StartupBackpack » Businesses

Thunderbirds setting out on their own

StartupBackpack — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:02:35 +0000

A few key members of the Mozilla Thunderbird crew have set out with their own wings on and left Mozilla to start up… an email company. The company/product has yet to be named.Â Scott MacGregor and David Bienvenu along with a few other Mozilla members are joining the team. WithÂ the way Thunderbird has integrated IMAP, we can only guess that this new project will be an email productivity killer.

Your Tesla is getting its transmission fixed, but it will ship on time

StartupBackpack — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:05:35 +0000

If you are anxiously awaiting the arrival of your Tesla Motor Car, maybe you should think about waiting a little longer. The Silicon Valley based electric car company are facing a slight technology issue, the transmission. The first run of environmentally friendly autos are scheduled to this the first quarter of 2008 and already two suppliers have failed to come up with a way to overcome the transmission issue. Tesla is also raising a $40 Million round of financing that will will help push the electric vehicle into full production by the second half of 2008.

How late will your Tesla be? Supposedly it wont be, they have ensured people they will ship on time, and with the transmission fix.

LookSmart buys Edgeio

StartupBackpack — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:04:18 +0000

It has been announced that Edgeio, the company that took millions of classified listings and catagorized them into one central location, has finally been sold. Founded by Keith Teare and Michael Arrington from TechCrunch in 2005 has sold its assets to LookSmart for $280,000, a little less we are sure than expected. Nonetheless, Arrington is up up and away with TechCrunch, and we are sure that Teare will move on to another successful venture. You win some and you loose some.

Microsoft helps small businesses get started with Search Engine Marketing

StartupBackpack — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 23:41:37 +0000

Microsoft’s Office Live Small Business sector has teamed up with The Search Agency to help get small businesses rolling on the basics of marketing a website.

The Search Agency will develop a range of new services that are aimed at getting smaller businesses up and running on search engine marketing. Through the partnership, the Agency will develop keyword advertising campaigns for Microsoft Office Live Small Business customers and teach courses that cover all the essentials.

With more and more businesses getting online, its becoming increasingly important to market in the right places, such as though ad networks, on specific websites, and through search engine’s like Google, Yahoo! and Live.com.

Bostom Startups present at Web Innovators

StartupBackpack — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:43:51 +0000

Tucked away deep in Boston’s Cambridge district, the Web Innovators Group had an evening of Demoing.

For entrepreneurs and developers, its always best to get out into the field and ask people what they think of your applications, products and services. A consumers point of view is what can make of break your baby. You might have an idea, but if you give the consumers what they want, your goldmine will arrive, and the success of your business will most likely be ensured.

The Web Innovators is a group that promotes the web and mobile innovations around the Boston area. GigaOm’s FranÃ§ois Schiettecatte attended the Web Innovators event in Boston and reported on some interesting online and mobile based applications that were demoed, including:

FrameChannel – a web service platform thta allows users to manage content delivered to Wifi picture frames.
GoLoco – Facebook application that allows people to share rides and costs associted with operating a vehicle.
DesignMyRoom - web based application that allows home owners to try out different interior design options.
Mobleo – mobile bookmark management.

Web Innovators in Boston will be held next on November 6th 2007.

Startup tips eBook from CenterNetworks

StartupBackpack — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:59:42 +0000

Looking for some tips on starting up your business? Allen Stern from CenterNetworks has been following web based companies for some time and is considered an expert in the field. He has compiled an excellent ebook filled with startup tips from the famous faces of the web world.

Check tips out from successful entrepreneurs who have got their ideas up off the ground. The ebook includes tips from:

Alex Bard, goowy
Ben Elowitz, Wetpaint
Craig Walker, GrandCentral
David Weekly, PBwiki
Tara Hunt/Chris Messina, Citizen Agency

Relaxing flights care of deluxe airport lounges

StartupBackpack — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:30:04 +0000

Flying can be extremely tiresome, boring and downright annoying. But nothing makes it more worthwhile than flying executive class, larger seats, better service, and the use of private lounges to work away in. And nothing smell like business class more than deluxe airport lounges.

The London Heathrow Clubhouse by Virgin Atlantic is a $21 Million, 27,000 square foot retreat. Complete with a spa, exclusive dining options, arcade, wifi business facilities and all around relaxing business environment.

Hong Kong Pier and Wing by Cathay Pacific holds two lounges with 80 personal living spaces comprising of five foot wide offices with desks, computer and phones. There is also a marble shower suite and private cabanas to relax in. Of course there are private video games and an 80 foot long bar to sit at.

Kuala Lumpur has the Golden Lounge that is for premium class airport travelers only. Its putting green, buffet, and business center ensure a relaxing atmosphere. And it doesn’t stop there, like the other executive business class airport getaways, the Malaysia Airlines facility has a Relaxation Room with massage chairs.

Qatar’s Doho International Premium terminal has a $90 Million 100,000 square foot terminal exclusively for first class and business class travelers. Porters take bags and show you to all of the luxuries that you could imagine. From soothing fountains, to business centers with secretaries and wifi, to a 24 hour walk in clinic, and massage center with jacuzzi. When its time to leave, a lounge staff member will gently notify you and a private car will also take you away to your flight.

Business blogging tools

StartupBackpack — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 01:08:05 +0000

For most companies, blogging is great idea. Talk to your customers on a regular basis and engage them with new ideas, products, services and things your business can do to make their business easier. Drop some tricks and well researched material that makes them fell like you are actually helping them instead of trying to sell to them and you will be rewarded.

Now, getting started is easy, if you’re in the industry of blogging, but if you’re not, it might be hard to figure out the best tools to use. Thankfully BootStrapper has put together a list of the 100 Resources for Entrepreneur Writers. The list encompasses the many different blogging platforms to choose from, How to properly design and create content, Marketing your blog, Tips from Blogs on blogging, Blogging forums and networks, Search engines, Analytics and measuring traffic, and different Tools to use. This list should get you off on the right foot for business blogging.

A Business mans last day

StartupBackpack — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:26:30 +0000

This story is about excess. About building an empire and having to leave it. This story is about Vernon W. Hill II who aggressively founded the Commerce Bank over 34 years ago, and had to leave in order for it to take shape due to cease-and-desist orders with federal banking regulators.

Vernon upped the anti in his business plans, by rapidly opening up Burger Kings, to creating a banking empire that saw the creation of extremely large branches while other companies were scaling back. Then there is the talk of his 46,000 square foot home that was created after the demolition of a historic property that caused his neighbors to establish a preservation society.

Take it for what it is, and keep Karma in mind.

When investing in Domain Names makes millions

StartupBackpack — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 18:00:57 +0000

Domain names are like real estate, when that property is gone, its gone until someone chooses to put it back on to the market.

Over time real estate prices increase, such is the case in the premium domain name market place. It has become evident now more than ever that domain names are the place to be for virtual investments that can really turn a profit when the name is right. Business.com owners, Jake Winebaum and Sky Dayton, hit that make exactly when they originally purchased it for $7.5 million back in 1999. Did people think they were crazy? Oh yes. They have now proved that that original domain name purchase was well worth their piddly few million dollar investment.

Business.com was sold for $345 million this past week. Not only were the new owners paying for the premium domain name, they were paying for genuine type in traffic, and a directory of businesses that were put together over the eight years that its owners worked on it.

The Business.com domain currently pulls in $15 million per year.
The new owner is R.H. Donnelley, a yellow pages and local search firm.