Many entrepreneurs assume that an invention carries intrinsic value, but that assumption is a fallacy. Here, the examples of the 19th and 20th century inventors Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla are instructive. Even as aspiring entrepreneurs and inventors lionize Edison for his myriad inventions and business acumen, they conveniently fail to recognize Tesla, despite having … Continue reading Building a great startup requires more than genius and a great invention
Entrepreneurship
As some pricey coding camps fade away, Codecademy barrels ahead with affordable paid offerings and a new mobile app
Between 2013 and last year, the number of boot camp schools tripled to more than 90 in the U.S. alone, according to Course Report, an outfit that tracks the industry. Some — including The Iron Yard and Dev Bootcamp — have since folded, unable to find enough eager recruits willing to pay top dollar to … Continue reading As some pricey coding camps fade away, Codecademy barrels ahead with affordable paid offerings and a new mobile app
9 highlights from Snapchat CEO’s 6000-word leaked memo on survival
Adults, not teens. Messaging, not Stories. Developing markets, not the US. These are how Snapchat will make a comeback, according to CEO Evan Spiegel . In a 6,000-word internal memo from late September leaked to Cheddar’s Alex Heath, Spiegel attempts to revive employee morale with philosophy, tactics, and contrition as Snap’s share price sinks to … Continue reading 9 highlights from Snapchat CEO’s 6000-word leaked memo on survival
Facebook tests Snap Map-style redesign of Nearby Friends
Note: this article might seem irrelevant. Why do people want to tap into other people's life anyway or why a "social media" enables someone to tap into other people's privacy whenever he or she wants? It has gone too far. Helping friends meet up offline has been a massive missed opportunity for Facebook . Whether … Continue reading Facebook tests Snap Map-style redesign of Nearby Friends
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank, and the $100 Billion Blitz on Sand Hill Road
The Japanese dealmaker says he’ll raise a new $100 billion fund every few years. Silicon Valley’s disruptors are struggling to keep up. Two years ago, Masayoshi Son, chief executive officer of SoftBank, sat in a Gulfstream jet high above the Arabian Gulf, en route to meet with potential investors in a new fund that would … Continue reading Masayoshi Son, SoftBank, and the $100 Billion Blitz on Sand Hill Road
The meeting that showed me the truth about VCs
I recently had a meeting with a well-known Israeli startup investor. The talk somehow pivoted from my seed-seeking startup into talking about the macro view of venture capital and how it doesn’t actually make sense. “Ninety-five percent of VCs aren’t profitable,” he said. It took me a while to understand what this really means. I’ll … Continue reading The meeting that showed me the truth about VCs
This is how much VCs are paid
Venture capital is known for being an opaque industry, so it’s no surprise most of us have no idea what the average VC earns in a year. I got a closer look at the survey results of J. Thelander Consulting‘s annual venture firm compensation survey and, unsurprisingly, VCs make a lot of money. Just how … Continue reading This is how much VCs are paid
