Following up to yesterday’s post, here is what I think folks should do about the threat of platform lock-in at the application/content layer. First, recognize that this is directly related to net neutrality. The ability of existing platforms and content owners to try to force the web back into walled gardens is limited by the ability of entrepreneurs to start open competitors and reach people directly and on a level playing field. Second, start voting with your mouse. At the moment we have en...

Following up to yesterday’s post, here is what I think folks should do about the threat of platform lock-in at the application/content layer. First, recognize that this is directly related to net neutrality. The ability of existing platforms and content owners to try to force the web back into walled gardens is limited by the ability of entrepreneurs to start open competitors and reach people directly and on a level playing field. Second, start voting with your mouse. At the moment we have en...

Yesterday, Tim O'Reilly published a provocatively titled post: “The War for the Web." In it he discusses the dangers to the web as an open platform from the attempts by the biggest players to own more and more of the user experience: We’re heading into a war for control of the web. And in the end, it’s more than that, it’s a war against the web as an interoperable platform. Instead, we’re facing the prospect of Facebook as the platform, Apple as the platform, Google as the platform, Amaz...

Yesterday, Tim O'Reilly published a provocatively titled post: “The War for the Web." In it he discusses the dangers to the web as an open platform from the attempts by the biggest players to own more and more of the user experience: We’re heading into a war for control of the web. And in the end, it’s more than that, it’s a war against the web as an interoperable platform. Instead, we’re facing the prospect of Facebook as the platform, Apple as the platform, Google as the platform, Amaz...

The first startup I was involved with was a management consulting company in Germany. I had been out of college for less than a year when I joined four much more experienced guys in forming Bossard Consultants Germany (some initial funding was provided by Bossard France, a well established consulting firm there). We got off to a great start, landing some premier clients such as Lufthansa and Porsche. The firm grew rapidly and we hired a lot of very smart guys to join the team. Notice a patter...

The first startup I was involved with was a management consulting company in Germany. I had been out of college for less than a year when I joined four much more experienced guys in forming Bossard Consultants Germany (some initial funding was provided by Bossard France, a well established consulting firm there). We got off to a great start, landing some premier clients such as Lufthansa and Porsche. The firm grew rapidly and we hired a lot of very smart guys to join the team. Notice a patter...

As a teenager, I was a die-hard Apple fanboy. The boy part is obvious. The fan part was the result of having and hacking an Apple II. Naturally, I was hugely excited about the arrival of first the Lisa (remember those?) and then the Macintosh. While I enjoyed programming the Macintosh – all the way through college – I was frustrated with its unfriendliness towards hackers. My Apple II had been heavily modded with all sorts of extras. This was easily possible because the lid of the computer wa...

As a teenager, I was a die-hard Apple fanboy. The boy part is obvious. The fan part was the result of having and hacking an Apple II. Naturally, I was hugely excited about the arrival of first the Lisa (remember those?) and then the Macintosh. While I enjoyed programming the Macintosh – all the way through college – I was frustrated with its unfriendliness towards hackers. My Apple II had been heavily modded with all sorts of extras. This was easily possible because the lid of the computer wa...

Here is just a small sampling of all the awesome events that took place in NY City this week (I realize I should have posted this at the beginning of the week). Just to name a few, there was Web 2.0 Expo, the net neutrality debate on Tuesday night and New York Entrepreneur Week. There was also the UK digital mission to New York and I am sure many others that I am forgetting or did not know about. Last week saw the announcement of Founders Collective, a great addition to the seed funding avail...

Here is just a small sampling of all the awesome events that took place in NY City this week (I realize I should have posted this at the beginning of the week). Just to name a few, there was Web 2.0 Expo, the net neutrality debate on Tuesday night and New York Entrepreneur Week. There was also the UK digital mission to New York and I am sure many others that I am forgetting or did not know about. Last week saw the announcement of Founders Collective, a great addition to the seed funding avail...

There are a lot of posts worth reading about the potential impact or lack thereof of a possible deal between Microsoft and News Corp (and maybe other news sources as well), including Danny Sullivan, Jeff Jarvis, Andrew Parker and others. But one thing that I have missed from everything I have read (and it may well be that it’s there and I missed it) is what this is truly all about: the immense competitive pull of Google’s amazing profits! The big challenge for businesses with network effects ...

There are a lot of posts worth reading about the potential impact or lack thereof of a possible deal between Microsoft and News Corp (and maybe other news sources as well), including Danny Sullivan, Jeff Jarvis, Andrew Parker and others. But one thing that I have missed from everything I have read (and it may well be that it’s there and I missed it) is what this is truly all about: the immense competitive pull of Google’s amazing profits! The big challenge for businesses with network effects ...

Had a great discussion at dinner last night about the future of publishing and the role of authors and agents. My believe is that agents have to start providing content capital. The idea behind content capital is pretty much the same as that behind venture capital. Content capital puts up the money, the author creates the work(s) and all proceeds are shared. These would be what the music world has started calling “360 deals,” where many different revenue streams are generated. In publishing, ...

Had a great discussion at dinner last night about the future of publishing and the role of authors and agents. My believe is that agents have to start providing content capital. The idea behind content capital is pretty much the same as that behind venture capital. Content capital puts up the money, the author creates the work(s) and all proceeds are shared. These would be what the music world has started calling “360 deals,” where many different revenue streams are generated. In publishing, ...

One of the persistent questions for anyone investing money (whether in the public or private markets) is how to achieve excess returns. I have been thinking about this quite a bit over the last weeks as we have prepared for our annual meeting with the Limited Partners in Union Square Ventures and as I have talked to a close friend who is managing a large trust. I believe that out-performance comes down to two key factors: perception and concentration. By perception I mean the ability to make ...

One of the persistent questions for anyone investing money (whether in the public or private markets) is how to achieve excess returns. I have been thinking about this quite a bit over the last weeks as we have prepared for our annual meeting with the Limited Partners in Union Square Ventures and as I have talked to a close friend who is managing a large trust. I believe that out-performance comes down to two key factors: perception and concentration. By perception I mean the ability to make ...

Yesterday, Chris Dixon announced on his blog (http://cdixon.org) the formation of Founders Collective, a $40 million seed stage fund. I have known about Founders Collective for some time and am excited about the launch. I have written on several previous occasions that there is never enough seed capital available, so it is great that they are targeting this need. Even better though is that the money comes with the advice of a really great group of founders who can provide tremendous value bey...

Yesterday, Chris Dixon announced on his blog (http://cdixon.org) the formation of Founders Collective, a $40 million seed stage fund. I have known about Founders Collective for some time and am excited about the launch. I have written on several previous occasions that there is never enough seed capital available, so it is great that they are targeting this need. Even better though is that the money comes with the advice of a really great group of founders who can provide tremendous value bey...

Yesterday, I wrote about why the open web is under attack. Today, as promised, the follow up on what to do about it. I believe the single most important thing is to let Congress know that people actually care about this. Big companies are spending a lot of money lobbying, but good old fashioned calling and faxing (yes, faxing, at least so I am being told by folks from DC) can make a difference. Now “net neutrality,” while somewhat descriptive, is not a great term from a marketing perspective....

Yesterday, I wrote about why the open web is under attack. Today, as promised, the follow up on what to do about it. I believe the single most important thing is to let Congress know that people actually care about this. Big companies are spending a lot of money lobbying, but good old fashioned calling and faxing (yes, faxing, at least so I am being told by folks from DC) can make a difference. Now “net neutrality,” while somewhat descriptive, is not a great term from a marketing perspective....