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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
In The Shadows Of Iraq: Qubad Talabani (Part 1)
Qubad Talabani is the son of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, and is a representative of the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq. The entire world is all too familiar with the war going on in that country. While I am not interested in exploring the political ramifications of such a war, history has taught us that
Why Silicon Valley Lacks True GMs?
I made the comment in an earlier post that Yahoo now needs true GMs, not just glorified functional managers. As I wrote that piece, it made me reflect on the significance of what I just said. Silicon Valley is not a place that has that many true General Managers. In the sense that GE or
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 8)
Here I challenge Amir some more on the business strategy. Technology is wonderful, but are they solving the right business problem? Just because I am looking at a car chase in a movie segment doesn’t mean I am ready to jump and buy a BMW. There is little relevance. On the other hand, if I
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 7)
We continue our discussion about the technical and strategic implementation of the Adapt.tv technology. The core behind it is a learning system which is fed data from contextual matching as well as inputs from user interaction with ads. Over time, this produces an optimized ad campaign for video-content providers, addressing a validated market need. SM:
Venture Capital for MicroFinance: Chris Brookfield (Part 8)
To conclude the interview, I ask about Africa. The general political instability has created an environment which makes it difficult for microfinance investments. However, you have to wonder if some socio-economic stability would not provide increased political stability? A vicious cycle exists, but can it not be concerted into more of a virtuous cycle? SM:
Israel – Deal(s) of the Month (June 2007)
By Danny Cohen, Guest Author Starting this July, I will be reviewing every month one or two key venture investments that were done in Israel. The idea is try to present the local Israeli hi-tech scene through representative venture investments. Overall, June was a very active month on the Israeli scene (Examples include Optier and
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 6)
Next Amir describes the environment and concepts behind the founding of Adapt.tv. Having the seed money himself from his previous exit, he was able to move forward aggressively to seize a piece of an emerging market. This is a key element for entrepreneurs who are able to repeatedly experience success and is right in line
Cracking the Online Video Monetization Nut: Adap.tv CEO Amir Ashkenazi (Part 5)
Amir benefited from a very nice exit from Shopping.com when it was acquired by EBay for $630 million. Here he discusses that, which sets us up for his next (and current) venture at Adapt.tv. SM: Which companies survived the bubble? AA: Shopzilla, PriceGrabber, MySimon was acquired by CNet, NextTag is still active and private. SM: