http://www.dealhorizon.com/deal_horizon_blogs.xml Posts from the DealHorizon.com blog by John Sharp en-us Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:20:28 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2807 <p>Scientists, we are finding out, are human. Give them a need for research grant funding, a bad day at work, or a piece of data that doesn't fit, and they will, it increasingly appears, do what's needed to put bread on the... Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:06:02 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2805 <p>Innovation is all about greating greater efficiencies. Venture capital is all about profiting from the resulting value migration. The folks at DataXu are on track to do both.</p> <p>As a long-time user of various ad networks, the... Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:40:25 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2794 <p><strong>The Visionary</strong></p> <p>Essential to any new company's success, but may appear mad/dormant/useless to staff members other than the Wise Man, and especially to the Willing Slaves. Once in a while (or maybe only once),... Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:48:12 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2790 <p>Okay, so I saw the news come over the wire about <a href="http://www.posterous.com">Posterous</a> and was vaguely aware of what they do - and my reaction was, who needs another <a href="http://twitter.com">Twitter</a>? But the news that... Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:13:15 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2784 <p>I met Jonathan Schwartz of Bulldog Strategy for a coffee at "World Headquarters" (aka Angry Moon Cigars) in Palm Beach today, and sitting across from us were two rich, retired guys from Jersey. </p> <p>After listening to us update each... Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:27:17 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2774 <p>ShopIgniter, founded by Alan Wizemann, just went live after a two year development phase. The company bills itself as an "open source eCommerce platform that integrates real-time social media components to re-create the brick-and-mortar... Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:29:17 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2765 <p>Canadian-based video survellience company <a href="http://www.aimetis.com">Aimetis</a> announced today a first round funding of US$4.827mm, which is well-deserved. The guys have built a solid worlwide distribution network and have some... Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:32:05 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2760 <p>Zafgen, which is developing an anti-obesity drug (and was last year was named one of Fierch Biotech's "Fierce 15 Leading Biotech Companies of 2009") is our deal of the day, with $10mm in newly-minted Series B round capital, as reported... Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:34:19 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2699 <p>Three decades ago, while on holiday in Sri Lanka (still the best place I have ever visited), I was told a story that has stayed with me since, and that I am reminded of, watching Google's current dance with Twitter.</p> <p>In this... Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:59:21 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2698 <p>Fast Company is a pretty amazing story when you think about all of the competitors that have fallen by the wayside over the years. It's latest list of innovative companies provides evidence of why they have managed to stick... Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:13:56 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2681 <p>As some of you are well-aware, we've been making some big changes here at DealHorizon over the past two months. We are relaunching with about 60% of those changes live and in place - and we'd love to hear from you via... Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:45:15 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2470 <p>Okay Wall Street Executives - here's your chance. With one move, you can overcome years of aggregated anger and push the "reset" button on how the rest of the world views you. How? You can give 5% of your most recent bonus to... Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:14:17 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2405 <p>If you're ever in a meeting with potential investors and someone says "great idea" at the end of your pitch, do not get excited. You haven't won, you've lost. Because what they're really telling you is "great idea but your execution... Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:05:51 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2378 <p><a href="http://www.jonsamsel.com">Jon Samsel</a> just sent me Paul Graham's recent blog post entitled "<a href="http://www.paulgraham.com/really.html">What Startups Are Really Like</a>". It has some excellent insights, including some... Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:09:14 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2088 <p>My philosophy concerning CRM as it relates to bars and restaurants could quite easily be summed up by the "Cheers" theme song: Regardless of location, I prefer to frequent two to three establishments "where everybody knows your name"... Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:16:50 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=2060 <p>Okay valued readers, two highly disruptive startups that I've invested in are having their debut in the next couple of weeks: </p> <p><strong>Heardable.com</strong>, an awesome social search analytics engine, and;... Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:56:56 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1917 <p>Yesterday's news story about six year old Falcon Heene yesterday supposedly stealing his father's home-made balloon for a joyride was the best story I've seen in years. It had everything - an air chase, a ground chase, and multiple... Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:08:55 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1898 <p>The normally-sensible <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/">Straits Times</a> came out with a <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Money/Story/STIStory_441564.html">story</a> this money that breathlessly predicts the... Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:18:19 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1886 <p>I'm halfway through Richard Dawkin's "The Greatest Show on Earth" and enjoying it immensely - except for the parts where Dawkins inexplicably gets in behind a minor argument that is distracting to the important one he is arguing - and... Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:29:31 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1881 <p>I think when it comes to "pay to pitch", there are some additional subtleties that need to be discussed. Sometimes, the entrepreneur is not really serious about his stated intentions: he has no intention of taking on the fight he is... Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:14:45 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1864 <p>Search engine startup <a href="http://www.surfcanyon.com">Surf Canyon</a> just landed a small amount of money today. IMHO, they should have been handed a huge chunk of change - 10x at least.</p> <p>I just went over to their site and... Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:44:58 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1863 <p><a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/author/michael-arrington/">Michael Arrington at TechCrunch</a> posted a great video up to <a href="http://www.docstoc.com">docstoc.com</a> from his blog today - Aaron Patzner reveals what he learned... Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:23:03 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1857 <p>This article from Xconomy writer Greg Huang is a 'must-read':</p> <p><a... Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:04:22 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1856 <p>I think everyone has a place in their heart for California. I certainly do - I lived there for seven very happy years. But things seem to be reaching a crisis point in that state now. There have been a raft of articles lately claiming... Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:48:43 GMT http://www.dealhorizon.com/blog.php?user_id=1&blogentry_id=1801 <p style="text-align: left;">Dave McClure of the <a href="http://www.dealhorizon.com/investors/Founders_Fund">Founders Fund</a> presented an excellent powerpoint at SeedCamp in London this week that should be required reading for anyone... Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:10:38 GMT