David Cummings on Startups

Category: Community

  • Atlanta Startup Riot 2013 Presenting Company Notes

    Today we had another great Startup Riot in Atlanta. The way it works is that 450+ people get together to hear 40 startups give a three minute pitch followed by two minutes of Q&A from two judges. At the end of the event three winners are selected for prizes and glory.

    Fireplug

    • Turn information into knowledge
    • Get credit for what you read
    • Humans crave feedback
    • Keeps track of what you’re read
    • Can push recommended content you haven’t read

    deductmor

    • 10+ million people with 1099 income
    • Able to capture more receipts
    • Take a picture of a receipt on your phone
    • Less cost for tax prep and get more deductions
    • iPhone app

    Spensa Technologies

    • Agribusiness
    • Problem: $20B/yr crop loss
    • $4.5B/yr on insecticide
    • Insect populations drive decisions
    • Sticky trap catches insects and then they’re counted to make insecticide decision
    • Product: automated insect monitoring using z-traps
    • Web-connected software
    • Visualizaion and management tool for insect monitoring activities

    Campus Bubble

    • One community for student, faculty, and administrators
    • Facebook fails as a closed university community
    • emorybubble.com/preview
    • Relevant discussion, events students actually like, deals, etc

    TuneWolf

    • Bars usually have a juke box or the bartender/employee controls it
    • Music app controls a web service that interfaces with a computer in the bar that interfaces with the local speakers
    • Pay to play and more interactive

    College Canvas

    • Student debt topped $1 trillion
    • An online market for students to sell handmade items
    • facebook.com/collegecanvas
    • Like Etsy for college student made stuff

    Abeo

    • Like moneyball for talent management
    • Improved profit through reduced turnover
    • Battle between fast growing tech companies
    • Psychological characteristics help determine effectiveness in a role
    • Social application with personality tests
    • Behavioral model and motivations model

    Agency Spotter

    • Quick, painless, and easy to find the right creative agency
    • $760B is spent annually on agencies
    • 560k agencies across the globe
    • Better way to find an agency
    • Ratings and reviews
    • Charge money to the agencies to be listed

    IS3D

    • Interactive technology for science education
    • Real world problem-solving skills
    • 3d game engines to learn skills
    • Real-time assessment of skills
    • $3/student/year

    Pipefish

    • You are greater than the sum of your social graph
    • Social media assumes you are defined by your friends
    • Detect taste preferences from people
    • Help e-commerce companies make personally relevant product recommendations
    • Looking for B2C companies that need an analytics partner
    • Travel, restaurants, and fashion are the first three

    Mr. Arlo

    • New way to plan and book travel online
    • 80% of travel is booked by women
    • Uses social networks to see what travel options friends like
    • Travel taste graph

    Banyan

    • Github for science
    • Make it easy for scientists to share
    • Easy to publish and share in under 5 minutes
    • Assigns an individual ID to each change a researcher makes
    • $6 billion market for software for scientific collaboration

    Guardian Watch

    • 911 is broken
    • Enable first responders and citizens to save lives
    • Mobile app to live stream video from the scene of an emergency
    • Sell to emergency responders

    SafeImageMD

    • Solve inefficiency in managing medical imaging data
    • Images from CT scans and MRIs
    • CDs and DVDs are currently used
    • Cloud-based storage solution
    • Browser-based DICOM data viewer (comes from CT scans)
    • Web-based image uploader
    • Software that sits on network or desktop to sync files
    • 1/3 of worldwide image storage is for medical data

    Shindig

    • Facebook’s events page wasn’t cutting
    • Social network for social people
    • Keep track of social life by instantly sharing plans with friends
    • Combines Facebook’s API and Foursquare’s API

    WorkReadyGrad

    • Connect students with mentors, alumni, and employers
    • Students document career goals and what they’ve accomplished
    • Digital portfolios
    • Addressing the skills gap

    Wagglez

    • Local. Mobile. Deals.
    • Local discovery and deals
    • Raising $350k

    Ten Eight

    • Commercial real estate mobile app
    • Tour books are standard issue print outs of the buildings to be toured
    • Buildings are judged on feel and complicated spreadsheets
    • It’s a tour book app plus rating system
    • Data analytics on tours
    • Ability to tell building owners about competitive set, ratings, and notes

    Excelegrade

    • 80% of schools use mobile devices in the classroom
    • 46 of 50 states teach against common standards
    • End-to-end digital assessment solution
    • Assessments and assignments administered on mobile devices
    • Paperless and personalized learning
    • $3 billion market
    • Freemium subscription business model
    • Per student per subject per year fees

    Persint

    • Most people don’t where they stand to improve their financial profile
    • Financial uncertainty leads to fear and stress and then to budgeting
    • App that makes it easy to compare your financial metrics against peers and provide insight
    • Generates a score about your financial health
    • Gives recommendations like cheaper credit cards, get a cheaper car, etc
    • Pre financial manner app

    BrainPik

    • The best deals in town
    • Offers platform with feedback
    • 10 – 50% off combined with getting feedback surveys from customers
    • Text code based to mobile phones
    • Trying to create next gen Yelp with the survey feedback component

    VacationFutures

    • Wholesale rental marketplace
    • VRBO is good but takes up more time than outsourcing to vacation rental company
    • List for free on the site
    • Property manager has access to inventory and can diversify their risk

    cMEcompete

    • Social mobile platform to make it easy to connect people in participatory sports
    • Apply the concept of meetups to participatory sports
    • Registration and sign-in app as well as social app

    CloudyDays

    • Ability to scale app is a major challenge
    • Testing the cloud from the cloud
    • Load testing application
    • Benchmarking against the competition

    TheOfferMachine.com

    • Lead gen marketer platform
    • Conversion optimized pages
    • Intelligent lead forms
    • Advanced lead hygiene
    • DIY integrations

    Iron Gaming

    • 156 million gamers in the US
    • 64 million ages 2-17
    • No centralized scorekeeping
    • Improves online gaming
    • Match.com for gamers
    • Sports Center for gamers

    Flairtab

    • Cloud-based TV service for doctor offices
    • 30 min average wait time at doctor office
    • Tools to hep engage, inform, and educate patients
    • Freemium model for doctors
    • Supported by advertising
    • USB device uses WiFi for content and plugs into TV

    Bookup

    • Text book exchange
    • Connect users directly
    • Users say what books they want and what books they have
    • Raising $150,000

    Excelegrade was the winner today and was my favorite as well.

    I’m looking forward to next year’s Startup Riot.

  • Sound Issues in a Large Coworking Space

    In a week the Atlanta Tech Village will open an expanded coworking area with reserved desks for 30+ people and unreserved bench seating for 15+ more people in a large 4,000+ square foot area. To date, the pre-renovation coworking area has been 20+ private offices with two to six desks per office, more like a shared Regus office and less like a coworking area. Next week’s new space will be a complete, traditional coworking space with a large open area, game room, and several shared conference rooms. Enter the sound question.

    A common question people ask when touring the space is “will it get loud in here?” Of course, we don’t want it loud so we need a plan for addressing sound issues. Here are a few ideas:

    • No phone calls in the large area such that people that need to get on the phone can use one of the three phone booths, five conference rooms, game room, hallway, or go outside
    • Require companies that have a heavy cold-calling component to their business model to have a private room or suite
    • Ask people with a loud or booming voice to be cognizant of those around them
    • Incorporate some small white noise machines / active noise reduction technology

    Sound is always going to be a concern in a large, open work area. With core value number one being “be nice”, I’m confident everything will work out great.

    What else? What are some other ideas to address sound issues in a large coworking space?

  • On Demand Office Space Like On Demand Computing

    Amazon Web Services, the most widely used cloud computing platform, has a concept of “Reserved Instances” and “On Demand Instances.” Reserved Instances are virtual computers with a fixed hourly price and guaranteed availability. The hourly price is lowered based on how much money you pay up front to reserve it for some number of years (e.g. you pay more to reserve it for three years but you get a lower hourly rate compared to only reserving it for one year). On demand instances are the same technology as reserved instances but they have a higher hourly price and aren’t guaranteed to be available (e.g. you might request 10 instances but it could take some time for them to be available). Overall, the concept is pretty simple: some capacity is fixed and some capacity is available as needed.

    Much like the strong benefit with this model for server capacity, the same need exists in the office space world, especially for technology companies. Technology companies, on average, are more volatile when it comes to staffing up and down compared to traditional companies due to how fast the industry changes and how difficult it is to predict breakout successes. How can the on demand computing model be applied to office space?

    At the Atlanta Tech Village, we’re going to be experimenting with a few ideas:

    • Multiple tenant office space options including part-time unreserved coworking desk, full-time unreserved coworking desk, reserved coworking desk, furnished private room, and furnished private multi-room suite with adjoining sliding glass door to the adjacent suites for combining suites
    • Furnished adjoining suites in sizes like 600 sq ft, 1,000 sq ft, and 3,000 sq ft along with the option to combine them and create much larger suites (a simple rule of thumb is 4-6 people per 1,000 ft, depending on density)
    • Coworking space on each of the five floors so that tenants on that floor, and other floors, can have team members both in a private room or suite as well in coworking (imagine having a 1,000 sq ft furnished suite with 5 people in it and 3 more employees down the hall with unreserved desks in the coworking space such that there’s a mix of private, dedicated rooms and public spaces)
    • Coworking spaces can be used for standard team members, interns, contractors, and any other type of colleague — only it’s on demand and not locked in with a long contract, like most offices

    Much like on demand computing in the cloud has changed the nature of software delivery, on demand office space in a flexible environment is poised to change how entrepreneurs think about office space. It’s an on demand, sharing world.

    What else? What are your thoughts on on demand office space similar to on demand computing?

  • The Power of Serendipitous Interactions and Startup Communities

    One of the oft repeated phrases for healthy startup communities is that there needs to be serendipitous interactions. The idea with serendipitous interactions is that you never know what relationships, introductions, or advice will help and the more collisions, the better. Confession: I didn’t really appreciate this concept until being able to experience it first-hand at the Atlanta Tech Village.

    Prior to ATV, my world was more controlled with regular EO and YPO events once or twice a quarter as well as one-on-one intro meetings a couple times per week via intros from friends. Now, I’m randomly meeting people in the Village several times a week just by being a member of the community and, of course, doing my best to pay it forward. People share, people connect, and people are able to accomplish more faster with the help of others.

    Serendipitous interactions are vital to a healthy startup community to increase the number and quality of relationships. I’ve now experienced it over the past 30 days and I’m a believer.

    What else? What are your thoughts on the power of serendipitous interactions and startup communities?

  • The Atlanta Top 10 Startup City Question

    Earlier today I got a question that hasn’t come up as often as I’d like: do you really believe Atlanta can be a top 10 startup city within 10 years? The answer is an emphatic yes! Atlanta has all the natural ingredients including a large number of young professionals, a low cost of living, the largest engineering school in the country with Georgia Tech, the world’s busiest airport, and an active startup community. If Atlanta has all the ingredients, what else is happening to make Atlanta a top 10 startup city?

    Here’s what’s going on in Atlanta:

    • Large anchor technology companies – Atlanta has AutoTrader.com (over $1 billion in revenue) and Air Watch, which is going to IPO and have a billion dollar valuation within 24 months. More anchor technology companies results in more talent recruited to the area, more jobs, and more startups that spin-out. The seeds have already sprouted in Atlanta and full bloom is right around the corner.
    • High density startup areas – Atlanta has the ATDC, Hypepotamus, and the Tech Square area in Midtown with dozens of startups. Add in the new 103,000 square feet Atlanta Tech Village with room for 75-100 companies and 400+ people and now there are two areas accessible via train that have critical startup mass necessary for serendipitous interactions.
    • Early stage investment dollars – Within the past 24 months Atlanta Technology Angels has invested in 29 startups (source). Within the past 12 months three new venture funds including Moseley Ventures, Forté Ventures, and Hamilton Ventures have been formed. Just last month Cox Enterprises announced the $250 million dollar Cox Innovation Fund to incubate tech startups in Atlanta.

    All the ingredients are in place and necessary advancements are under way. Atlanta will be a top 10 startup city within 10 years.

    What else? What are some other reasons Atlanta will be a top 10 startup city within 10 years?

  • Maintaining a High Standard of Excellence in a Coworking Space

    One of the most common questions we get at the Atlanta Tech Village is regarding how we’re going to maintain a high standard of excellence among the tech companies, startups, investors, freelancers, and tech-related service providers. The main concerns are around corporate culture, work ethic, and general success of the ventures.

    Here are a few ideas for maintaining a high standard of excellence in the coworking space and ATV overall:

    • Application process with in-person interview to assess core values fit (see the core values)
    • Monthly or quarterly peer review process where members evaluate other members as to how well they’re meeting the values and, potentially, people who aren’t meeting the values get voted off the island
    • Sell 90 day pre-paid memberships such that every 90 days there’s the option to renew the membership, or not renew if the core values aren’t being met

    This is a really tough topic as we want to be inclusive while building the best place for tech companies and startups to grow and thrive. We have a ton to learn.

    What else? What are some other ideas for maintaining a high standard of excellence in a coworking space and community center?

  • Developing an Accountability Plan for Startups in the Community

    One of the goals with the Atlanta Tech Village is to create an environment of accountability and competition such that the member tech companies and startups achieve a greater level of success than if they were on their own. The ultimate measure of ATV’s overall success is the number of companies that build sustainable, meaningful businesses. Now, how can we create and foster this type of environment in a way that’s positive and fun?

    Here are a few ideas for an accountability plan for community startups:

    • Monthly or quarterly check-ins with an entrepreneur, mentor, or community manager
    • Accountability questions like what did you accomplish, what are your going to accomplish, and how can you improve whereby the answers are recorded in a Google Spreadsheet for review during the next period
    • Continually measure objective items related to revenue, new users, page views, downloads, App Store ratings, etc
    • Regular peer feedback survey where the other startups rate how they see their peers doing across several dimensions

    We want tech companies and startups that are continually moving onward and upward such that the Village is known for having an environment that breeds success. Accountability is going to be an important part of the equation.

    What else? What are some other thoughts on developing an accountability plan for startups in the community?

  • Balancing Startups and Service Providers in a Coworking Space

    Community support and interest has been amazing at the Atlanta Tech Village. As expected, startups and service providers have enthusiastically wanted to join. One of the items we’ve been trying to figure out is the right balance between startups and service providers renting desks in the coworking space.

    We already have five categories of full-time members:

    • Tech companies (headquartered in a different city or another part of Atlanta)
    • Tech startups
    • Independent freelancers (software engineers, graphic designers, consultants, etc)
    • Investors including venture capitalists
    • Tech-related service providers

    The current thinking is to have 80% of the members in the first four categories and 20% of the members in the tech-related service provider category. Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue learning and figuring things out.

    What else? What are your thoughts on the balance between startups and service providers in a coworking space?

  • 5 Goals for the Atlanta Tech Village

    Several people have said it’s cool that we’re building the Atlanta Tech Village and have wondered aloud if it’ll really make a difference. Immediately, I always reply with an emphatic “yes” that we’ll make a difference, a massive difference in Atlanta and the Southeast. After talking about the Atlanta Tech Village Mission, Vision, and Core Values, it’s time to talk about some of our goals.

    Here are five initial goals for the Atlanta Tech Village:

    • Help spawn 10,000 new high-paying jobs in Atlanta in 10 years (by 2022)
    • Have 600+ members from 150+ companies and a waiting list by the end of 2014
    • Facilitate over 100 events per year starting in 2014
    • Originate three companies per year that become successful businesses (my definition of a successful business)
    • See member companies raise more than $10 million per year from angels and venture capitalists

    I’m sure these goals will change over time but we feel they’re the right balance of being ambitious while still being attainable.

    What else? What are your thoughts on the five goals for the Atlanta Tech Village?

  • Atlanta Tech Village Mission, Vision, and Core Values

    We’re working on ironing out the Atlanta Tech Village mission, vision, and core values to be a guiding force for the next 20+ years. Each item builds on itself with mission being the next five years, vision the next 20 years, and core values forever. Thinking about the next 20+ years seems strange, but it’s absolutely the right thing to do to make a huge impact.

    Mission

    Be the #1 hub for tech companies and startups in the Southeast

    Vision

    Make Atlanta one of the top 10 tech and startup cities in the country

    Core Values

    • Be nice
    • Dream big
    • Pay it forward
    • Work hard, play hard

    Note: we’re debating between “dream big” and “dream bigger” as one of our core values (more info from Johnson on it).

    What else? What are your thoughts on the Atlanta Tech Village’s mission, vision, and core values?