Interesting gestural interface ... am contemplating ordering ...
http://www.leapmotion.com/
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Just chewed my way through this omnibus article that offers a number of related and coincident points around start ups.
Energizing to me in particular were the references to the fact that " The real root of the problem is when startups fail to hit their key performance metrics, largely because one or multiple of the categories the Startup Genome team identifies are out of sync, "
That's the core of our approach at Grenville Ventures.
Energizing to me in particular were the references to the fact that " The real root of the problem is when startups fail to hit their key performance metrics, largely because one or multiple of the categories the Startup Genome team identifies are out of sync, "
That's the core of our approach at Grenville Ventures.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Deer Resistance
I live in a neighborhood that backs onto woods and a wildlife preserve.
The deer that inhabit those locations descend on our garden and eat almost everything in sight.
Today I had a moment's joy when seeing three plants that so far have eluded their grasp.
The deer that inhabit those locations descend on our garden and eat almost everything in sight.
Today I had a moment's joy when seeing three plants that so far have eluded their grasp.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Counterpoint
Not very flattering analysis of the VC industry by the Kauffman Foundation.
http://www.kauffman.org/uploadedFiles/vc-enemy-is-us-report.pdf
Save for the top 10 or 20 VC's, they view the rest as having merely "seductive narratives" and vey poor returns.
The triumph of hope over experience.
What's your view?
Friday, May 4, 2012
Matching Funds
Yesterday the government announced its Startup America Partnership where smaller venture funds can apply for up to $20MM in government funding to supplement investments. The Small Business Administration has allocated $200MM to get things going.
Its very similar to the system they have had in the UK for several years now called the UK government Enterprise Capital Fund (ECF) Funding program but with a difference that the total funds committed by the UK government are 1B GBP.
Its very similar to the system they have had in the UK for several years now called the UK government Enterprise Capital Fund (ECF) Funding program but with a difference that the total funds committed by the UK government are 1B GBP.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Second Market's view
Second Market just published its Q1 2012 Private company report -- lots of interesting data presented in easy to consume info-graphics;
https://www.secondmarket.com/discover/reports/q1-2012-private-company-report?utm_source=SecondMarket+List&utm_campaign=f59bc712be-Q1_2012_Private_Company_Report5_3_2012&utm_medium=email
Here's one I particularly like:
https://www.secondmarket.com/discover/reports/q1-2012-private-company-report?utm_source=SecondMarket+List&utm_campaign=f59bc712be-Q1_2012_Private_Company_Report5_3_2012&utm_medium=email
Here's one I particularly like:
7 Artists 5 minutes
Yesterday whilst heading to a meeting just east of Soho I came upon the 7 pieces of art below in less than 5 minutes.
Thought it merited noting.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Next-Shifting
Today's NYT business section had an article lamenting the loss of audience for broadcast tv shows. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/business/media/tv-viewers-are-missing-in-action.html Though I hadn't thought about it recently, when I reflected on my moderate TV consumption I realized it had shifted to the 100% on-demand model. Everything I watch these days is from my DVR or On-Demand. Goodness me, I will wait until Mad Men is 22 minutes into the live show before I curl up on the sofa on a Sunday night so that even on the appointed evening and close to the scheduled time, I can still watch from my DVR and fast forward. My children have no concept of a world where they needed to manage their time lest they miss an episode of their favorite TV series. No great insight in the above, but useful to articulate as the new normal.
Perhaps more interesting is what the next "shift" will be be for content. Obviously time shifting is now ubiquitous -- device shifting is starting to be more common though another article in the same NYT section http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/business/media/nimbletv-aims-to-stream-tv-on-devices.html references the fear of entrenched interests, and suggests they will fight innovation around device shifting as long as they have breath and deep legal fee war-chests -- in this case the disruptor is NimbleTV. Seems like the 2D to 3D shift is struggling. SD to HD is well on the way and 1080p does make things look better. Comcast seems to be pricing the HD shift with a one dollar premium.
What's the next shift? -- I think perhaps of more interest are a number of shifts that we might contemplate. Ending shifting where the traditional Hollywood happy ending can be reframed with existentially angst, or perhaps where the dorky rather than the handsome guy gets the girl. MPAA rating shifting where, for a premium, viewers will be able to reframe the MPAA rating scale up or down -- "Hop" as an NC17, or "The Cabin in the Woods" as G. Perhaps we can even move to Actor Shifting -- upgrading or downgrading the actors -- one price for Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, another for Paulie Shore as the leading man. Perhaps we can evolve 'War Horse" to War Dog or War Pigeon. Perspective shifting from the traditional fourth wall to a POV shooter model, or to a proscenium arch model or fly-on-the-wall model. Setting shifting -- beyond the way Shakespeare plays are lifted and shifted -- moving current movies to different time periods and locations. Genre shifting: make it a musical … make it a goth love story … vamp(ire) it up. I sense there is more in store for us, at a price of course.
What's your preference?
Michael Keany is Managing Partner at www.grenvilleventures.com
Today's NYT business section had an article lamenting the loss of audience for broadcast tv shows. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/business/media/tv-viewers-are-missing-in-action.html Though I hadn't thought about it recently, when I reflected on my moderate TV consumption I realized it had shifted to the 100% on-demand model. Everything I watch these days is from my DVR or On-Demand. Goodness me, I will wait until Mad Men is 22 minutes into the live show before I curl up on the sofa on a Sunday night so that even on the appointed evening and close to the scheduled time, I can still watch from my DVR and fast forward. My children have no concept of a world where they needed to manage their time lest they miss an episode of their favorite TV series. No great insight in the above, but useful to articulate as the new normal.
Perhaps more interesting is what the next "shift" will be be for content. Obviously time shifting is now ubiquitous -- device shifting is starting to be more common though another article in the same NYT section http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/business/media/nimbletv-aims-to-stream-tv-on-devices.html references the fear of entrenched interests, and suggests they will fight innovation around device shifting as long as they have breath and deep legal fee war-chests -- in this case the disruptor is NimbleTV. Seems like the 2D to 3D shift is struggling. SD to HD is well on the way and 1080p does make things look better. Comcast seems to be pricing the HD shift with a one dollar premium.
What's the next shift? -- I think perhaps of more interest are a number of shifts that we might contemplate. Ending shifting where the traditional Hollywood happy ending can be reframed with existentially angst, or perhaps where the dorky rather than the handsome guy gets the girl. MPAA rating shifting where, for a premium, viewers will be able to reframe the MPAA rating scale up or down -- "Hop" as an NC17, or "The Cabin in the Woods" as G. Perhaps we can even move to Actor Shifting -- upgrading or downgrading the actors -- one price for Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, another for Paulie Shore as the leading man. Perhaps we can evolve 'War Horse" to War Dog or War Pigeon. Perspective shifting from the traditional fourth wall to a POV shooter model, or to a proscenium arch model or fly-on-the-wall model. Setting shifting -- beyond the way Shakespeare plays are lifted and shifted -- moving current movies to different time periods and locations. Genre shifting: make it a musical … make it a goth love story … vamp(ire) it up. I sense there is more in store for us, at a price of course.
What's your preference?
Michael Keany is Managing Partner at www.grenvilleventures.com
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Once More ...
I've been very remiss in recent months (and let's face it years) about this blog. I'm going to try harder.
I have a new business www.grenvilleventures.com
I have a new business www.grenvilleventures.com
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