There is something new at Exsila: The following navigation bar:
The music category went online in these hours and contains already 176 items:
As I said earlier: The swiss media trading market is going to be VERY interesting in the next couple of months. Trust me ;-).
There is a major discussion about sponsored postings going on in the German blogosphere. Everything started here. The fire continued to go here and there. You find more postings on Technorati.
Will the fire continue or has everything been said?
"I continue to think that the web is underhyped (…) there is now a second round of enthusiasm in the internet as a business opportunity (…) there always will be bubbles and opportunies that come and go (…) but the basics of it is a human social dynamic and that’s (…) stady"
I like this pragmatic view of the (Internet-) world :-).
"We’re not overwhelmed by information (…) the cure for information overload is more information [i.e. meta-data & managing-tools]"
Well, I disagree with the first part (at least I feel overwhelmed sometimes), but the second part of the sentence is so true. Meta-data and good managing-tools will be key (as focusing, as prioritizing, as just letting go… you just can’t keep up with everything, as you just cannot read all books that possibly interest you in just a lifetime)
(source: Interview with David Weinberger, co-author of the Cluetrain manifesto)
PS: This video inspired me to finally print out the 95 theses of the Cluetrain manifesto (PDF), because I have never read them. And to be honest, I have not heard of Cluetrain before December 2006 :-).
An interesting panel with young web community founders moderated by Guy Kawasaki:
[flash]http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3962105514239495106[/flash]
Panel participants:
Sean Suhl of Suicide Girls
Akash Garg of hi5
Drew Curtis of Fark
Markus Frind of PlentyofFish
Max Levchin of Slide
James Hong of HotorNot
Learnings:
#1: Do what you’re passionate about and have fun!
#2: Never surrender! But don’t forget to face reality.
#3: Forget MBA schools and all the case studies. Just get going and go for it!
#4: The team is important. Hire the right people. Hire evangelists. Hire customers!
#5: Drew Curtis (Fark) is a funny guy and definitely a good choice for a panel :-)
#6: Do intelligent marketing. Don’t throw money out the window for ineffective things! But don’t base your future on luck and coincidence. I’m convinced that marketing is still very important for every company.
#7: None of the participants have raised venture capital. Remember: The venture model is not the only model in the world!
You know what, the previous posting and Robert’s interview with edgeio inspired me to create a quick and dirty Swiss Startup Job Board.
There is a widget that you can integrate in your blog/website (see my sidebar). If you want to do that, please use the following code (you can change the width and colors directly in the code):
<table width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center"><iframe width="180" scrolling="no" height="234" frameborder="0" src="http://www.edgeio.net/api/widget?ver=2&bgimage=&mp=143&w=176&h=230&c1=000000&c3=007DD5&c4=007DD5&c5=F9F9F9&logo=no&line=5" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0"></iframe></td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
Or please at least put a link to the job board.
I’ve already reserved some domains (startupjobs.ch/.de/.at/.eu) if the thing will take off :-). If that happens, all participating blogs/websites even could make some cash with the job board (we can charge for job offers and there’s a revenue sharing program included).
What do you think? Is this just another stupid Saturday morning idea or can we make this happen?
Are you a software engineer and thinking about getting involved in a new Web 2.0 venture? Then please consider this offer of Adrian Locher:
Gesucht werden: Softwareentwickler für ein Web 2.0 Venture
Technisches Knowhow das vorhanden sein muss: OO, Frameworks, PHP/mySQL, C++/C#
Thema: Tag-basiertes Bewertungs- und Rankingsystem für eine Handelsplattform, welche ein neuartiges Matching von Personen- und Produkteprofilen ermöglicht. Produktekategorien auf die es angewendet werden soll: Wein, Whisky, Zigarren, Schokolade, etc. (grundsätzlich Premium-Produkte im Bereich Food & Beverage sowie Genussmittel).
Das Problem das für den Kunden gelöst wird: Wie schaffe ich es als Kunde mit nur verhältnismässigem Knowhow über eine Produktekategorie (z.B. Wein) trotzdem die richtigen Entscheidungen hinsichtlich Auswahl zu treffen? Indem ich einem intelligenten System über Bewertungen von gemachten Erfahrungen mit anderen Produkten meinen Geschmack "beibringen" kann. Entlöhnung: Beteiligung und/oder Stundenlohn.
Weitere Informationen: Die Plattform ist zu ca. 75% fertiggestellt, gesucht werden deshalb weitere Entwickler welche das Gründungsteam verstärken und die Plattform auch in Zukunft betreuen können.
Kontakt: Adrian Locher, zimtkorn AG, locher@zimtkorn.ch, 078 807 66 50
Adrian told me that you either can work in Zurich or from home. He’s flexible about your location.
PS: Is there something like a Swiss entrepreneurial job board? I believe this could be a very interesting thing for venturelab or blogs like Peter’s, inno-swiss or probably even this one. We definitely should think about this! I’m thinking about something like Crunchboard.
The video of our German meeting is online:
http://www.podtech.net/player/podtech-player.swf?bc=3F34K2L1
And here my "making of" again. I still like the dog scene :-)
[flash]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GySqPiiLiQk[/flash]
Yesterday I met the guys from Supertext in the Technopark Zurich, the probably most famous and best business incubating building in Switzerland.
As you can see, we had good fun :-).
Learnings about the Technopark:
#1: It’s probably the best place where you want to start your business
#2: It’s quite expensive (about 1000-1500 CHF per month for a small office). Tip: Subleasing is cheaper! Many companies have more space than they need.
#3: The furniture problem is solved. You just bring your laptop and start building your business. Alternative: You spend 2 weeks with Ikea and OBI (like we did).
#4: The eating problem is solved. There is a canteen and a bar inhouse. Alternative: Pizza, sandwiches and Kebab for the rest of your life (like we do)
#5: You have a great postal address!
#6: You have a receptionist!
#7: You have great people (entrepreneurs, investors, coaches) around you all the time.
Why the heck isn’t there a Technopark in Basel? Basel, are you sleeping? Wake up! Now!
I’ve just read in the most recent media article about Exsila that the largest Swiss media-trading community got new competition with Tradefarm.ch. Tradefarm focuses on Games and has already 600 Users. The service is backed by a privat business angel. Here’s the original quote in German:
Doch es gibt inzwischen auch andere Anbieter, welche das Potenzial des neuen Markts erkannt haben und nun um die Gunst der Tauschfreudigen buhlen: So ist etwa seit zwei Monaten das Portal Tradefarm der beiden Solothurner Mischa Winkler und Beni Brennwald, beide etwas über 20 Jahre jung, online. Finanziert wird die Site laut Brennwald von einem «privaten Investor, der Freude am Projekt hat». Die Tradefarm-Betreiber – ein Team aus passionierten Gamern – haben sich auf den Bereich der Computer- und Videospiele spezialisiert: «Momentan haben wir 600 User und mehr als 1000 Games im Angebot», verrät Brennwald.
(…)
Rouven Küng von Exsila hat kein Problem mit dem Ableger: «Es war uns immer klar, dass wir kopiert werden würden. Ehrlich gesagt, hätte ich geglaubt, dass es schneller passieren würde. »
Also the Swiss market entry of Hitflip.de is overdue, so the Swiss media-trading market will become very interesting (and competitive) in the future. Dear services, please fasten your seltbelts and dear spectators, please get the popcorn :-).
Domink has produced another very interesting podcast with Oliver Schärli of ZKB Start-up Finance.
Download the MP3 (in German)
Learnings:
#1: ZKB finances start-ups in the seed stage (50.000-500.000 CHF) and has a very good reputation in the Swiss start-up scene
#2: ZKB finances start-ups from the Zurich area. According to insiders even Geneva counts as "Zurich area" ;-)
#3: ZKB finances first movers or high tech start-ups
#4: The program is active since April 2005
#5: In 2005, 10 start-ups were financed, in 2006, there were 20 cases, and in 2007 there will be another 20 cases
#6: The main investment criterion is the team
The financed cases include ESBATech, Covalys, sonic emotion (if I understood them correctly).
So if you’re a Swiss start-up and looking for a good opportunity to raise money, I’d consider the ZKB Start-up Finance program.
