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Entrepreneurs chose tech gambles in ’07
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Daniel Neal, CEO of Kajeet, geared his company to sell cell phones and plans specifically targeted to the young “tween” market.
Web 2.0 efforts included portals like WeddingWire.com, aimed at making wedding planning easier online; Snoozester, which allows college students to customize wake-up calls over the Internet; and Ruckus, another college-oriented Web site dedicated to legal music sharing. Brijit.com targeted busy readers with its online article summary service, while Clearspring came into its own capitalizing on the popularity of widgets, a type of software application.
Other Internet-based tech gambles in 2007 included TinselVision, which aims to be the online destination for Bollywood content, and Upside Over Inc., a Web-based outdoor gear retailer aimed at children that won a major investment from Blackboard co-founder Stephen Gilfus.
According to the most recent MoneyTree report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, software was the most invested-in industry in the D.C. region by venture capitalists, with 43 of 130 deals happening in that space.
Mobile technologies were also a trend during 2007. Kajeet targeted its cell phone products at the teen and “tween” market, while Mobilians International focused on online payments. Reston-based Sprint Nextel partnered with Microsoft to offer a GPS-powered directions service via cell phones, while DotMobi established a D.C.-area presence for its company, which sells domains customized for mobile Web content.
“The iPhone was really an eye-opener for the industry not only for consumers, but for telecom players,” said Pragnesh Shah, Mobilians' founder. “It puts a lot of the handset manufacturers and mobile carriers on notice, and is driving continued innovation.”
Green technology was a focus this year. Julia Spicer, president of the Mid-Atlantic Venture Capital Association, and Matt Swartz, a venture capital and acquisitions lawyer for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, both said earlier this year that alternative-energy companies were a new focus among venture capital companies. EnviroCab got approval from Arlington County this year to operate an all-hybrid taxi fleet, winning half of the 100 licenses it requested.
melissa.frederick@dcexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
12:44 AM MST on Fri., Aug. 29, 2008 re: "Schools to lease land for phone towers"
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3:39 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 7, 2008
re: "Where being a nerd is cool"
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1:21 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 7, 2008
re: "Cities exploring high-tech ways to save on cash"
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10:34 AM MST on Wed., Jul. 16, 2008
re: "Computer specialist locks city out"
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11:04 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 14, 2008
re: "Brisbane to gauge baylands wind flow"
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11:46 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 10, 2008
re: "Defense, technology firms’ needs make Baltimore the place to be for IT positions"
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11:07 AM MST on Mon., Mar. 24, 2008
re: "U.Md. study shows MBAs lead to higher salaries in IT sector"
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7:34 AM MST on Thu., Mar. 13, 2008
re: "Businesses, educators agree they must unite to address tech job shortage"
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10:17 AM MST on Fri., May. 11, 2007
re: "Schools to lease land for phone towers"
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9:26 AM MST on Fri., May. 11, 2007
re: "Schools to lease land for phone towers"
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Examiner Reader said:
Hi this is Nilesh Pund Plz send me information about how take land for tower by company {in short}on my e-mail pund2007@rediffmail.com
8 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Really, we're [game developers] pretty sick of being called "Nerds" by the media; it's a ridiculous characterization. I doubt you'd use the same kinda of language when discussing race or gender. I.e "where being a Ni**** is cool" or "where being a bi*** is cool."
9 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
san carlos removed the only person that was earning her salary. REMOVE THE EMBEZZLING OFFICIALS !
32 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
We know who, we know where, we kind of know how, and we get an idea of when... but why did he do this?
11 agree | 13 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Wind turbines certainly generate clean energy (preferrable), but I wish leaders would allocate some of their design engineers to study how to protect the wildlife (birds) fatalities. It seems easy enough to place a cage around the turbines, just like the smaller, domestic models that protect children from getting their fingers clipped by the fan blades. I'm sure there's a way to make this look attractive in a super-size turbine.
15 agree | 16 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The Dice Report. “Baltimore-Washington has the third-highest average salary for IT professionals at $81,750 a year, ahead of the national average of $74,570.” WOW and yet the jobs which I applied for are paying way below the average. Usually a company asked what salary range I'm looking for, and usually that's a sign of we can't afford you. I answered negotiable, they pursuit for a number. When I give them a number I don't hear from them. Most of the positions I come across are bombarded with responsibilities and has a failure of matching the pay.
17 agree | 15 disagree
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Terence said:
What the article failed to address is that if you have an a non-business major and have an engineering or computer science degree, it is advisable to pursue an MBA degree and as such you would tend to pursue something like an IT degree and in that case, the jump in salary is significant. If you have a business undergrad in IT and pursue an MBA, that jump is significantly less. I still do not understand why students would do both an undergrad and grad in business. Really the textbooks are almost the same, the delivery is the difference. In some cases, classes are cross-taught at both the undergrad and grad. Pursuing a masters of science in marketing, operations and IT is the appropriate route not an MBA for undegrad in business. Just IMHO
17 agree | 16 disagree
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Iconic Xer. said:
I find this story missing a critical and informative element. Sure, tech companies and institutions such as NASA may be losing *employees* to retirement. But that doesn't mean there aren't *lots* of tech professionals around. Quite the opposite. There's an abundance of them. Companies have got to change their cultures, compensation and engagement of workers to be in alignment with the preference of many tech professionals to work outside of organizations, to work for multiple companies, to be flexible, nimble and not dependent on one industry or company for survival. It's a generational thing, really, with your GenXers (27-47 in 2008) heavily leaning in this direction. Re: the lack of kids entering STEM. It has nothing to do with them not wanting to be cool. They are achievement, affluence and team-oriented. Sing their song and they'll come in droves. Sing *your* song & they won't hear you ... or even bother trying. And, mistakenly, you'll conclude they're not interested. What
16 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Possible health risk of cancer too! See international studies.
427 agree | 485 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You can't stop it now and usually there is a reason its done that way
490 agree | 470 disagree
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