Startup Ecosystem Insight Sites

Thought it was worth sharing some really useful resources I have been using lately. All are FREE.

• Launch Ticker – Jason Calcanis has just launched in beta his concise news service I now read every day, good time saver and often a thought leader.
• Seed DB – a global database of accelerators, it is incomplete (e.g. missing FI) but still one of the best I have seen
• Startup Compass – the most complete benchmarking database of startups on the planet
• Great South By – our new database of events in Asia and Oceania, happy to cross link, also building a db of deals (patnerships, dependencies, investments, acquisitions) and a startup directory with original interviews and reviews.
• SydStart – new site for the original event & expo of the same name running on Sept 10 this year with 1,200 entrepreneurs focused on sydney scene – site is expanding with original content.
• Internet Deal Book – new site from Right Click Capital for deals over $500K
• Angel List – a comprehensive ‘facebook for entrepreneurs and angel investors’ that is disruptiing traditional angel groups and VCs alike.

Sound Gecko By 121cast.com

Saw a demo of the new soundgecko.com service today at the Microsoft entrepreneur summit in Darling Harbour, Sydney.

A simple idea well executed that allows you to queue up articles you want to read and it will ‘read’ them back to using text to voice.

The most popular articles will be read by a real person.

They are also working on a personal radio station at 121cast.com which I recently saw the demo app for while discussing it with Stuart Richardson of Adventure Capital. Very very nice.

Hope we can see them at SydStart.

PS Vita Is Work In Progress

So we were given a new Sony PSVita (is it pronounced like vita-brits or vita-wheats or the v energy drink? uurk!) to try out yesterday.  I am told it is one of the first but the web says is has been on sale for  a while.

It is powerful a measure of how ‘cool’ this new Sony device is that our resident teen experts had NOT asked for a PSVita in the four months it has been supposedly available locally.

Apparently 1.8m have been sold. No doubt the dealer channel is stuffed. I think it will not be a successful device (and even flounder going into Christmas) unless they make some MAJOR strategy changes which we will cover in a moment.

On a positive note the engineering is excellent, it feels like a solid pro device and has a very polished user interface.

On a negative note the device comes without memory so most yes most of the features are useless, this includes both cameras and no games out of the box. Nor was it charged.

Apple would never do that.

Google would never do that.

Microsoft would never do that (any more).

So Sony needs to pick up their act, particularly after their recent online security problems impacting millions of faithful buyers.

Yes we buy a memory card to try it out, yes that transaction will be done begrudgingly and will further damage their brand.

Clearly the engineers continue to do a wonderful job at Sony but their marketing and business guys need a bullet.

Image what this post would be like if we really expressed our true feelings 🙂

Strategy changes recommended for Sony –

• Bundle a memory card at point of sale
• Add free games coupon at point of sale
• Add a welcome DVD for the whole family to sit and watch on the TV so they become part of it.
• Add a coupon for a second one at half price (show original device as proof) to improve network effect.

Do this or go home sony, the PSVita will die otherwise. Tough love sorry…