Startups | Internet Marketing Blog

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

Start Me Up! A profile of The Periscope Post

The Periscope Post is a curated news site which collates the best news and opinion from a diverse spectrum of online sources.

I've been asking Founder Thomas D. Gommes about the thinking behind the site and how he plans to monetise it.

by Graham Charlton 04 July 2012 12:13pm 2 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

The biggest tech mistakes startups make and how to avoid them

Everybody loves a successful startup, but even the most successful startups generally overcome plenty of mistakes before they become successful. Unfortunately, for many young companies that don't win in the marketplace, failure is the product of fatal mistakes.

Like most things in life, mistakes aren't created equal, and when it comes to the mistakes that can really hurt a young startup, technology mistakes can be particularly pernicious.

Here are several of the biggest technology mistakes startups make and how they can be avoided.

by Patricio Robles 19 June 2012 18:18pm 7 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

Dell announces financing program for startups

The global economy may be on the brink of another downturn and Facebook's IPO has some suggesting that it's 'RIP Good Times' all over again, but Dell is betting that high-growth startups are going to need hardware regardless.

Yesterday, it announced a new financing program designed to encourage startups to select Dell products.

by Patricio Robles 08 June 2012 17:23pm 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

Start Me Up! A profile of Buffer

If you read my blog post about new tools for Twitter users then you may already be aware of Buffer, a fine productivity app that helps me to schedule the content I choose to share on Twitter. It's well worth a look.

I caught up with co-founder Leo Widrich, who focuses on customer experience and support at Buffer. He is also the marketing head who works on spreading the word about Buffer through blogging, social media and "other forms of hustle".

by Chris Lake 22 May 2012 10:43am 1 comment

Start Me Up! A profile of ProofHQ

ProofHQ aims to help marketing teams collaborate on content by digitising drafted design work, print ads, web pages, etc.

I've been asking CEO Mat Atkinson to explain more about the company, its business model, and future plans.

by Graham Charlton 21 May 2012 15:15pm 0 comments

Start Me Up! A profile of Achoo

Achoo is a social network which allows its users to brag about their achievements and build up a profile which will help attract future employers.