Brad Feld co-founded Foundry Group and is an active investor in early stage information technology companies. He also co-founded TechStars which is a nexus for startups in the Boulder area. Out of 600 applicants only 10 get in each year, and those 10 are exposed to a wide range of experienced entrepreneurs that work closely with them over 90 days to perfect their early product and pitch. You can read more about Brad’s background at his blog Feld Thoughts, but here are a few videos that give you a great feel for the way Brad thinks and invests. (more…)
Tag: finance
What will Drive the US Economy 10 Years from Now?
As we waited within aroma range of the barbecue at Michelle’s parents’ house yesterday, I broached the subject of finance. I kicked off the conversation with a comment/question about my pop’s surprisingly good retirement fund performance. Although my dad wasn’t there, one retiree and two gents closing in on retirement were more than ready to contribute their understanding. This post relays a few of the ideas stirred up by grill side in our collective attempt to predict what will drive the US economy of the future. (more…)
Smart Money
The relationship between Startups, Tech Bloggers, & Investors
Patent Taxing Startups is Like Child Labor
And yet that’s precisely what patent trolls are doing, and what people like Fred Wilson^ are working to reform (Bilski & Patent Reform). It’s even more ludicrous than kids working, taxing startups at their first sign of health is like forcing a newborn to work just as they begin breathing. (more…)
Money
How Investor Signaling Reduces Info Glut
Separating curiousity from necessity is a topic I’ve broached here before. There comes a point of data saturation when too many voices shout to be heard, that we reflexively shut them all out. We turn off the computer, throw the phone in our pocket, and switch off the tv/radio*. While this solution is effective, it throws out the proverbial baby with the bathwater. What about the welcome messages that aid our decision making? (more…)
Too Big to Fail in English
Signal Purpose and the Phoenix
I can guess what you’re thinking, and no, the title’s not a typo or normal Mark word mangling. Today’s riff is a brief look at startups as a system, related marketing, messages and the motivation behind them.
