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HOT TOPICS
- The Startup Velocity Question
- Platform as a Service
- Man and Superman
- Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)
- The Future: End of Capitalism
- Capitalism 2.0
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 4)
The strategy of running an investment firm may vary, but the end goal is always healthy and compelling returns. SM: So you manage Unitus as a professional investment opportunity with similar goals as venture capital firms? CB: We look at investing very much as a derivative of venture capital. I would argue it is just
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 3)
The makeup of a private equity fund can be telling. Chris highlights the composition of the Unitus fund. SM: What is the source of the Unitus equity fund? SB: We have four equally significant investors. A quarter of our capital is provided by Omidyar Networks and Pierre Omidyar. A quarter is provided by an excellent
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 2)
Here Chris details Unitus’ switch from being a non-profit firm to a for-profit firm. Much of the current interest in microfinance is generated by the fact that the discipline is now being viewed as a sustainable “business”, not just charity. Thus, large banks, venture firms, and serious entrepreneurs are starting to wake up to its
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 3)
For many venture startups, getting funding is always a significant challenge as well as a strategic milestone (taking too much funding, or not enough). Amir had little difficulty gaining funding in the midst of the greatest boom market, and made what ultimately turned out to be the correct decision in the amount of funding received,
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 2)
There are several very interesting aspects to keep in mind when considering Shopping.com. First, the comparative shopping marketplace was a low-barrier-to-entry marketplace to enter, leading to significant competition. Second, revenue generating strategies were difficult to figure out in the 1997-1999 timeframe. Online advertising as a revenue model had barely started to take off. Finally, once
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 1)
Chris Brookfield is the Investment Director at Unitus Investment Management Company. He has been a venture capital and private equity investor his entire professional career. In 2004 he co-founded Open Water Investors. Chris has also been an Associate at Redleaf Venture Management, a Silicon Valley seed stage venture investor, and is familiar with pure play
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 1)
Amir Ashkenazi is the founder of Adap.tv, as well as the former founder and CTO of Shopping.com. Adap.tv is in the midst of the Online Video Advertising fray, on which I have recently written quite a bit. In fact, Danny Cohen suggested this conversation after reading one of those pieces about one of Adap.tv’s competitors,
Rolling up an Online Ad Agency Powerhouse: AKQA CEO Tom Bedecarre (Part 9)
As more and more media moves to a digital format, the role of digital advertising firms will continue to increase. Firms which have hybrid experience, who truly understand brand management and are able to capitalize on online efficiency (buy more ad space for fewer dollars) are going to excel. AKQA will be an interesting firm