TechCrunch40 Fuels Hacker Dreams While DeadPool LOOMS
TechCrunch40 day two, here we go: Productivity & Web Apps.
My TechCrunch40 vicarious experience is not that different from visiting the TechCrunch blog on any given Web 2.0 day. After all, Duncan Riley is on the YAY! cool app in two paragpraphs flat blog post patrol and favored Internet “experts” are given the glowing Michael Arrington spotlight.
The net TechCrunch effect is also similar: Tasty snacking, but ultimately unfulfilling.
Arrington has stayed true to his TechCrunch mission of hyping crowd-pleasing cool tech talk while downplaying boring business model banter.
TechCrunch40 is demo all the way, but what are the 140 plus cool apps actually demoing for? Attention, press, traffic, venture capital….?
While Arrington shrewdly implements his own calculated Web 2.0 business model, business planning for Web 2.0 startups is his least favorite startup topic.
The TechCrunch40 “expert” panels often present as cynical “gong show” type fare, with horserace style longevity handicapping. The most important ”expert” question seems to be: Gone in five years, or sell out soon?
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE QUESTION:
“WHAT SHOULD THE ENTREPRENEURS DO TO BUILD A LONG-TERM STANDALONE BUSINESS?”
For another day, or rather another conference.
Riley’s pre-prepped “Session 5″ post is typically long on tech hype and VERY, VERY short on show me the hard earned, day in day out money via solid business planning.
Forty plus paragraphs hail Web 2.0 power:
XOBNI: “improve the way users organize, search and navigate their email”
ORGOO: “personal communications cockpit”
APP2YOU: “allows anyone to build a custom Web application”
MINT: “revolutionary way for us to organize our finances”
KERPOOF: “activites that are enriching as well as entertaining”
EXPERT PANEL BUSINESS MODEL POWER DISCUSSION?
Asked about their business models:
Mint: lead generation
Kerpoof: subscriber fees
Xobni: vertical solutions
Orgoo (?): ads, premium services
INSIGHTFUL? NO!
Robert Scoble cheers the fun of TechCrunch40 is “seeing who will win” the $50,000 cash bounty. The 139 TechCrunch40 “losers” could all be long-lived winners, however, if Arrington and partner Jason Calacanis would inspire and drive their TechCrunch40 stamped startups to build long-lasting, stand alone business models, not only cool, but generally disposable, Web 2.0 apps.
ALSO: Mint.com: TechCrunch 50,000 Winner or Loser?
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