Venture Capital | Internet Marketing Blog

As investors pour $200m more into Pinterest, is a business model in the offing?

The internet economy may be one of the brightest spots in today's global economy, but the hits taken by shares of publicly-traded prominent internet brands like Facebook, Zynga and Groupon has definitely had an impact on venture backed companies, many of which have had and will have a more difficult time convincing investors that they're worth as much as they might have been able to convince them they're worth a couple of years ago.

You wouldn't know that, however, looking at Pinterest's latest funding round, which made headlines last week. The image-based social network is on the verge of becoming the second most popular social media site in the United States, and despite the fact that it hasn't figured out how to make money, investors poured $200m into the young company at a $2.5bn valuation.

by Patricio Robles 25 February 2013 15:51pm 0 comments

Is there any room left for the next big thing on the consumer internet?

Venture capitalists still 'like' the consumer internet, but when it comes to where they're putting their money, consumer internet startups are competing harder for funding dollars.

According to Dow Jones VentureSource, the amount invested in consumer internet companies declined 42% in the first three quarters of 2012. Part of the reason: venture firms have been forced to take stock of their investments as consumer internet darlings like Facebook, Groupon and Zynga have been battered by the public markets.

by Patricio Robles 26 November 2012 16:14pm 3 comments

VC investment surged in Q2: report

The global economy may be facing strong headwinds, but in the second quarter of 2012, technology entrepreneurs in the United States probably didn't notice.

According to CB Insights, Q2 2012 was the biggest quarter for VC investment in the U.S. in more than a decade, and a record-breaking one too.

by Patricio Robles 16 July 2012 16:42pm 2 comments

Five lessons learned from Digg's rise and fall

Social news site Digg was once one of the most popular services on the internet. An early social media darling, Digg and its founder, Kevin Rose, were the subject of numerous high-profile articles, including an embarrassing (and not-entirely-accurate) BusinessWeek cover piece with the headline How This Kid Made $60 Million In 18 Months.

It wasn't just the media lavishing attention on Digg: investors poured big money -- some $45m in total -- into the company.

But what goes up often comes down and as it turned out for Digg, the company's future was not going to be nearly as bright as its early years. Yesterday, the company's assets, including the code for the Digg site itself and its domain, were sold to New York-based development firm Betaworks for a reported $500,000.

by Patricio Robles 13 July 2012 16:20pm 1 comment

Venture capital sucks, until you're offered $100m

If you visit Silicon Valley or New York today, evidence of the latest internet boom is evident wherever you go. The venture capital is flowing and startups are partying like it's 1999.

Is a bust right around the corner? Only time will tell, but for more than a few startups, all of the investor money is a distraction best avoided.

by Patricio Robles 10 July 2012 14:58pm 3 comments

Are startup accelerators a waste of time?

If you're an entrepreneur today looking to start a company, there's a decent chance you've looked at an accelerator program.

The proposition is compelling: funding, access to resources, events, fellowship with other entrepenreurs, and introductions to venture capitalists who can fund your growth.

by Patricio Robles 22 June 2012 19:29pm 2 comments

Index Ventures raises €350m fund

Talk to startup founders around the world and you'll probably notice a pattern: US-based entrepreneurs, particularly those in Silicon Valley, consider fundraising a lot less of a problem than their counterparts in Europe.

Silicon Valley is the startup world's mecca, and it's no surprise that the world's most prominent VC firms call Sand Hill Road home. But European entrepreneurs looking for capital received some good news last week as Index Ventures announced a new €350m fund with a European focus.

by Patricio Robles 18 June 2012 22:07pm 0 comments

Airtime: two of Silicon Valley's biggest names discover video chat

Two of Silicon Valley's biggest names. $33m in pre-launch funding. A roster of A-list celebrities ready to unveil a product to the world.

If you're thinking the year is 1999 and you're at a party in San Francisco, you're wrong. It's 2012 and the city is New York.

by Patricio Robles 06 June 2012 19:24pm 1 comment

Is the startup boom an illusion?

If you're avid reader of blogs like this one, chances are you can't go a day without hearing of a new startup that is seeking to revolutionize an industry, that just raised a round of funding, or that was acquired by a major company.