The economics major in me is drooling over a new site called Swivel whose founders describe the service as “YouTube for data.” Users upload data sets via a clean, intuitive interface, add metadata (description, source, tags), and publish for the world to parse as it wishes. I’m excited because [...]

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” I’ve decided to take my fouls in the blogosphere and submit a timely list of gag gift ideas for the venture capitalist in your life.
The following is as much a testament to the joke set of the venture industry as [...]

What’s funny about “social networking” is that it emphasizes the fact that few of us are gifted socializers, though we’re often ferocious networkers. LinkedIn, the “put on your good suit, good manners, and good networking skills” social network is interestingly, no exception. Sure, it lacks the lascivious photos and [...]

Having handled the pay-per-click (PPC) marketing for a top 250 e-tailer, DrJays.com, I wondered shortly after joining Chrysalis whether venture firms practice similar forms of direct marketing.  As I wrote earlier this week, aggressive deal sourcing still holds mixed feelings in the investor community.  A few really “with it” firms are taking the [...]

Michael Crichton has a knack for blending reality with what could be or might have been. In Eaters of the Dead, one of my eighth grade world history reads, Crichton tackled the Neanderthal/Cro-Magnon man connection and offered a new, somewhat plausible, take on the fantastical Beowulf saga. His newest [...]

Too bad the following must be a National Venture Capital Association mass email.

I must say, though, its receipt brought a smile to my face.  According to Wikipedia, “Midas was known for being a hedonist, [sic] and an excellent rose gardener…” which explains succinctly why the venture capital “rankings” are labeled as such.  Actually, [...]

courthouse in reflection, originally uploaded by photos-by-sherm
There’s mixed feelings in the venture world about aggressive deal sourcing.  For one, I think no one wants to describe their product as a commodity, but there’s no denying that a competitive financing landscape exists today, and in my opinion it’s likely to get worse before [...]