web trends map

check out what the folks at Information Architects have done:




imagine if every VC had such a map on their desktops? visual representation of trends, not just on the web, but else where. maybe even overlay this with real time data like revenue, growth rate, etc? colors could represent 'hot' and 'not' ideas and companies?

this is good work. thanks iA!

steps to raise venture capital

'ten step' lists are always cool. they make daunting tasks seem doable. burnham's beat has captured a nice list of steps on how to raise money from a vc.

if any one has a similar list, please let me know, i'd like to link it off here.

it's not all fun

yeah it's been a while since i've posted. no excuses. i've been lazy, and postponed writing something meaningful in a while.

so about the title, i was at the Elevator Pitch Roundtable organized by VCTaskforce (I started as a volunteer there about a month back), and it was good to see things from both sides, i.e. both from an entrepreneur's and a VC's perspective. i've met with VCs in the past, presented to them, and fielded questions. sure i had my opinions ("how could they not like MY idea!", "they have no clue about the killer app i'm building", etc), but watching these VCs sit thru 9 one-minute presentations and offer critiques, i got a glimpse of what it must be like to be in their shoes. they probably go thru 3 times as many proposals every day. not an easy job. not when your competitor VC closed a deal 5 years ago with this internet company that's just gone IPO.

i thought to myself ... "it's not all fun". but hey, would it be worth the effort if it was :-)