. [Softbank China and India Holdings is an important player now.]
    * Local VC and angels network will be formed to get a piece of the pie. [Not a clear trend in Vietnam, but some practice in existence.]

I will make the predictions for 2009 in next couple of days.

FPT CEO is the New Visky

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:32:53 +0100

Earlier this year I wrote about FPT CEO blogging with some interesting comments. But two months ago the blog had been down with error message. Now the CEO blog is replaced by new FPT 2.0 effort Visky: Welcome to Visky!
Are Mr. Truong Gia Binh tired of blogging or Visky will blog on behalf soon?

Who control Miss World Tube Rights in Vietnam?

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:08:20 +0100

Mainstream and social media in Vietnam discussed "VTV lost Miss World Final broadcasting rights" these days.
"According to an agreement between RAAS and VTV, RAAS would provide Miss World 2008 shows free of charge to VTV for broadcasting on its VTV3 channel only. All profit earned from advertising during Miss World shows on VTV would be contributed to a charity fund.
RAAS withdrew the broadcasting rights for the final show because some websites in Vietnam stole the signals from VTVs broadcasting of the Miss World fashion and swimwear programmes to broadcast live on their websites or upload on their sites illegally. These acts, according to RAAS, were serious copyright violations.

However, VietnamITV was not the only one; other websites, namely VTC.com.vn, PDA.vn, Clip.vn, stole signals from VTV and broadcast the Miss World shows live on their websites."

RAAS is a business group founded by a powerful Vietnamese Overseas family with business operation in the US, China and Vietnam. As a partner of Miss World Organization, RAAS holds exclusive broadcasting rights in Vietnam territory.
Of course VTV could not control the redistribution of its video signal across Internet, especially user generated content websites. VTV tried to explain it was out of their control but Vietnamese Internet users (about 20 millions) care? If young Vietnamese want to watch the Event they can find on many video sharing websites whether VTV did broadcasting or not. Are Julia Morley aware of this?

Googles Strategy Slides by faberNovel

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:46:37 +0100

All about Google

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: google technology)

An interesting presentation prepared by FaberNovel, a french consulting firm, which produced many reports on Web 2.0 services. In the mid of recession and falling price of Google's shares, the slides shed light on the long term strategy of Google from Internet to mobile world.

Click and Mortar Model Can Make Money from the Start

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:16:06 +0100

While many startups and young teams race for social networking services since it is trendy, sexy, other teams opt for less cool Web business. One year ago many people said if you had high traffic sites you could make good money (from advertising or from investors?). But when the financial storm came, ad spending falls can those SNS get a piece of still small online ad dollars. Instead of waiting advertisers, Teevn.com tried to sell on demand t-shirts to young people. Customers can access to the Teevn.com website to choose among thousands of designs for their t-shirts, and they can make their unique template through self designed or order exclusively to Teevn.On demand e-commerce is getting mainstream in many countries with successful models such as Cafepress, Zazzle. Designers can take part into the business as collaborators and make money from revenue share. The core competency of this model is not just the ICT technology (click) but production and logistic (brick and mortar). Young people (mainly students) love to buy their chosen t-shirts. Other product lines should be available soon. Think about your revenue model before starting up, especially in the current recession.

Disclosure: I help the Teevn team from the start and currently an advisor.

OpenSocial Hackathon in Hanoi?

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 13:03:02 +0100

After the success of Google Devfest in HCMC on November 4, 2008 and many talent developers in Hanoi missed the Event, we plan to hold a mini Hackathon in Hanoi with focus on OpenSocial API. Software engineers from Exo Platform (going with Google Devfest team in Southeast Asia Tour) will interact with Hanoi based devs and geeks, some demos of OpenSocial API apps on Vietnamese social networking services should be showed. An engineer of Google Southeast Asia could join to assist the participants. The planned date is December 13, 2008. If you have any suggestion or need further information please drop me an email or leave comment.

Google DevFest HCMC - The First Ever Google Hackathon Tour in Vietnam

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:00:24 +0200

A team of Google engineers will come to Ho Chi Minh City in the first Google Hackathon Tour in Southeast Asia to meet, talk, chat with local developers on increasing popular APIs: OpenSocial & App Engine to YouTube & the Google Maps API. Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology will host the Event on 4th November 2008. Google Team will try their best to answer all the questions from participating developers as well as learn from local talents. This is your chance to interact with Silicon Valley engineers and local programmers. Bring your laptop and energy to join the Festival for Developers. You will get free food and refreshments just like Googlers get free meal at Mountain View.

The first Vietnam Web 3.0 Service?

nospam@example.com (Jason) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:49:43 +0200

I just stumbled upon an article at PC World Vietnam online featuring a music website had launched a search service using Web 3.0 technology. In fact the search was powered by a local search engine called Socbay.com. The music site yeuamnhac.com also claimed its search using Sematic Web. I tested the service but could not find out what they called Web 3.0 or/and Sematic Web. Can someone show me their Web 3.0?