Founders' Quotes from Launch:Silicon Valley 2008

Launch:Silicon Valley 2008 was an amazing event today at the Microsoft campus in Mountain View. Co-presented by SVASE, Garage Technology Ventures and Microsoft, it brought together a large number of exciting startups and top-tier VCs; each startup presenter was given 10-minutes to make a pitch.

One dimension each founder or CEO had to address during the pitch: what would make their particular idea marketable or defensible? Although the domains and business plans of the various startups varied widely, there was a great deal of similarity at a general level among the responses to this question.

Here are some pearls of wisdom from the founders' responses; this list seems to be representative of this time and place in Internet history:

• Make it very simple and easy to use
• Viral propagation! Usage of the product automatically encourages its propagation to new users
• Consistent with the current mega-trends: Mobile, Voice and Communication.  (Although surprisingly, almost no one mentioned the iPhone!)
• Target a specific audience and feed them technology; rejuvenate an old and tired industry
• Implement an initial private beta for a small set of users, and learn from them
• Create a site or company with personality!
• It's great to have a two-sided business model and multiple potential streams of income
• Find the user pain point to address
• Create a horizontal platform and then build vertical applications on top
• Go where the users are (web site widgets, customizable home pages, social networks, cell phones); the last thing users want is another place on the web to go to, another web site to check

---

Comments

[moncler jackets uk]

I expect to see your new share.ma le scarpe non ti donano. meglio dei sandali con stringe più sottili e caviglia libera Perfect!

[dress]

good article, thank you !!!

[Pandora Charms And Bracelets]

I expect to see your new share.ma le scarpe non ti donano. meglio dei sandali con stringe più sottili e caviglia libera Perfect!

[freelance writer]

making latest article is fine. thanks!