Category: Social networks (Page 5 of 6)

Startups, get started!

March 21, 2008 / Arne / 1 Comment

On the 18th I suggested that it would be a great idea if companies that run well donate money to get startups to The Next Web conference in Amsterdam. The idea has taken the Netherlands by storm. Walking around the Dutch Bloggies on Wednesday, everyone seemed to know about it. And rightly so, as we currently have a lot of tickets on offer! Of those tickets 3 have special conditions. 1 is for a startup from Arnhem and 2 need to go to startups related to education. The others are open to anyone!

So, get cracking on a video showing your startup. Tell us why you need the ticket and why everybody cannot do without your startup in the future. Who knows, you might get an email telling you you can spend the two days at The Next Web totally free!

So, what is a startup? Wikipedia says:
A startup company or start-up is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets. They have an uncertain future, and may result in a spectacular success, or failure. The term became popular internationally during the dot-com bubble when a great number of dot-com companies were founded. A high tech startup company is a startup company specialized in the high tech industry.

We have decided that a startup can be a bit broader for this competition. It can be that you are just starting up, but it can also be a pitch for a great new idea you have. Anything to do with internet, mobile internet or other ict related services has a chance to win. But you need to take it seriously.

The video can be a maximium of 3 minutes and needs to draw people to your startup. And it is alright to practice. If you want early feedback, post your video in the comments on this page or on the related blogpost of Erwin Blom. The final result needs to be in on the 28th of March, which leaves you a week. You can find all the details on PitchStorm.tv. So why are you still sitting there, get your camera out and get going!

@advany has already released his first beta for the competition video. Are you the next startup?

Support Your Local Startups!

March 18, 2008 / Arne / 5 Comments

This morning twitter buzzed with The Next Web. The two day conference to be held on the 3rd and 4th of April in Amsterdam is a great conference to go to. However reasonable the 750 euro admission price is for the two days, there are always people that cannot make it because of the money. So, after some discussion on the discounts that you can or cannot get by blogging about The Next Web, I suggested that owners of businesses that do not need the discount, offer them to startups that cannot get the discount. Get your local startup to The Next Web. Because new startups are the ones that benefit most of all the information on The Next Web.

Luckily Erwin Blom quickly joined in and blogged on the subject. He was the first one to offer 500 euro’s as well. Thanks for doing that Erwin! Then the idea took shape. The startup has to motivate why he or she needs the ticket in a video of maximum 3 minutes. Votes will then decide on who will be receive the tickets to The Next Web. After the visit we expect another video to tell your voters what you picked up and how it is going to affect your startup.

So, a great chance for startups. And not only to gain access to a great conference, but also to gain a new audience.

=====BREAKING NEWS====

This article will be updated as new initiatives come in.

The Next Web has committed to doubling every euro of this initiative! Awesome guys!

We have decided that we will be giving away 10 tickets for The Next Web. For the list of the sponsors, take a look at the comments on Erwin Blom’s Support your local startups. Get working on your videos, be a part of The Next Web.

Dutch Cowboys have stepped up to the challenge.

Changed the title from “The Next Web for The Next Startup?” to make sure all blogs run under the same title.

You can now find all the details on entering, sponsoring and voting on PitchStorm.tv.

The rise of the dodesfelfo

March 10, 2008 / Arne / 1 Comment

Last Thursday the Dodesfelfo struck twitter. An unkown concept of a thing, or animal, or food, or… Dodesfelfo was left to everyone’s imagination to describe. And they did. The counter for twitter messages about the dodesfelfo currently stands at 443 and still is rising. And all from a silly typo on my N95 where I wanted to type the Dutch word “onderdelen” but hit the d instead of the o. My T9 dictionary then was nice enough to create the dodesfelfo. And within an hour the discussion had started. Later on t-shirts and a fan hyves was created for the dodesfelfo, which now has 10 members. Karlijn has written an article on Dutch marketing site marketingfacts.nl. It also shows her Dutch slideshare presentation showing some of our twitter postings. A great read.

To me the rise of the dodesfelfo symbolises the way in which concepts spread through online social networks. I realise that the Dutch use of twitter might not be entirely to the letter of the original concept, but it allows realtime online networking with people holding the same interests and passions. You choose who to follow, they choose whether or not to follow you. Most of the users are on the forefront of internet and social media in the Netherlands. And it shows. Messages from twitter travel far and deals for everything from work to office space are made through twitter. But personal joy and grief are shared as well. Twitter is almost like offline life, but without the physical restrictions on time and place. A concept that can be used for many to involve others in their life and practice. So far there are only a limited number of users, but the concept for twitter will travel far in coming years to involve people with one another regardless of where they are and when they communicate.

About Arne

Arne on Flickr