Comments on: Google to start new venture capital division — likely for telecom http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/ News About Tech, Money and Innovation Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:28:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: edhardy622 http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-894998 edhardy622 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:40:32 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-894998 British law student sues Abercrombie-Fitch for disability discrimination.<br><a href="http://www.abercrombieshop.us" rel="nofollow">http://www.abercrombieshop.us</a> British law student sues Abercrombie-Fitch for disability discrimination.
http://www.abercrombieshop.us

]]> By: Venture-Capital » LBBW Venture Capital GmbH http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-823432 Venture-Capital » LBBW Venture Capital GmbH Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:13:24 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-823432 [...] Google to start new venture capital division — likely for telecomReports in years past have suggested that Google, like Intel, Motorola and other large tech companies, might open an internal venture capital fund to invest in startups. The idea has never come to fruition, but a brief in this morning’s … [...] [...] Google to start new venture capital division — likely for telecomReports in years past have suggested that Google, like Intel, Motorola and other large tech companies, might open an internal venture capital fund to invest in startups. The idea has never come to fruition, but a brief in this morning’s … [...]

]]> By: Venture-Capital » vFinance Capital http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-823430 Venture-Capital » vFinance Capital Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:11:15 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-823430 [...] Google to start new venture capital division — likely for telecomReports in years past have suggested that Google, like Intel, Motorola and other large tech companies, might open an internal venture capital fund to invest in startups. The idea has never come to fruition, but a brief in this morning’s … [...] [...] Google to start new venture capital division — likely for telecomReports in years past have suggested that Google, like Intel, Motorola and other large tech companies, might open an internal venture capital fund to invest in startups. The idea has never come to fruition, but a brief in this morning’s … [...]

]]> By: edahan http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-858104 edahan Fri, 01 Aug 2008 02:11:32 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-858104 It is essential that Google treat the Seed investing stage differently from the Series A/B investing stage.The care and feeding of the Seed Entrepreneur requires a much larger geographic footprint for sourcing than a Series A/B fund; a strong relationship working with and supporting the Entrepreneur Infrastructure already in place (incubators, tech transfers, economic development agencies); assistance with pre-investment company sourcing; and, assistance with post-investment company oversight.<br><br>Additionally, as mentioned in Mdangear's post below, small and vulnerable seed companies are very wary of exposing their technology, business models, etc. to corporate investors. Series A/B companies are a little less wary because of their VC/Institutional partners, but Seed companies are very leery of any outside entities.<br><br>The Google Fund should be designed to be a 2 part initiative with distinct processes and metrics: one part for the Seed and one part for the Series A/B. It is essential that Google treat the Seed investing stage differently from the Series A/B investing stage.The care and feeding of the Seed Entrepreneur requires a much larger geographic footprint for sourcing than a Series A/B fund; a strong relationship working with and supporting the Entrepreneur Infrastructure already in place (incubators, tech transfers, economic development agencies); assistance with pre-investment company sourcing; and, assistance with post-investment company oversight.

Additionally, as mentioned in Mdangear's post below, small and vulnerable seed companies are very wary of exposing their technology, business models, etc. to corporate investors. Series A/B companies are a little less wary because of their VC/Institutional partners, but Seed companies are very leery of any outside entities.

The Google Fund should be designed to be a 2 part initiative with distinct processes and metrics: one part for the Seed and one part for the Series A/B.

]]> By: Jarooka http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-858103 Jarooka Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:33:38 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-858103 I feel like this is a pretty natural development. Why would a leading internet technology company with a market cap of billions not have some sort of venture fund? It will be interesting to see how much they diversify their investments or if they target one market like telecomm.... <a href="http://www.readtheanswer.com/index.php?RTA=web2" rel="nofollow">www.readtheanswer.com/index.php?RTA=web2</a> I feel like this is a pretty natural development. Why would a leading internet technology company with a market cap of billions not have some sort of venture fund? It will be interesting to see how much they diversify their investments or if they target one market like telecomm…. http://www.readtheanswer.com/index.php?RTA=web2

]]> By: mdangear http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-858102 mdangear Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:49:14 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-858102 A fund like like would be a great way to finance research and foster innovation.<br>The risk clearly is that if I am an entrepreneur I would be worried about having Google too close to me at a stage when I am still small and vulnerable.<br>But on the other hand, if I am a geek with a great idea, and I am looking for help, then it becomes a great resources to get some funding to help me turn my prototype into something more solid.<br>I have been involved with startups for a while and I have seen a lot of would-be entrepreneurs who really are not entrepreneurs, but more geeks with a good idea. And while they may be excellent at what they do, and despite the standard presentations with big market numbers and hockey stick revenues they are not the kind who can get a business off the grounds, they do not have the first clue on what it takes to go to market and sell something.<br>These people still deserve a chance, because great technology can make great businesses when marketed appropriately. <br>The challenge for a Google Fund if it goes that route then becomes to match these great engineers with the right entrepreneur and/or the right executive team to make the business happen. Which becomes an issue of figuring out how to scale to do this, but there are ways to do this and I would love to have this discussion with them.<br>Unless they are just looking at financing lab experiments, an external version of what they already do internally when allowing their employees to spend one day a week on any project they like. <br>It will be interesting to see how this shapes up, I love Google for keeping us excited about what will come next :-) A fund like like would be a great way to finance research and foster innovation.
The risk clearly is that if I am an entrepreneur I would be worried about having Google too close to me at a stage when I am still small and vulnerable.
But on the other hand, if I am a geek with a great idea, and I am looking for help, then it becomes a great resources to get some funding to help me turn my prototype into something more solid.
I have been involved with startups for a while and I have seen a lot of would-be entrepreneurs who really are not entrepreneurs, but more geeks with a good idea. And while they may be excellent at what they do, and despite the standard presentations with big market numbers and hockey stick revenues they are not the kind who can get a business off the grounds, they do not have the first clue on what it takes to go to market and sell something.
These people still deserve a chance, because great technology can make great businesses when marketed appropriately.
The challenge for a Google Fund if it goes that route then becomes to match these great engineers with the right entrepreneur and/or the right executive team to make the business happen. Which becomes an issue of figuring out how to scale to do this, but there are ways to do this and I would love to have this discussion with them.
Unless they are just looking at financing lab experiments, an external version of what they already do internally when allowing their employees to spend one day a week on any project they like.
It will be interesting to see how this shapes up, I love Google for keeping us excited about what will come next :-)

]]> By: Chris Morrison http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-858101 Chris Morrison Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:33:38 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-858101 You mean, like Chris Sacca? Maybe they can lure him back as an investor ;) You mean, like Chris Sacca? Maybe they can lure him back as an investor ;)

]]> By: Pierre Henri Clouin http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-858100 Pierre Henri Clouin Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:12:33 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-858100 A corporate VC arm is indeed a sign of maturity for Google. It might also help fund and reward internal disruptive/innovative projects and keep key talent at Google. A corporate VC arm is indeed a sign of maturity for Google. It might also help fund and reward internal disruptive/innovative projects and keep key talent at Google.

]]> By: us senior open http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-823234 us senior open Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:08:00 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-823234 [...] the fund, and the company has hired William Maris, a former entrepreneur, to help set it up. Maris whttp://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/Another chance for Norman at US Senior iseekgolf.comIt was perhaps not surprising that Greg Norman [...] [...] the fund, and the company has hired William Maris, a former entrepreneur, to help set it up. Maris whttp://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/Another chance for Norman at US Senior iseekgolf.comIt was perhaps not surprising that Greg Norman [...]

]]> By: Google Planning to Launch a Venture Capital Fund | The Startup Lawyer http://venturebeat.com/2008/07/31/google-to-start-new-venture-capital-division-likely-for-telecom/comment-page-1/#comment-823231 Google Planning to Launch a Venture Capital Fund | The Startup Lawyer Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:31:05 +0000 http://venturebeat.com/?p=95892#comment-823231 [...] the WSJ article here. Read the Yahoo article here. Read the VentureBeat article here. Share this [...] [...] the WSJ article here. Read the Yahoo article here. Read the VentureBeat article here. Share this [...]

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