Rude VC: Rude on NDAs
Several times per week I’m requested to sign an NDA. Last I recall this practice was declining in the U.S. VC landscape, but it’s unfortunately alive and well in Europe. I say unfortunately, because excluding a few valid exceptions, an NDA strikes me as a productivity-killer that hurts both me and the entrepreneur. The process […]
France falls below average on Internet contribution to GDP
It’s evident that over the last 15 years or so the Internet has completely transformed the way we lead our lives, but how has it affected our economies? This question has been looked at in several studies and articles over the years, but one conducted recently by BCG provided some perspective on just how far […]
Envivio announces IPO to stream video to every screen
Envivio, a San Francisco-based company, announced its IPOyesterday for its video-streaming solution. Founded back in 2000 by ex-France Telecom Julien Signes, Envivio has been working for 12 years on streaming streaming Video over IP, and currently offers B2B solutions for mobile, PC, and TV, including On-Demand, Over-the-top, and multi-screen delivery. While Envivio is headquartered in the […]
Rude VC: Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic
Pardon the overused cliché, but I figured it was appropriate to pay homage to the 100-year anniversary of the Titanic’s fatal voyage since every media outlet seems to be doing so (my favorite was The Onion’s commemorative tribute in applying its rarely-used 100-point font to the headline). But the equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on […]
Rude VC: The easy money period (relatively)
In France we’re now entering what I think of as the “easy money period” for startups. The easy money period begins roughly around April 15 (purely coincidentally, the U.S. tax filing deadline) and runs until June 15 (the French wealth tax filing deadline, and that’s no coincidence). To be fair, fundraising in a startup is […]
RUDE VC – Warning! this blog post is unrealistically optimistic
I don’t think a week goes by in our office without at least one fundraising pitch employing some variation of the phrase, “These financial projections are conservative.” I understand the well-meaning intent. The entrepreneur’s objectives are often twofold: i) convey us that the market potential for the given startup is enormous; and ii) convince us […]
RUDE VC – Last question: gimme your password
Imagine this scenario: You just completed a full day of second-round interviews at the Company’s premises following your successfully making the first cut at their on-campus recruiting session. It was a long, grueling day, but you feel good about the positive impression you made on everyone. Your well-prepared questions clearly hit the mark, and you […]
Why Startup Weekend Paris tickets cost €200
This upcoming weekend, DojoBoost accelerator program will host a special edition of Startup Weekend Paris. The first of five (that’s right, FIVE) startup weekends that will happen in Paris this year, the first event of the year is a Tech Special Edition. The special event will consist of a high developer/designer-to-business ratio, and the talks and […]
RUDE VC: Asking a VC for a job. Do's and Don'ts.
Last week I received a job inquiry which consisted of a CV attached to the following email (translated more or less verbatim): Dear Mr. Bivens Student at [local university], I’m looking for a job in private equity in Paris. Competitive, aggressive, and dominant on the French private equity market, Truffle Capital is the enterprise corresponding […]
Krrb: Paris and Brooklyn-designed fleas for fashion (and more)
Online classifieds have been stuck in the past for years now (see Craigslist and Leboncoin), and even though plenty of companies are trying hard (see Oodle and OLX), innovation in the space really seems to be lagging. So the first thing you notice when you go to Krrb.com is that it looks like something new. […]