Gust

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Up-to-date Investors Want Social Proof from Startups

Gust

I just read Social Proof Is the New Currency on the Social Media Today blog. Whether you like Mark Zuckerberg’s mug or not, the social web is here to stay, and businesses that can integrate social proof into their marketing efforts seamlessly will join this new “socially rich” class. Author Daniel Lay writes: .

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Nuts & Bolts of Intellectual Property for New Startups

Gust

Today, it can sign one deal with a cloud service provider such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) to replace all of the above. This includes website content and software code as well as the more obvious examples in media and publishing. After eliminating all of these types of assets, what remains? Intellectual property.

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Intellectual Property for Startups in the Real World

Gust

The quicker the startup establishes a strong brand identity that “sells itself” through word-of-mouth and social media, earning goodwill in its name, the sooner it can effectively chase away knockoffs that try to use confusingly similar names , logos, or domain names. This is not to suggest there is no legal recourse whatsoever, though.

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Stealth Mode Entrepreneurs Only Increase the Risk

Gust

Here are seven ways this can actually help your startup efforts, rather than hurt them: Initiate media interest. These days, new technologies and social trends are fanned from an ember into a flame by the media and word-of-mouth. With most others, like web services, incubation time must be short, and secrecy can be the kiss of death.

Stealth 131
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Gust Startup Trend Map

Gust

Unsurprisingly the dominant industry for new startups in August is Internet/Web Services, but other top industries include Consumer Products and Services, Media and Entertainment, as well as Financial Services.

Brazil 134
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Assume Your Market is People Like You, Then Fail

Gust

Everyone must have a web site that is complete, inviting, and easy to use. Use social media, search engine optimization, blogging, and mobile media. Use technology to reach your prospects. Create and maintain your own database of targeted prospects, and don’t rely on generic email lists for marketing.

Marketing 136
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Keep It Under Your Hat: Valuation Caps and the $650 Million Sale of MySpace for $125 Million

Gust

Never missing an opportunity for a good war story, I’d like to revisit one high-profile transaction, the $650 million acquisition of MySpace by Fox Interactive Media in 2005, on which I spent many sleepless nights along with the rest of the deal team.