A majority of U.S. states and metro areasare experiencing higher rates of new business creation, followingthe national trend, according to 2016 Kauffman Index of Startup Activity State and Metro Trends data released today by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Twenty-three out of the largest 40 metro areas experienced an increase in startup activity. Read More>>
Monthly Archives: August 2016
The White House has a clever plan to make it easier for foreign founders to build startups in the US
There’s finally some good news in an election season that Silicon Valley leaders have already deemed a “disaster for innovation.” The Department of Homeland Security proposed a new rule to make it easier for foreigners to stay in the US for up to five years to build their startup. Read More>>
Five hard-hitting tips for boosting online conversion rates
The web doesn’t have a traffic problem, but it does have a conversion problem. Many people keep trying to attract traffic without really knowing what to do with it. Then they wonder why their business is not profitable after spending a lot of money on traffic generation. You shouldn’t spend more money on ads until you’ve considered the following tips for boosting conversion rates. Read More>>
The pitfalls of venture funding
As the venture funding landscape continues to flourish, entrepreneurs who want to build a sustainable business should proceed with caution before heading down the VC path. First and foremost, it’s important to remember that when you take on outside capital too early, you’re learning on expensive, dilutive capital. In order to secure this money, you’ve laid a groundwork of assumptions about the business and now need to deliver on those for your new investors. Read More>>
Email and file encryption service Virtru, built by ex-NSA engineer, raises $29 million
Talk about being at the right place and at the right time. Following revelations of government spying, data breaches, malicious hacking, identity theft and other online threats, the email and file encryption application Virtru has now grown to over 4,000 customers and has closed on $29 million in Series A funding, the company announced. Read More>>
Kobe Bryant Just Started a Venture Capital Fund
Worth $100 million. Kobe Bryant might be the name behind the next unicorn. The basketball player, who retired earlier this year, has opened a $100 million venture capital fund alongside brain scientist and tech entrepreneur, Jeff Stibel. The fund, named Bryant Stibel, will invest in tech, media, and data companies over the next few years, and it will be doing so, at least initially, primarily with Bryant’s money. Bryant Stibel is not seeking outside investors quite yet. Stibel has contributed some money to the fund as well. Read More>>
The 2007-2009 Financial Crisis Was Surprisingly Kind To Tech Startups
Startups Uber and Airbnb, and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz have something in common: They were founded in the midst or immediate aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-2009. The above mentioned startup companies have another thing in common: They are mainstays of the unicorn club, possessing valuations of $1 billion or more. Somewhat paradoxically, we can look back at the Great Financial Crisis as a golden era of tech entrepreneurship, one that might not be revisited soon. At least, not until the next crisis comes. Read More>>
Uber’s First Self-Driving Fleet Arrives in Pittsburgh This Month
Near the end of 2014, Uber co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick flew to Pittsburgh on a mission: to hire dozens of the world’s experts in autonomous vehicles. Uber in January 2015 and by early 2016 had recruited hundreds of engineers, robotics experts, and even a few car mechanics to join the venture. The goal: to replace Uber’s more than 1 million human drivers with robot drivers—as quickly as possible. Starting later this month, Uber will allow customers in downtown Pittsburgh to summon self-driving cars from their phones, crossing an important milestone that no automotive or technology company has yet achieved. Read More>>
How To Catch The Biggest Wave In The Universe
When it comes to waves, it doesn’t get much bigger than the gravitational variety. Einstein predicted that huge events — like black holes merging — create gravitational waves. Unlike most waves we experience, these are distortions in space and time. They roll across the entire universe virtually unimpeded. Einstein first predicted the existence of gravitational waves in 1916, but none were spotted until recently. Given their incredible power, why did it take a century to locate them? To find out, the author went to see where the detection finally occurred. It is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory. That’s kind of a mouthful, so scientists just call it LIGO. Read More>>
10 low-cost PR strategies for startups and small businesses
Most startups and small businesses cannot afford to hire an advertising or PR agency. They don’t have the money for glossy ads in magazines, or radio or TV commercials or to even create online ad campaigns. However, thanks to the internet and social media, startups and small business don’t have to spend a lot of money (or even any money, in some cases) to generate positive buzz about their products and services. They can just use one or more of the following 10 cost-effective digital PR strategies. Read More>>
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