Comments on: Thoughts on Investment and Incubation http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/ Business and Technology with Common Sense Thu, 24 May 2012 21:21:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4-beta4-20883 By: Greg Gershman http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43616 Greg Gershman Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:11:29 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43616 By the way, LaunchBox is located in DC, but accepts applications from all over the world. It's entirely possible that come this summer, no native DC folks will be a part of the program. It's more about bringing ideas that can't be found here to money that's in the DC area. By the way, LaunchBox is located in DC, but accepts applications from all over the world. It’s entirely possible that come this summer, no native DC folks will be a part of the program. It’s more about bringing ideas that can’t be found here to money that’s in the DC area.

]]> By: Greg Gershman http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43615 Greg Gershman Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:09:49 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43615 I'm sorry I missed yesterday's show (I had the site open and everything; got stuck on a conference call). I think this topic merits more discussion. I don't know what the answer is, but I do believe that there's an issue with funding. I think VCs tend to fund what they know they can sell, and around here, that isn't a consumer-facing web startup. The folks out west know who to talk to to make an investment worth it. The community were developing in DC is incredible, and extremely helpful, but unless we get some money and some ideas, and some exits, will it progress beyond helping independent contractors network? I'm not sure. I’m sorry I missed yesterday’s show (I had the site open and everything; got stuck on a conference call). I think this topic merits more discussion. I don’t know what the answer is, but I do believe that there’s an issue with funding. I think VCs tend to fund what they know they can sell, and around here, that isn’t a consumer-facing web startup. The folks out west know who to talk to to make an investment worth it.

The community were developing in DC is incredible, and extremely helpful, but unless we get some money and some ideas, and some exits, will it progress beyond helping independent contractors network? I’m not sure.

]]> By: Aaron Brazell http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43614 Aaron Brazell Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:01:20 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43614 I agree that time will tell. I don't think we're "ripe" yet - but I think we're on an accelerated pace and in another 6 months to a year, who knows? I think we have all the ingredients to be a great startup community. A few months ago, I began planning a "30 Days of MD/DC/VA Startups" series. At that time, I could not fill out 30 days. So I back burnered the thing. You know, that's telling... I agree that time will tell. I don’t think we’re “ripe” yet – but I think we’re on an accelerated pace and in another 6 months to a year, who knows? I think we have all the ingredients to be a great startup community.

A few months ago, I began planning a “30 Days of MD/DC/VA Startups” series. At that time, I could not fill out 30 days. So I back burnered the thing. You know, that’s telling…

]]> By: Ann Bernard http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43613 Ann Bernard Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:53:18 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43613 JobFox is relatively new...they are very well funded and all over the web but not through social media. I've had an interesting last few days to say the least and opening my eyes to a lot of what is going on and not going on. I do believe we haven't seen anything yet of what will come out of or from this area... And I think the investment pool exist and will grow from a source of different investors in the near future - time will tell if Ann is right. JobFox is relatively new…they are very well funded and all over the web but not through social media. I’ve had an interesting last few days to say the least and opening my eyes to a lot of what is going on and not going on. I do believe we haven’t seen anything yet of what will come out of or from this area…

And I think the investment pool exist and will grow from a source of different investors in the near future – time will tell if Ann is right.

]]> By: Aaron Brazell http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43612 Aaron Brazell Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:20:17 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43612 Ann, I've never heard of JobFox. Is that saying something? I don't know, maybe I've been under a rock for the past several years. I also don't mean to indicate that I think we have no bootstrapping going on. This is not a zero-sum game. But by comparison, we have far less than other regions making the potential investment pool relatively small. Again, it's not a surprise that Launchbox would invest outside of DC but I agree that investing outside as a first investment was a questionable move. Ann, I’ve never heard of JobFox. Is that saying something? I don’t know, maybe I’ve been under a rock for the past several years.

I also don’t mean to indicate that I think we have no bootstrapping going on. This is not a zero-sum game. But by comparison, we have far less than other regions making the potential investment pool relatively small. Again, it’s not a surprise that Launchbox would invest outside of DC but I agree that investing outside as a first investment was a questionable move.

]]> By: Ann Bernard http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43611 Ann Bernard Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:17:55 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43611 Aaron...I think you haven't dug down deep enough into the entrepreneurial community to accurately say that "we don’t have any demonstrable boot-strapping. We don’t have the business savviness that places like Toronto, Seattle and yes, the Valley have." Because that's total crap IMHO. We most definitely do. I see that Jimmy wrote his article as an entrepreneur who cares about the community...most investors, although not all, care about their bottom line and taking the smallest possible risks. LaunchBox Digital is not different. JobFox.com founded by Rob McGorvern the founder of CareerBuilder.com is here in the VA/DC/MD area and really when you start digging you'll find others. Aaron…I think you haven’t dug down deep enough into the entrepreneurial community to accurately say that “we don’t have any demonstrable boot-strapping. We don’t have the business savviness that places like Toronto, Seattle and yes, the Valley have.” Because that’s total crap IMHO. We most definitely do.

I see that Jimmy wrote his article as an entrepreneur who cares about the community…most investors, although not all, care about their bottom line and taking the smallest possible risks. LaunchBox Digital is not different.

JobFox.com founded by Rob McGorvern the founder of CareerBuilder.com is here in the VA/DC/MD area and really when you start digging you’ll find others.

]]> By: Jimmy http://technosailor.com/2008/03/05/thoughts-on-investment-and-incubation/comment-page-1/#comment-43610 Jimmy Wed, 05 Mar 2008 12:34:32 +0000 http://technosailor.com/?p=2102#comment-43610 Thanks for having me on Aaron, I appreciated the talk with you guys. I agree with you all totally in the fact that at its core, it is a business and they need to make business decisions. I do not mean to profess that they need to only invest in DC companies. This post I wrote was rather and initial reaction to my disappointment after I read the article. I think I was more let down a bit ?? As we talked about, I am totally into the new community that is blossoming here in the DC/Baltimore area and excited for people to do well here. Thus I was excited to see LaunchBox come on the scene. So it was not a post of anger, or chip on my shoulder, more one of frustration/dissapointment. Thats all. Nor am I saying that investments in DC companies will not come from them, I hope and pray that they do for all of us it will be a good thing. Like you and Geoff said on the show, it was probably more of a bad PR move than anything. I look forward to their startup camp this summer and hope that DC companies are represented well. Thanks again. jimmy Thanks for having me on Aaron, I appreciated the talk with you guys.

I agree with you all totally in the fact that at its core, it is a business and they need to make business decisions. I do not mean to profess that they need to only invest in DC companies. This post I wrote was rather and initial reaction to my disappointment after I read the article. I think I was more let down a bit ?? As we talked about, I am totally into the new community that is blossoming here in the DC/Baltimore area and excited for people to do well here. Thus I was excited to see LaunchBox come on the scene.
So it was not a post of anger, or chip on my shoulder, more one of frustration/dissapointment. Thats all. Nor am I saying that investments in DC companies will not come from them, I hope and pray that they do for all of us it will be a good thing.

Like you and Geoff said on the show, it was probably more of a bad PR move than anything. I look forward to their startup camp this summer and hope that DC companies are represented well.

Thanks again.

jimmy

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