Archive for June, 2009
Entrepreneurs Can Change The World – An Inspiring Video
Posted on June 23, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Business, Insights, Videos.
This terrific video reminded me why this crazy roller-coaster ride is worth it! Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, and you can often lose sight of the big picture.
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The Next Google?
Posted on June 23, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Business, News, Trends.
BusinessWeek just did an interesting feature on 50 up-and-coming companies. There are some really innovative and interesting companies on the list:
Fifty Promising Tech Startups
Chances are you already know a lot about hot tech startups like Twitter and Facebook. But what about Jajah, an inexpensive alternative to the traditional phone company? So far, 15 million people use its service. Or Scribd, an online literary exchange that’s drawing more than 50 million readers per month. BusinessWeek and market researcher YouNoodle have teamed up to identify 50 tech startups flying under the radar. Our list includes fledgling tech companies—most started in 2005 and later—from the U.S., China, India, Israel, and Russia that are attracting some early buzz and are poised to grow beyond their regional or niche-market origins.
There’s a wide range of companies on the list, below are some of my favs. Including one that I happen to be an early stage investor in! (you’ll have to guess which one) Well done Sheldon… I’m proud to be along for the ride.
Adconion
Adicon is an online advertising network that helps companies place their messages on thousands of Web sites and also distributes digital content via syndication. Founded in 2005, the company says it already reaches an estimated one-third of all Net users worldwide.
Etsy
Call it the eBay of handmade and vintage items. A well-designed, easy-to-navigate Web page has made Etsy a fan favorite for gifts that show a flair outside the usual shopping sites and stores. With 1.9 million members and more than 200,000 sellers, the site features an active blog and message board for sellers to exchange advice on the crafting community.
Ibibo
A Web site that depends mostly on user-generated content to attract eyeballs, Ibibo.com has made a bit of a splash with its catchy radio ads and cross-promotions with major Bollywood films. It’s a bit like American Idol meets YouTube, but Ibibo’s management team has focused on the business fundamentals. With 3.3 million registered users, overwhelmingly young and mostly male, ad money is coming in, and so is the VC funding. Its parent company, South Africa-based Naspers (NPNJ.BE), estimates Ibibo’s startup costs at more than $10 million. So, Ibibo has sold a stake (for an undisclosed amount) to China’s Tencent Holdings, which runs QQ, a popular instant messaging service in mainland China.
Justin.tv
What began as a live video “lifecast” of Yale graduate Justin Kan in 2005 has grown into a platform that lets anyone produce his or her own live broadcasts over the Web. Each month, some 35 million people watch Justin.tv videos, which range from live coverage of sports and music events to streaming footage of puppies. The 15-person company expects to take in $5 million in revenues this year—mostly from users who pay $10 per month for “pro accounts,” which allow them to watch video on the site during peak hours in certain countries, where access would otherwise be limited.
Zynga
Zynga is an online game site that specializes in making gaming a group experience. The site, which features casino games, word games, board games, role-playing games, and party games, claims to be the largest social game network on the Web with 10 million daily active users.
Mochi Media
In case you hadn’t noticed, there is a lot of money to be made in finding ways to get office workers to waste time on the Web. Flash-based casual games are one of them, and Mochi Media is a company that aims to help the creators of these games do just that. If you’ve blown 15 minutes playing Bloons or Boombot, then you’re right in Mochi’s target audience of some 100 million people who play these games. The company provides analytics that tracks usage, serves ads, and helps publishers make money on their games.
Sermo
An online social network for physicians, Sermo provides a place where doctors can talk about cases and share insights about patients and clinical trials for drugs. The site is free for doctors, but Sermo makes money by selling access to the comments to drugmakers and other companies.
TheFind
With more than $20 million in funding, TheFind is on a mission to help every shopper find exactly what she wants, and to help every merchant, large and small, reach those shoppers.
TokBox
TokBox is a free service that allows anyone to do video e-mail or chat over the Web. The startup claims about 200,000 visitors to its site and last December raised a total of $14 million from top venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, Bain Capital, and a few well-known angel investors.
Proclivity Systems
E-commerce analytics firm Proclivity helps retailers turn more online clicks into purchases by drawing on everything they know about their customers—from the Web to catalog calling centers to the cash register. Proclivity’s tools might, for example, help a clothing retailer decide which color of sweater it should recommend to a customer based on past purchases. Backed by about $10 million in funding, the company is working with six major retailers, which each pay $500,000 to $2 million a year for the service.
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Is Green Marketing Here to Stay?
Posted on June 16, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Business, Insights, News, Press.
My latest article for Adotas just launched… it tries to answer the question “Is Green Marketing Here to Stay?” The article breaks down several factors to come up with an answer.
First, we must look through the consumer lens to evaluate the marketplace, consumer motivation and accessibility. Additionally, we need to understand how those factors impact the key players responsible for developing, distributing and promoting the products that fill the marketplace: manufacturers, brands and marketers.
The full story and detailed breakdown of these dynamics (marketplace, motivation, accessibility & key players) as it relates to “green marketing” can be found in my complete article on Adotas: Is green marketing here to stay?
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A Sign from above…
Posted on June 8, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Journal, Photos.
When you walk out the door in the morning and see this in the sky… just go back inside, have another cup of coffee, and stay home. It’s NOT going to be a good day!
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A Tipping Point: The Dancing Man Party
Posted on June 5, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Insights, Videos.
This is a great case study in human behavior. One man can start a movement… Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point would be proud.
Tipping points are “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”[1] Gladwell defines a tipping point as a sociological term: “the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.”[2] The book seeks to explain and describe the “mysterious” sociological changes that mark everyday life. As Gladwell states, “Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread like viruses do.”[3]
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Video Best Practices: Part 2 – First Came Story… Now The Strategy
Posted on June 2, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Business, Insights, Press.
This is the follow up to last weeks article covering online video best practices — here’s an excerpt and link to the full article is below:
ADOTAS — So we talked last week about the importance of content, and we showed you a few examples of online video that delivers with a strong story.
Now you have hit all the important points, element of surprise,thrown in a few laughs, some subtle sex appeal, and now you wait forthe eyeballs to come to you. And…nothing. Outside of views fromeverybody in the office, and snickering rivals, you’re barely a blip inthe forest that is YouTube.
Link: Read the full article at Adotas.com
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Web 2.0 – Blogs, Social Networks and Social Bookmarks
Posted on June 2, 2009, by Avi Savar, under Trends.
Web 2.0 has gotten a lot of people buzzing about joining different social sites to get more exposure for themselves and their business.
What is Web 2.0?
Web 2.0 is a new generation on the worldwide web that includes blogging, social bookmarking, social networking, wikis, podcasting, file sharing etc. It brings people together to interact, to share information and to build communities.
You’ve heard of these networks like MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook. You know Blogger, Squidoo and Live Journal. Do Digg, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon and Technorati ring a bell? How about a network for bloggers like Twitter? So, are you ready to join the masses of Web 2.0?
Many of you are already there blogging, bookmarking, sharing files through YouTube, and building relationships in a variety of networks.
Here’s a closer look at blogs, social networks and social bookmarks that are part of the Web 2.0 generation.
Blogs
Blogs were once known as online journals. They are much more than that today. There are hundreds of new blogs created every day and they are becoming a commanding presence online. Some people prefer blogs over websites because they are easier to maintain. Blogs are social and content is ever changing. For the most part blogs and websites go hand in hand; driving traffic both ways.
Social Networks
Social networks have been around for a long time and there is not one social network site that is a one size fits all. People who share similar interests get together to form communities or niches. If you have a business, carefully choose your niche social network as you don’t want to waste time networking with others who aren’t your target market. It’s much easier to network with people who have similar interests as you.
General interest social network sites include the likes of MySpace and Facebook where you can customize your own page to make them fun and interactive.
Twitter is another type of social network and micro-blogging for people who want to keep in touch through simple and short messages also known as “tweets”. Keep up-to-date with your family, co-workers and friends around the world and see what they are up to. Follow you, follow me.
Social Bookmarks
Think of when you bookmark or add a website to your Favorites on your own computer; social bookmarking is the same thing except you tag a website and it’s stored online where you can share with your friends. You can also use a search tool to search what other people is tagging that are of interest to you and vice versa.
Social news like Digg is different than a social bookmarking site like Del.icio.us as it focuses on blogs with current news, breaking headlines, technology and other topics of interest. These usually engage others in open discussions.
How does Web 2.0 benefit you?
They all drive traffic to you whether you’re sharing bookmarks, twittering, or networking. Don’t spread yourself too thin. In order to use Web 2.0 to your advantage find the right ones that cater to your needs and target your market for it will bring much greater rewards.
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