Andrew Hill wrote in the Financial Times “Like big banks, tech companies are protected by a bubble of their own making……and their representatives often exude a sense of entitlement and an overconfidence that technology can solve the worlds problems….”
He went on ”The risk is that technology titans undoubted success will breed complacency, which begets arrogance, and can lead to actual wrongdoing…”
We asked five entrepreneurs if they agreed?
In years to come I think Silicon Valley and San Francisco will be viewed as the laboratory of the information age but much of the real world growth of tech will be driven from other locations. There has been no letup in the rapid expansion of technology startups in San Francisco since the end of 2010. The vibrancy of this innovation economy is alive and well. What is newer however is the engagement of corporations into the ecosystem and this could be London’s greatest opportunity.
Corporations look at innovation through two lenses, fear and greed. What’s out there that could kill us or better what is out there that could give us the edge.
“In the emerging yottabyte age, let’s ensure the sovereignty of the people over the databases by holding to account those with the keys to the machine…” (David Rowan, Wired Magazine April 2013)
We asked Nick Ray, CEO of aiHit, should we be worried?
“David Rowan’s article perfectly sums up both the potential and the risks of a “big data” world. Knowledge is power and big data increases that power.
In his article, David worries that the power is concentrated in the hands of big business and not in the hands of the hapless consumer, who’s surfing habits, shopping habits, social media presence, credit score and much more besides is being covertly harvested, aggregated, dissected and analysed.
We asked Peter Murray, Chairman of NLA (London’s Centre For The Built Environment)
“Blueprint?! Vision?! Masterplan!? That’s not how these things work in London! Silicon Roundabout happened because there was NO masterplan. It grew because there were cheap, no nonsense buildings with high ceilings and clear floorplates that suited the pocket and workstyle of new digital companies. These were the sweatshops of the industrial era; in the post-industrial city they became nurseries for growing businesses.”
On 12th January 2013 The Economist ran a piece ‘Has the ideas machine broken down?’.
The briefing said ‘a small but growing group of economists reckon the economic impact of the innovations of today may pale into comparison with those of the past…’. It went on ‘As Mr Thiel and his colleagues at the Founders Fund, a venture-capital company, put it “We wanted flying cars, instead we got 140 characters”’.
We asked eight entrepreneurs if they shared the pessimism.
With an attendee list that reads like a who’s who of the most innovative and exciting tech companies in Europe we caught up with Victor Henning (Mendeley), Raf Keustermans (Plumbee), Alice Regester (33Seconds), Alex Depledge (Teddle) and Nic Brisbourne (DFJ Esprit) and asked them a question often raised by entrepreneurs:
‘How fundamental is a great story to selling a vision?’
2012 was a busy year for Seedcamp: They hosted 10 events all around the world, made 23 new investments, took their startups on a four-week tour of the US and hosted the flagship week-long Seedcamp Week event in September.
Since launching in 2007, the Seedcamp portfolio now includes more than 80 of Europe’s most promising startups – all ambitiously building global businesses – and has seen several acquisitions (including Mobclix bought by Velti and RentMineOnline bought by RealPage).
Startupbootcamp Amsterdam hits London January 8th. Patrick de Zeeuw, Co-Founder of Startupbootcamp Global & Amsterdam, explains what makes this acceleration program unique and why you should apply!
Startupbootcamp Pitch Day comes to London on January 8th! – We pitch to you, you pitch to us! Your chance to get to know Startupbootcamp Amsterdam and some of its alumnus teams. But one question remains: How is Startupbootcamp unique from other programs and why should I – as a startup – apply?
To survey the skyline of Silicon Roundabout is to embrace a varied and growing expanse of building types. One should be under no illusion that the cranes will be descending upon the area in the near future as Landlords, inspired by their respective architects, set to work with rigour in transforming ‘redundant’ building stock. Sickening to some but illuminating and a glimpse of something better to others.
However the ‘noise’ from twitter and other media channels is growing daily as both existing occupiers and fast growing businesses are showing anything but systemic indifference to rising rental values allied to limited office supply.
You have secured funding for the business and now hiring a CEO, COO or CFO means it’s time to grow up fast for a tech startup. Rosemary Forsyth explains how to avoid a costly mistake!
“The founders have done a great job getting to the stage where an experienced investor will invest their time and firm’s money in the company. Now the founding team needs to be strengthened with one or more executives so that the company can scale to the next level.
