“The Securities and Exchange Commission is making way for a number of startups and online investment platforms to enable startups to crowdsource investment. Early last week, Y Combinator-backed FundersClub received notice from the SEC that the agency would not pursue action against its crowdfunding platform. But it wasn’t alone: a few days later, AngelList received a similar letter from the SEC.”
Source TECHCRUNCH
The introduction of idiosyncratic crowd sourced funding platforms will give more startups access to qualified funding and also raise more interesting structure issues for startup attorneys.
Share on Facebook
“In the plaintiffs’ version, a dog embarks on a mission to save Christmas from a witch threatening to drain the world of holiday cheer with her magic icicle. In Disney’s version Santa Paws combats an evil icicle that threatens Christmas.”
[Source, TheWrap: "Judge Dismisses 'Santa Paws' Copyright Lawsuit Against Disney" 9/20/2012]
The precedent established here is that you cannot copyright the idea of a dog combating an evil icycle. One wonders, of course, what the outcome would have been if Disney had been the plaintiff, had produced its movie, and the plaintiffs here had come along and published their short story.
While I agree with the Court’s decision (federal trial court, Missouri), I rue the inherent ambiguities and unfairness of the laws and their litigated enforcement in our courts.
Share on Facebook
“Manchester United IPO: Forget Soccer, It’s a Media Company”
.
As cogently expressed in the Wired article titled above:
Taken by Meatto at United practice in New Jersey!
“And also like Facebook, and every other social media company that has tested the public markets recently, Manchester United is pinning its appeal to investors on its ability to monetize the 659 million “followers” it claims to have worldwide. Facebook boasted of more than 800 million users in its IPO filing, but so far they haven’t helped its share price. Nor have big user bases done much for Yelp, Zynga or Angie’s List shares either since they went public within the past year. And Google’s returns have been mediocre during the same period.”
For all of we Manchester United fans, bring on Groupon!.
Share on Facebook
Cloud search firm Simplexo recently voiced concerns about who owns copyrights to documents stored in in Google Drive.
Here is the link to the Terms of Service for the Google Apps Free Agreement. I have no idea why it is drafted this way, but here is the awkward excerpt:
7. Intellectual Property Rights; Brand Features.
7.1 Intellectual Property Rights. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Agreement does not grant either party any rights, implied or otherwise, to the other’s content or any of the other’s intellectual property. As between the parties, Customer owns all Intellectual Property Rights in Customer Data, and Google owns all Intellectual Property Rights in the Services.
[click to continue…]
Share on Facebook
So much for the free and open Internet. Remember back in March, when Yahoo sued Facebook for patent infringement, claiming ““Facebook’s entire social network model “is based on Yahoo!’s patented social networking technology.”
In response, Facebook in 1Q 2012 went out and purchased over $600 million in patents and filed a patent infringement counterclaim against Yahoo.
I wonder how many social media and other startups are subject to being crushed by these patent trolling giants? Will angels and venture capitalists require patent due dilligence?
Share on Facebook
As a Twitter follower of #startups #nyc, I have now skipped through hundreds, if not thousands, of tweets announcing “Time Inc.’s 10 NYC Startups to Watch – 2012“.
For those of us who studied Latin, we often are inclined to use the Latin Phrase “Res Ipsa Loquitur (the thing speaks for itself).”
Here is the shortlist of NYC startup companies to watch. Hard to believe this list and its progeny will support all of New York City’s venture capitalists.
1. Fancy Hands: “A team of virtual personal assistants ready to work for you right now.”
2. Truth and Beauty: “An online platform that allows users to create their own personal skincare blends.”
[Are you excited yet?]
3. Adaptly: “The easiest way to advertise and increase engagement across all social networks.” A true meta-morphosis.
4. Divide: “.Enterproid has created a user experience that allows IT to manage the work persona without compromising an employee’s privacy.” Divide and conquer.
5. Loosecubes: “Loosecubes is a peer-to-peer office sharing community.” O.K,, I have actually used it, but is just a database.
6. Stamped: “A social platform that allows friends to put their stamp of approval on what they like best.” Breakthrough.
7. Codeacademy: “A fun, interactive and easy way to learn code.” Flashcards for Rock Stars.
I am working on the energy to complete 7 through 10. Please check back.
Share on Facebook
