STARTUP STYLE - UNDRIP’s “WE NEED AN ANGEL”
What to say? The startup crew around Undrip raps like this
“We need an angel - we need a ride”
Here some lyrics:
“Verse 2:
Comin straight outta Soma, the valley of silicone
In the zone, writing code til we see the break of dawn
Learning the ropes from the CEO
And we’ll be crushin it from NDA to IPO
Here we go again, yeah it’s back to bootstrap
A lot of young companies do dat do dat
You see these other suckas and they moving at a turtle pace
But check the way we run it when we jump over your burn rate
New York never sleeps, well that may be
But we never sleep either, cuz we workin on them qwerty keys
Lookin for the future exit strategies
If you sleep on this now, then we’ll see you at the mezzanine
Real hot issue, cold hard currency
Term sheet poppin’ so check check out the equity
Mister Investor, Mister VC
I’m down to take a number, but don’t make me take a knee”
Funny move. Should they go on with their startup or with their rap career? Good luck, guys!
STRATEGY - GOOGLE IS AFTER ANOTHER MARKET.
Somehow it gets tired. Google here, Google there. Now it seems their Google Editions online bookstore is soon going to be launched.
Rex Crum talks with Amir Efrati of the Wall Street Journal about what Google’s entry means for the online book market.
INVESTORS - WEB 2.0 SUMMIT
A conversation with Fred Wilson (USV), John Doerr (KPC&B) and John Heilemann from NY Magazine. Of course, it is about finance.
VISIONARY - ERIC RIES ON THE LEAN STARTUP
Eric speech at the Web 2.0 Expo SF 2010: Eric Ries, “The Lean Startup: Innovation Through Experimentation. That is basically what Eileen from Blurb says: “Get out and built something. Then make it better and let your customers tell you, what they want. Here’s an interesting article about him and the lean start-up debate.
INNOVATION - WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM
Steven Johnson try to answer the question what sparks the flash of brilliance? How does groundbreaking innovation happen? Answering in his own style, using his fluency in fields from neurobiology to popular culture, Johnson provides a complete, exciting, and encouraging story of how we generate the breakthrough ideas that push us forward.
Beginning with Charles Darwin to the instant success of YouTube, Johnson shows us that it is a certain kind of environment which fosters the development of good ideas.
His answers are revelatory, convincing, and inspiring. Johnson identifies seven key principles to the genesis of such ideas, and traces them across time and disciplines. Learn more here
CEO - COME TO THE VALLEY OR STAY HOME WITH LOSERS
It is true that the cluster of innovation and technology, which has developed in Silicon Valley over the last 60 years is unique in depth, richness and attraction. Add a technology-friendly and innovation embracing mass culture.
No, it is not only about “great people”. It is also about a great culture, great vc’s and angels, a great market, a great climate, great universities, the modern “lingua franca” of global business, and many more reasons, which make it advisable for any ambitious start-up to consider moving there at a certain point.
And don’t forget the liberal lifestyle of San Francisco, the natural beauty of California, the great climate - all favorable to “feeling well” there.
VISIONARY: NASSIM TALEB’S THEORY OF THE BLACK SWAN.
Nassim Taleb gives here in 5 minutes a quick introduction into his theory. Taleb introduced his theory before the latest economic crash 2008. Watch him at the DLD in a 50 min roundtable here
The “Black Swan Theory” refers to unexpected events of large magnitude and consequence and their dominant role in history.
Such events, considered extreme outliers, collectively play vastly larger roles than regular occurrences.
Taleb enumerates ten principles for building systems that are robust to Black Swan Events:
(Source: youtube.com)
CREATIVE STRATEGIES - by SAATCHI & SAATCHI CEO KEVIN ROBERTS
Saatchi & Saatchi CEO on Encouraging Creativity: To encourage creativity, Saatchi & Saatchi’s CEO Kevin Roberts throws employees in a room for two days, gives them a problem to solve and sets a firm deadline to deliver an idea.
