Enterprise Headlines and Highlights, 2013-01-04
Highlights from the world of Enterprise Software and Solutions over the past two months (or so): Salesforce.com had a strong Q3. NetSuite had a strong Q3. HP did not. Workday had its IPO. It’s doing well, with a market cap just over $8.5 billion and a constrant stream of innovation. Lots of IT failures recently, [...]
Facebook IPO Lessons
Like most people, I had the opportunity to review Facebook’s IPO filing yesterday and admit that, like Apple’s recent earnings announcement, this is pretty damn impressive. Here are a couple of lessons worth reinforcing: 1) People’s view of what is normal and acceptable in emergent online activities is constantly evolving. What Facebook deserves a lot [...]
The End of the Beginning
Today Get Satisfaction announced that we have successfully closed a new round of financing, led by Bruce Cleveland at InterWest Partners. It’s a validating moment for all the hard work that the team has undertaken, particularly in the last year and a half. Despite the fundraising process being a major MBO for me over the [...]
Back to the Future: Are We in Another Tech Bubble?
I’ve read several blogs and articles over the last few weeks debating the current tech environment and comparing (or arguing why not to compare) today to 1999. I guess it’s not surprise that there’s concern over this topic though, considering the soaring valuations that some of the current crop of social start ups has garnered [...]
The Ascent of Q&A as Community
Q&A communities have become grown in popularity in recent years with consumer and business offerings being developed at a blistering pace and established players emerging with their own offerings. The Q&A interaction model has existed for years, as long as search engines have been around and this is not a coincidence. Q&A takes advantage of [...]
Keeping Score: Exit Activity for Venture Backed Companies in 2010
Not surprisingly in 2008 and 2009 exit activity for venture backed tech companies was very slow. Last year that activity seemed to have picked up, mirroring the overall improved business environment. I try to keep track of most of the…
Software is Roadkill
The fastest way to become roadkill to venture capitalists is to become a software company. Software may not be inherently evil (it has created wealth for many people that is in proportion to the pain it has provided to many customers). Software and specifically on-premise enterprise software, however, is clearly…
The VC Shakeout
This piece in HBR is must read, it details why there will be a lot fewer VC funds in the future. The sky is falling on the venture capital rainmakers. Over the past 10 years their quarterly internal rate of return (IRR)—the primary measure of VC success—was dismal, hovering in the single percentage points and [...]
Launch Silicon Valley: 30 Startups Debut Tomorrow
Somewhat late notice, but there’s an exciting startup debut event in Mountain View tomorrow: Launch: Silicon Valley, co-presented by SVASE, Garage Technology Ventures and Microsoft, provides the next generation of emerging technology companies with the opportunity to pitch their products to, and network with, an audience of Silicon Valley’s top VCs, Angels, corporate business development [...]
Congratulations to Mark Suster, No 2. Top-rated VC Partner
Image by GRP Partners via CrunchBase CloudAve readers know Mark Suster for his popular series on startups, getting funded, generally dealing with VCs but also on strategy, sales, management, presentations ..etc. In short as the very accessible all-around startup guy. I first met him as CEO of Koral, a startup later acquired by Salesforce.com. Considering [...]
