Entrepreneurs lining up for new Startup Stock Exchange

He has invented 21 products for treating heart disease. He led the growth of two multi-million dollar health companies, which eventually sold to Medtronic for over $4 billion in the late '90s. He has even run for governor of California. Now serial entrepreneur Howard Leonhardt wants another notch on his belt: To help create 23 million American jobs. He plans to do it by starting the California Stock Exchange—think NASDAQ for start-ups and small businesses....Read more A Start-up to Create 23 Million Jobs in America?

Urgently Needed: More VC IPOs in 2012

[Guest Post] In this morning’s Exit Poll release by the NVCA and Thomson Reuters, we were deliberate in making the point that despite the Q4 momentum, the venture-backed IPO market did not recover in 2011. In fact, it still has quite a way to go before we declare a healthy IPO market. Here at NVCA, we are focused on the NUMBER of offerings rather than the total offer amount as our country needs MORE public companies – not necessarily bigger ones.

Aside from the need for more IPO volume, here are a few other trends that 2011 data suggests:

Bulge Bracket Banks Still Dominate: Morgan Stanley served as the book manager or co-manager for the most...continue here: 2011 IPO Stats Show 2012 Trends to Watch

5 Predictions for Online Data in 2012

5 Predictions for Online Data in 2012

My 7 top Posts of 2011

My 7 top posts of 2011 - [in English]

1.       Tech Valuations - back to big $$$ per eyeballs

2.       Steve Jobs, our prayers are with you

3.       Lightning strikes Eiffel Tower - incredible photo

4.       Top 10 outrageous statements made by entrepreneurs to VCs

5.       Turnarounds - why? why? why?

6.       Tech Founders - overcome your fear of public speaking

7.       Top 10 excuses used by salespeople

My 7 top posts of 2011 - [in French]

1.       Vente Privée contre Groupon, un David contre Goliath

2.       Lettre ouverte à Nicolas Sarkozy par Fabrice

3.       Lettre ouverte à l'écosystème des startups en France par Cédric

4.       Rory McIlroy flambe le record de Tiger Woods à l'US Open

5.       Valos tech - facebook, linkedin, skype - des ARPU faibles pour des valos indecentes

6.       Vaincre la peur de parler en public

7.       Les Business Angels s'essouflent...

Rankings were done according to traffic data.

7 Metrics to demonstrate a web startup has Traction

7. Downloads over 6 months with Free version - "Gross Tract"

6. Churn rate or utilization rate from Free Downloads - "Drops"

5. Conversion rate from Free to Subscriber (basic) - "Uptake"

4. Lead time of conversion from Free to Pay - "Drag"

3.  Acquisition Cost per Subscriber - "CPS"

2. Churn rate of paying Subscribers - "Money Drops"

1.  Net contribution margin per Subscriber, post infrastructure costs - "NetCoM"

Gamification: the new science of engaging your customers

Beyond Gamification: Architecting Engagement Through Game Design Thinking

View more presentations from Dustin DiTommaso

8 Musts to successfully raise seed capital for your startup

8. Put together an A-team….that means people who have done it before mixed with a few newbies

7. Define your nearest market, not the one for the grand vision

6. Know your subject matter better than anyone can find through research on the internet

5. Know every single competitor and near competitor that raised funding, and why you deserve money

4.Demonstrate how your startup can grow into a business; it is not simply a nice project

3. Get technical endorsers for your beta

2. Raise $20K to $50K from Family, Friends & Acquaintances; It shows that someone believes in you.

1. Demonstrate initial market traction, even if it is limited; That demonstrates that the dog "likes" the dog food.