Here we highlight selected innovation related articles from around the world on a daily basis. These articles related to innovation and funding for innovative companies, and best practices for innovation based economic development.
These days, we focus a lot more on lean startups than startups that require capital to get going. The entire industry has moved away from the “fat” startup category. Investors expect that you will have your product launched, customer acquisition model fleshed out fully, and a team in place before Series A.
image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
Internet connection speeds generally improved in the U.S. last year, and the country’s broadband capacity should keep getting better with new ultrafast initiatives being rolled out by network operators and local governments alike.
But the average U.S. connection speed is still just 10th worldwide, and greatly lags global leader South Korea—which is creeping closer to universal broadband connectivity within its own borders, according to the latest State of the Internet report from online traffic routing company Akamai.
Most of us would welcome a blueprint for success: a list of accomplishments to check off that would result in dream jobs and promotions.
But doing all the “right things” doesn’t necessarily give you an edge when it comes to achieving prosperity and happiness.
“People entering the business world today are a commodity; they’ve attended the same schools, read the same books, gone to the same movies, played the same video games, and watched the same TV shows,” says Fred Cook, CEO of GolinHarris, a public relations firm with 50 offices worldwide.
image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
If you feel like sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day is slowly stealing your life force, you’re not too far off.
Click to expand Most working professionals these days suffer from what the scientific community calls the sitting disease. And if you don’t believe it’s a real problem, just check out health forums like WebMD and Mayo Clinic.
Image: http://www.fastcompany.com
Romanian tech start-ups will vie for the chance to pitch their ideas to the likes of business tycoon Sir Richard Branson, YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley and Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom.
The European Commission’s Tech All Stars competition is looking for the continent’s best start-ups in the sector.
As well as pitching to some of the world’s most famous and successful entrepreneurs, the winners will get exclusive access to Europe’s most prestigious start-up events.
A digital divide is growing between developed and emerging countries. Those reaping the biggest economic and social benefits of technology are those positioned to capitalise on it, not just invest in it.
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah announced today a $12 million gift from Pierre Lassonde, bringing his total contribution to $25 million. The new donation will be used for a transformative building for student entrepreneurs. Estimated to cost $45 million, the 148,000-square-feet facility will unite 412 residences with 20,000-square-foot “garage” space for students to gather, build prototypes and launch companies. Officials expect the building to catapult the university’s reputation for entrepreneurship education.
Image: http://lassonde.utah.edu - Pierre Lassonde has donated $25 million total to support entrepreneurs at the University of Utah. His latest donation will be used for a transformative new building.
There is a belief in the business world that founders can’t scale.
That is, to put it another way, a company’s growth curve will eventually outstrip the capabilities of its founders. And the statistics seem to bear this theory out: Only 50 percent of founders remain chief executives after being in business for three years, 40 percent after four, and a sadly low 25 percent of founders actually make it through their company’s IPO as CEO .
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
Before April 16, 2014, NIH permitted one resubmission (A1) of an unfunded application (see NOT-OD-09-016). The extension on the NIH grant number could follow the pattern (A0, A1). A first-time submission is informally referred to as an A0, and the first resubmission is known as an A1. Any virtual A2s would be flagged by the NIH Center for Scientific Review.
For all application due dates after April 16, 2014, following an unsuccessful resubmission (A1) application, applicants may submit the same idea as a new (A0) application for the next appropriate new application due date (see NOT-OD-14-074).
Redesigned Website Offers More Content with Easier Navigation
Today, the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) re-launched its website: www.eda.gov. The redesigned website provides improved functionality and benefits for users including easier navigation with links to the most useful pages, more case studies and access to a state-by-state resources directory.
EDA conducted research and analysis to help the agency identify and understand how its stakeholders need to use the site. The new site includes quick links to the pages most in demand and provides prospective EDA applicants with easily accessible information on the application process, best practices and case studies. The state-by-state resources directory provides critical local resources including EDA’s regional office contacts, state government and regional planning contacts and contacts for organizations providing local technical assistance and economic development planning.
The website also connects visitors to EDA’s social media outlets, ensuring that the agency’s stakeholders can be connected to the latest news and opportunities.
Do you know where your first 10 employees are going to come from? How about the next 10?
99% of the time your best hires will come from your staff's combined network — you might already know that. But do you know how to go about mining that network so methodically that you get the most out of it? Probably not. As co-founder of talent discovery startup TalentBin, this is my bread and butter.
Image: http://firstround.com
Remote work is increasingly common.
A February survey from the Flex+Strategy Group/Work+Life Fit, Inc. found that 31 percent of adults who are employed full time do most of their work away from their employer’s location.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re working at home, though, or even at Starbucks or a co-working space. If you’re location independent, here are some other places that, in a pinch, might work to get things done.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
Through all the ups and downs of building TakeLessons over the past eight years, I can say with certainty that San Diego’s ecosystem for tech startups is better now than I’ve ever seen it.
That said, we have reached a crucial juncture. Our entrepreneurial community can either take San Diego to the next level by doubling down on our assets and honing in on issues we need to improve, or accept our reputation as a beautiful city defined primarily by the sun, surf, and coastal lifestyle.
Image: http://www.xconomy.com/
There is a belief in the business world that founders can’t scale.
That is, to put it another way, a company’s growth curve will eventually outstrip the capabilities of its founders. And the statistics seem to bear this theory out: Only 50 percent of founders remain chief executives after being in business for three years, 40 percent after four, and a sadly low 25 percent of founders actually make it through their company’s IPO as CEO .
Image: http://medcitynews.com
The University of Maryland has launched their very own crowdfunding platform: Launch UMD. The site is designed for both students and faculty to raise funding on “impactful projects”. Organizers hope the platform will help facilitate change via innovation
Launch UMD fired up their platform with 5 live projects including:
The impact of federal budget cuts compounded by the challenges of securing funding for biotechnology companies has led to a growing trend of drug development. Scientists are turning to crowdfunding for biotechnology as a way to scrape up money.
A concept for a nonprofit crowdfunding website for medical research hatched at Lehigh Valley StartUp Weekend last fall is moving ahead.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
The Singapore government has selected six venture capital firms to each receive S$10 million (US$7.9 million) in taxpayer’s money under the Early Stage Venture Fund (ESVF) scheme. The money will be matched on a one-to-one basis with the VC firms’ own funds, which will be used for investments into Series A level startups.
In total, S$120 million (US$96 million) worth of government and private sector money will be plowed into innovative young technology companies. The six selected venture capital funds are: Jungle Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, Walden International, SBI Ven Capital, New Asia Investments, and Monk’s Hill Ventures.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
Startup and investor marketplace Angel List launched a fund last week, which allows people to back investors and the companies they choose. The new approach, coupled with their slightly different fee structure, has set the VC industry talking. The standard fund charges a 2% fee and 30% carry for investors, compared to Angel List’s $25 million Maiden Lane fund which charges no fees and a 30% carry.
Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net
The media is atwitter with word that venture capital investment in the first quarter hit $9.5 billion — the highest since 2001. Great news! Now we can all ring our hands and talk about bursting bubbles!
Why do concern trolls wring their hands about bubbles? Bubbles are an inescapable reality of our economy. They blow up, they burst, and then they blow up again — usually in new places.
Image: Private Airbnb Studio in San Francisco near Ocean Beach (Photo credit: Kevin Krejci)
First Warning Systems, the Reno, Nevada-based company that’s working on wearable sensors for early detection of breast cancer, has raised $560,000, according to CEO Rob Royea. Steven Welch, a private investor and former COO of BP (not to be confused with DreamIt Health founder Steve Welch) led the round with a $300,000 contribution. The rest came from a syndicate of investors in Singapore, where First Warning intends to launch its product in early 2015.
Image: The Smart Bra concept from First Warning’s 2012 YouTube video.
