Reflections & analysis about innovation, technology, startups, investing, healthcare, and more .... with a focus on Minnesota, Land of 10,000 Lakes. Blogging continuously since 2005.
Since DEMO will be live streamed for the first time, I think I’ll skip the live blogging during the sessions, which I was never that fast at, anyway….and just Twitter! See me at www.Twitter.com/GraemeThickins.
I was just talking to Shel Israel about his new gig at Fast Company, Global Neighborhoods TV (GNT), and he said he’s never had so much traffic to his site on one day, ever, after he Twittered about it.
Here are some of my pix from the opening reception at DEMO ’08. The venue was great (again), and the turnout was big.
1) View from my window…. 
2) Let’s get this party started…. 
3) The mob converges…. 
4) The bar tries hard to keep up…. 
5) Gary Bolles and Dan Gillmor…. 
6) Dan Farber, Steve Larsen, Gary Bolles…. 
7) Kevin Dorren, Nigel Eccles (both of HubDub), Steve Larsen, Miko Mentz…. 
8) Renee Blodgett and Stuart Cohen of SpeakLike….
UPDATE 1/29: Oops, sorry, that was Sanford Cohen…it was late when I did this 🙂
Well, it hasn’t even started yet, but looking over the list, perusing the press room, and chatting with a few folks, these companies are some I definitely will be checking out…
• BitGravity – who can’t like the company with the technology that will be live streaming DEMO for the very first time? (watch DEMO.com starting tomorrow morning to see their work)
• Blist – world’s easiest database…makes relational database creation and management as easy as using a spreadsheet
• HubDub – DEMO describes this one as a brilliant marriage of news aggregation and prediction markets, and these guys came all the way from Edinburgh…great Scot!
• Livescribe – a new kind of content creation tool (how could I not like that?)…its Pulse Smartpen is a computer in a pen that records and links audio to what you write on paper (ooooh)
• Redux – a new concept in social networking, using a unique set of algorithms based on user actions and personality preferences
That’s just a start. There are 77 presenters! More soon….
As I look forward to DEMO, starting tomorrow evening — a VC lovefest like no other — I really enjoyed reading Forbes.com today. I continue to be impressed by their coverage of tech. It surely has something to do not only with their great reporters and editors (especially in the Silicon Valley bureau), but with their very well respected tech-savvy publisher, Rich Karlgaard, whom I count among my most admired colleagues.
And the fact that he hails originally from the part of the country where I live also makes him very special, too! Though he’s a Stanford boy and has lived in the Valley for many years, he gets back to the Minnesota/Wisconsin/Dakotas area regularly, and I suspect that’s partly because it keeps him feeling grounded to his roots.
Forbes uncorked an awesome set of stories the past couple of days on the current state of VC — well, really tech deal-making in general. It’s all tied to their annual Midas 100 List, which ranks the top tech deal makers in the world. 
It’s fascinating reading.
According to Forbes, companies that venture capitalists helped launch hauled in $34 billion from 86 public offerings and 304 acquisitions during 2007. No less than 31 IPOs happened in the fourth quarter, worth $3 billion — "more than any other quarter since the third quarter of 2000." That’s a very telling stat. Their assessment of who did what, and how much they and their investors profited, can be viewed here by rank, by name, or by company.
Some of the related stories to this coverage included the following, which is great reading for anyone involved in technology startups:
• Big Wins For Venture Capitalists – An excerpt: "Recent credit crunch and market woes be damned: Technology’s most powerful deal makers have been on a winning streak."
• Venture Firms Peek Out Of Silicon Valley – I love this part: "More and more firms are thinking that if they want differentiated deal flow, they need to look outside of Silicon Valley," said Village Ventures co-founder Matt Harris. Village Ventures manages $750 million in funds focused on 14 small cities across the country, from Boise, Idaho, to Tucson, Arizona. This article also includes a profile of a VC from my part of the country: John Neis, co-founder of Madison, WI-based Venture Investors, who’s one of the Midas 100.
• The Golden Google Touch – "Google has been a bonanza for venture capitalists John Doerr and Michael Moritz, who helped fund the Google when it was a start-up. Their personal gains, according to Forbes’ estimates, are likely north of $800 million apiece."
• Hot Or Not: Where VCs Will–And Won’t–Invest – "Forbes asked 10 top players to give us their assessments of areas they feel are hot–and which are not."
All in all, a great overview of the current situation, and you’ll see even more links of interest, too. They even have some informative videos posted that are part of this coverage, such as interviews with certain players they cover in these articles. I’m really impressed with the expanded coverage Forbes.com is providing on their site, and the quality of that coverage.
[I’m excited that Tech-Surf-Blog will be part of the Forbes Financial & Business Blog Network when it launches soon. (Yes, that’s part of the reason I’m starting to include ads on this site.) ]
What do you think of the current state of tech deal-making? Are you positive or negative about 2008 when it comes to VC funding, IPOs, or M&A?
Well, have I ever got a linkfest for you. Following up on my post of January 7, the big event next week is now taking shape: I just got the early word that no less than 77 new products (!) will be launched at the DEMO ’08 conference. Check out the list — did I mention it’s with links? — that I inserted for your clicking pleasure below. David Weinberger would love this one. And my other Cluetrain friend, Doc Searls, too. He once described a post I did as "linkier than a vest of chainmail." Well, this one’s got more, Doc — about eighty, if you can stand it. I’m getting so adept at inserting links in my Typepad WYSIWYG interface, it’s scary. Remember, it’s not so much how many people read your posts, it’s how long you engage them. Well, this one’s got a lot to keep you engaged if you’re hooked, like me, on just having to know what’s coming next in tech.
The rules for DEMO presenters state their products must not be previously available or promoted publicly, so many of the links below are brand-new sites, and some may not have much info online till Monday morning, the day registration opens. So keep watching their sites…that’s right, via those links below.
Most of you probably don’t need me to tell you this, but DEMO is a twice yearly "emerging technology showcase" that’s known for launching some of the tech industry’s biggest innovations. Now in its 18th year, the events have hosted a "who’s who" of company and product debuts, including those from VMWare, Google, IronPort, Apple, salesforce.com, Palm, Intel, HP, Yahoo!, Logitech, TiVo, and GrandCentral. The show’s producers, led by Chris Shipley, select presenters from hundreds of applications. Each firm launches its new product in a six-minute live stage demonstration attended by journalists, investors, and business professionals from around the globe. The press corps, of which your humble blogger is a part, will number close to 100. As I like to say, everyone from Walt Mossberg on down. (Okay, I’m at the bottom.) DEMO ’08 is being held January 28-30 in Palm Desert, CA. [You can still register — click on the graphic at right.]
DEMO kicks off 2008 with a variety of technologies for consumers and businesses alike. Here are some hints about what’s coming next week:
• a personalized telephony service converging data and voice
• broadcast-quality video delivery service for the Internet
• a Web-based platform for scalable storage delivery
• a portable learn-to-read system
• a service that enables image and video collaboration
• a solution that teaches you to play your favorite popular tunes
• a collaboration solution for business and personal use
• TiVo for your mobile phone
• HD video conferencing over IP networks
• multiple technologies for students, parents, and children
• and products from all over the world, including Australia, Canada, Finland, Israel, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
Here are the DEMO ’08 demonstrators:
2Win Solutions, Ltd.; Raanana, Israel; www.2win-solutions.com
800 PBX, Inc.; Fremont, CA; www.800genie.800pbx.com
Acesis, Inc.; Mountain View, CA; www.acesis.com
Asankya, Inc.; Atlanta, GA; www.asankya.com
Aternity, Inc.; Westborough, MA; www.aternity.com
atlaspost.com; Taipei City, Taiwan; www.atlaspost.com
Avistar Communications Corp.; San Mateo, CA; www.avistar.com
BitGravity, Inc.; Burlingame, CA; www.bitgravity.com
blist, Inc.; Seattle, WA; www.blist.com
Buzka, Pty Ltd.; Subiaco, Australia; www.buzka.com
Capzles, Inc.; Culver City, CA; www.capzles.com
Catalyst Web Services, LLC; Alexandria, VA; www.catalystweb.com
CellSpinSoft, Inc.; San Jose, CA; www.cellspin.net
Celsias, Ltd.; Wellington, New Zealand; www.celsias.com
CHALEX Corp.; Grasonville, MD; www.chalexcorp.com
Circos.com, Inc.; San Mateo, CA; www.circos.com
Citiport, Inc.; Taipei City, Taiwan; www.citiport.net
Citrix Systems, Inc.; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; www.citrix.com
Cozimo.com, Inc.; Berkeley, CA; www.cozimo.com
Delver, Inc.; Herzliya Pituach, Israel; www.delver.com
Ecrio, Inc.; Cupertino, CA; www.ecrio.com
Education.com; Redwood City, CA; www.education.com
Eyealike, Inc.; Bellevue, WA; www.eyealike.com
Fabrik, Inc.; San Mateo, CA; www.fabrik.com
Flypaper, Inc.; Phoenix, CA; www.freshbrew.com
GoldMail, Inc.; San Francisco, CA; www.goldmail.com
good2gether, Inc.; Melrose, MA; www.good2gether.com
Green Plug, Inc.; San Ramon, CA; www.greenplug.us
HealthPricer Interactive, Ltd.; Vancouver, BC; www.healthpricer.com
Hubdub, Ltd.; Edinburgh, Scotland; www.hubdub.com
Huddle.net; London, England; www.Huddle.net
Iterasi, Inc.; Vancouver, WA; www.iterasi.com
iVideosongs; Alpharetta, GA; www.ivideosongs.com
Jodange, LLP; Yonkers, NY; www.jodange.com
Kaazing Corp.; Mountain View, CA; www.kaazing.com
LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc.; Emeryville, CA; www.leapfrog.com
LegiTime Technologies, Inc.; Westport, CT; www.legitext.com
LiquidPlanner, Inc.; Bellevue, WA; www.liquidplanner.com
LiquidTalk, Inc.; Chicago, IL; www.liquidtalk.com
Liquidus Corp.; Chicago, IL; www.liquidusmedia.com
Livescribe, Inc.; Oakland, CA; www.livescribe.com
MANDIANT; Alexandria, VA; www.mandiant.com
MOLI, LLC; West Palm Beach, FL; www.moli.com
Movial; Helsinki, Finland; www.movial.com
Nirvanix; San Diego, CA; www.nirvanix.com
NotchUp, Inc.; Los Altos Hills, CA; www.notchup.com
Notebookz.com, Inc.; Berkeley, CA; www.ileonardo.com
Pathworks Software Corp.; Mountain View, CA; www.pathworkssoftware.com
Redux, Inc.; Berkeley, CA; www.redux.com
Review2Buy, Inc.; San Francisco, CA; www.review2buy.com
Ribbit Corp.; Stanford, CA; www.goribbit.com
Rove Mobile, Inc.; Ottawa, Ontario; www.rovemobile.com
Santrum Networks, Inc.; Taipei, Taiwan; www.santrum.com
SceneCaster; Richmond Hill, Ontario; www.scenecaster.com
Seesmic; San Francisco, CA; www.seesmic.com
Silobreaker, Ltd.; London; England; www.silobreaker.com
Skyfire; San Jose, CA; www.dvclabs.com
SpeakLike, LLC; New York, NY; www.speaklike.com
Sprout, Inc.; Honolulu; HI; www.sproutfusion.com
Squidcast; San Francisco, CA; www.squidcast.com
StackSafe, Inc.; Vienna, VA; www.stacksafe.com
Standout Jobs, Inc.; Montreal, Quebec; www.standoutjobs.com
STEP Labs; San Jose, CA; www.steplabs.com
Sterna Technologies, Inc.; San Mateo, CA; www.friend-ltd.com
support.com; Redwood City, CA; www.support.com
SupportSpace, Inc.; Redwood Shores, CA; www.supportspace.com
Symantec Corp.; Cupertino, CA; www.symantec.com
TimeTrade Systems, Inc.; Bedford, MA; www.timetrade.com
Toktumi, Inc.; San Francisco, CA; www.toktumi.com
TubeMogul, Inc.; Berkeley; CA; www.tubemogul.com
Vidyoâ„¢, Inc.; Hackensack; NJ; www.vidyo.com
Visible Measures Corp.; Boston, MA; www.visiblemeasures.com
Voyant, Inc.; Austin, TX; www.planwithvoyant.com
xtranormal, Inc.; Montreal, Quebec; www.xtranormal.com
Yoics, Inc.; Palo Alto, CA; www.yoics.com
YouChoose, LLC; Thornton, PA; www.youchoose.net
Zodiac Interactive; Valley Stream NY; www.zodiac.tv
The DEMO conferences, which are now held in China and Europe as well as the U.S., focus on
emerging technologies and new products that are hand-selected from
across the spectrum of the technology marketplace. DEMO has earned a reputation for consistently identifying tomorrow’s
cutting-edge technologies, serving as a launchpad for
companies such as Palm, E*Trade, Handspring, and U.S. Robotics, helping
them to secure venture funding, establish critical business
relationships, and influence early adopters. More information about the conferences is at Demo.com.
Oh, one more thing: my buddy Mike Garity at Network World Conferences, which runs these great events, would especially want me to tell you this: videos of the live stage demonstrations launching each of the 77 products will be available on Demo.com beginning Tuesday afternoon, January 29. That’s a new wrinkle, and I hear a whole new Demo.com site is launching, complete with community and social networking features. That will be cool.
Let me know what you like from the above list, or want to know more about. I’ll be live-blogging from the event, as always. Hell, I might even Twitter, too…from my iPhone…while simultaneously uploading the pix I’m shooting to Flickr…or maybe Tittr.
UPDATE (3:30 pm Central): To fix three links… 🙂
Strategist. Writer. Consultant.
Advisor. Investor. More.
© 2025 Graeme Thickins on Tech
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑
Recent Comments