Venturecapital
The web is making it easier to fund/ develop companies that aren’t web-based at all, and actually make tangible products. In the words of an MIT professor, “The situation resembles the way that anyone with a laptop and an Internet connection can now start a Web-based company” – and we all know what innovation and wealth creation can come out of that “mold”.
We don’t intend to (nor do we like to) follow the daily news and the noise level associated with it. That said, occasionally something jumps out and deserves a quip, and Facebook’s reported $50 billion valuation is one of these. Goldman’s deal is great: even if they eventually cash out at a lower valuation, the underwriting fees from the IPO will be astronomical. Finally, Mail.ru – the russian investors formerly known as Digital Sky Technologies – is shaping up to be a “Web 2.0/ Web 3.0″ vehicle, albeit a potentially expensive one after its London listing late last year. One to track while Facebook doesn’t do the obvious IPO.
Fred Wilson had an interesting post today on action oriented entrepreneurs/ leaders. While we don’t agree 100%, there are some interesting teasers to think about not only for the companies we study but also for our own. The situation one wants to get to is to have a team composed of people with diverse backgrounds and complementary skills – and personalities – combined with carefully-planned incentives that align individuals and teams with the company’s vision. Easier said than done, but the closer you get to this the better.
