American Venture Magazine talked to Ilya Nykin, managing director of Prolog Ventures, about what his firm looks for when evaluating potential investments.
How long have you worked in the venture capital industry?
Over the past 20 years, I've been both an entrepreneur and an investor. I've launched and led my own companies, and now I help other entrepreneurs do the same. My partners at Prolog also have significant experience in both investing and operations.
What kinds of opportunities does Prolog look for?
Prolog focuses on life science investments. We've invested in biopharmaceuticals, medical technology, and other traditional healthcare areas, but we also look for opportunities in emerging fields such as nutrition, wellness, plant science, and bio-energy.
How do you screen companies when you receive requests for capital?
Most firms focus initially on two things: breakthrough products and strategic fit. At Prolog, we look for opportunities that meet a critical unmet need in the marketplace, and they must fit within our life science focus and our current investment strategies. We also tend to focus on very early-stage companies, where we can add the most value. And while we do screen incoming requests, we're very active in looking for investment opportunities ourselves.
What happens when you identify a company that meets your criteria?
We do some initial research to determine key risks and opportunities – competitive landscape, strength of the technology, etc. If we believe it's a good opportunity, we'll meet with the management team and assess their ability to lead the business...
More at:http://www.americanventuremagazine.com
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Eloqua has received $23 million in Series C funding
What Company is offering:
Eloqua provides on-demand applications and best-practice expertise for B2B marketers to execute, automate and measure effective marketing programs that drive revenue. Eloqua drives the entire marketing process from contact to close, while making prospect interest and intent visible at every step.
How Much They Got From VCs:
The leading supplier of automated demand generation applications and expertise for business-to-business (B2B) marketers, today announced that it has received $23 million in Series C funding. New investor Bessemer Venture Partners led the financing, with existing investors JMI Equity and Bay Partners also participating.
What Its Purpose For More Funding?
Eloqua will use this strategic funding to support the company’s rapid customer growth, extend its worldwide adoption – especially in key global markets – and to continue innovating for current customers across a range of vertical markets and industries.
More at:http://www.eloqua.com/
Eloqua provides on-demand applications and best-practice expertise for B2B marketers to execute, automate and measure effective marketing programs that drive revenue. Eloqua drives the entire marketing process from contact to close, while making prospect interest and intent visible at every step.
How Much They Got From VCs:
The leading supplier of automated demand generation applications and expertise for business-to-business (B2B) marketers, today announced that it has received $23 million in Series C funding. New investor Bessemer Venture Partners led the financing, with existing investors JMI Equity and Bay Partners also participating.
What Its Purpose For More Funding?
Eloqua will use this strategic funding to support the company’s rapid customer growth, extend its worldwide adoption – especially in key global markets – and to continue innovating for current customers across a range of vertical markets and industries.
More at:http://www.eloqua.com/
Needish lets users post a service or a product that they need
What Company Is Offering:
Needish provides an easy-use effective online service that allows you save time, save money and the possibility to be offered everything you need and/or desire.
How It Works:
Needish lets users post a service or a product that they need . Posting your need is easy; simply enter a subject and briefly describe what you’re looking for. Alternately, you can browse needs to see if anyone is in search of something you might be able to offer them. You can also search needs more thoroughly by keyword. You can sort the results by subject, number of offers received, or by expiration date. Like Craigslist, you can post and/or find anything on this site, from used digital cameras to apartments to airline tickets to London to a journalism intern. All final transactions are done off-site, but you can converse with those to whom you make offers. You don’t need to be a member of the site to make an offer, but you will want to sign up if you plan on responding to anyone’s need with a service or product of your own. Currently, the site operates principally in the metro Santiago, Chile area.
More at:http://www.needish.cl/
Needish provides an easy-use effective online service that allows you save time, save money and the possibility to be offered everything you need and/or desire.
How It Works:
Needish lets users post a service or a product that they need . Posting your need is easy; simply enter a subject and briefly describe what you’re looking for. Alternately, you can browse needs to see if anyone is in search of something you might be able to offer them. You can also search needs more thoroughly by keyword. You can sort the results by subject, number of offers received, or by expiration date. Like Craigslist, you can post and/or find anything on this site, from used digital cameras to apartments to airline tickets to London to a journalism intern. All final transactions are done off-site, but you can converse with those to whom you make offers. You don’t need to be a member of the site to make an offer, but you will want to sign up if you plan on responding to anyone’s need with a service or product of your own. Currently, the site operates principally in the metro Santiago, Chile area.
More at:http://www.needish.cl/
PiggyBankInc.com gives you a virtual piggy bank
What Company is Offering:
PiggyBankInc.com gives you a virtual piggy bank.PiggyBankInc.com could help you teach your children about the value of money and the importance of saving.Get an automatic weekly email reminder of their updated allowance balance
Update their balance yourself: withdrawals for when they make purchases, deposits when they do chores or they 'deposit' cash from other sources with you
Encourage them to save by giving them a weekly interest rate, teaching them first-hand about compounding interest
How It works:
At PiggyBankInc.com you can set up an account for your children that will record how much they earn, how much they spend and you can even give them weekly interest. Go to the site and create an account. When you create an account you can add as many children as you like. Go to the settings and choose how much their weekly allowance is, weekly interest rate, and when payday will be. Your child can then record deposits and withdrawals that will have the dates included in the statements. Your child can check their account history to see how much money they have left after a months allowance and a trip to the amusement park. PiggyBankInc.com is a great way for your children to learn how to appreciate money.
More at:http://www.piggybankinc.com/
PiggyBankInc.com gives you a virtual piggy bank.PiggyBankInc.com could help you teach your children about the value of money and the importance of saving.Get an automatic weekly email reminder of their updated allowance balance
Update their balance yourself: withdrawals for when they make purchases, deposits when they do chores or they 'deposit' cash from other sources with you
Encourage them to save by giving them a weekly interest rate, teaching them first-hand about compounding interest
How It works:
At PiggyBankInc.com you can set up an account for your children that will record how much they earn, how much they spend and you can even give them weekly interest. Go to the site and create an account. When you create an account you can add as many children as you like. Go to the settings and choose how much their weekly allowance is, weekly interest rate, and when payday will be. Your child can then record deposits and withdrawals that will have the dates included in the statements. Your child can check their account history to see how much money they have left after a months allowance and a trip to the amusement park. PiggyBankInc.com is a great way for your children to learn how to appreciate money.
More at:http://www.piggybankinc.com/
Unusual Business Idea
Play Date Atlanta has created an alternative to the typical club scene by offering Atlanta-area singles and couples a chance to meet one another in a casual atmosphere focused on playing games. No high pressure, no awkward introductions; rather, participants in Play Date Atlanta's monthly events just roll up their sleeves and enter into a little friendly competition. The games available span the spectrum from Monopoly and Yahtzee to Hungry Hungry Hippos and Musical Chairs. The setting is a function room in a local Crowne Plaza hotel, and food and drinks complete the picture. Participants pay a USD 10 entrance fee, which includes free parking.
The concept was created by Atlanta-based Green Light Entertainment, which hopes to bring the Play Date movement to other cities, too. Time to start facilitating grown-up play dates in your own neck of the woods? Let the games begin.
More at:http://www.playdateatl.com/
Via-uncommonblog
The concept was created by Atlanta-based Green Light Entertainment, which hopes to bring the Play Date movement to other cities, too. Time to start facilitating grown-up play dates in your own neck of the woods? Let the games begin.
More at:http://www.playdateatl.com/
Via-uncommonblog
Marketocracy for find the best investors in the world and then track, analyze, and evaluate their trading activity
What company is about:
Marketocracy Data Services is a research company whose mission is to find the best investors in the world and then track, analyze, and evaluate their trading activity. The company's affiliate, Marketocracy Capital Management, is the investment advisor for the Marketocracy family of mutual funds and uses the research generated by Marketocracy Data
What company's track record:
Marketocracy has recruited over 55,000 people to manage over 65,000 model portfolios at www.marketocracy.com that compete to become the best investors. For over 3 years we have tracked, analyzed, and evaluated their virtual trading activity and have accumulated a massive database; following over 10,000 stock positions at any one time and more than four million trades.
More at:http://www.marketocracy.com/
Marketocracy Data Services is a research company whose mission is to find the best investors in the world and then track, analyze, and evaluate their trading activity. The company's affiliate, Marketocracy Capital Management, is the investment advisor for the Marketocracy family of mutual funds and uses the research generated by Marketocracy Data
What company's track record:
Marketocracy has recruited over 55,000 people to manage over 65,000 model portfolios at www.marketocracy.com that compete to become the best investors. For over 3 years we have tracked, analyzed, and evaluated their virtual trading activity and have accumulated a massive database; following over 10,000 stock positions at any one time and more than four million trades.
More at:http://www.marketocracy.com/
CommentAnywhere is tool for sharing your own commentary on any Web page
What Company is Offering;
CommentAnywhere is tool for sharing your own commentary on any Web page with your Facebook friends.
How it works:
To use CommentAnywhere, you first install a toolbar, which allows you to leave comments on specific parts of any Web page. Then, when your friends visit the same Web page (and also have the toolbar installed) they can see the comments anyone in their Facebook network has left.
Beyond the basic functionality, CommentAnywhere also allows you to add pictures and video to the Web pages you decide to share. There is also a feature for filtering networks .
Will it Work?
I think the idea of CommentAnywhere is good, though it will take a pretty large critical mass of users to become interesting to use. The vision is pretty impressive though – imagine browsing the Web and seeing multimedia comments from your friends on the content you are browsing.
More at:http://www.commentanywhere.com/
CommentAnywhere is tool for sharing your own commentary on any Web page with your Facebook friends.
How it works:
To use CommentAnywhere, you first install a toolbar, which allows you to leave comments on specific parts of any Web page. Then, when your friends visit the same Web page (and also have the toolbar installed) they can see the comments anyone in their Facebook network has left.
Beyond the basic functionality, CommentAnywhere also allows you to add pictures and video to the Web pages you decide to share. There is also a feature for filtering networks .
Will it Work?
I think the idea of CommentAnywhere is good, though it will take a pretty large critical mass of users to become interesting to use. The vision is pretty impressive though – imagine browsing the Web and seeing multimedia comments from your friends on the content you are browsing.
More at:http://www.commentanywhere.com/
YuMe, which has raised $9 million
What Company is about;
YuMe provides a variety of online video ad formats, including pre, mid, and post-roll, as well as the interactive overlay style featured by the likes of VideoEgg. The company also offers its advertising solutions for different types of video, from online streams, to downloads, to mobile devices.
About VCs Deal:
An online video advertising network YuMe, which has raised $9 million from Khosla Ventures, Accel Partners, and BV Capital.
More at:http://www.yumenetworks.com/
YuMe provides a variety of online video ad formats, including pre, mid, and post-roll, as well as the interactive overlay style featured by the likes of VideoEgg. The company also offers its advertising solutions for different types of video, from online streams, to downloads, to mobile devices.
About VCs Deal:
An online video advertising network YuMe, which has raised $9 million from Khosla Ventures, Accel Partners, and BV Capital.
More at:http://www.yumenetworks.com/
Ancestry that looks to combine science with the company’s online database of family trees
What company is about:
Ancestry.com has launched a new service called DNA Ancestry that looks to combine science with the company’s online database of family trees.
How It works:
The service allows users to submit a DNA sample to Ancnestry.com, who will then analyze and compare it to results in their genetic database. The hope is that this can lead to users discovering more relatives, or, once and for all proving that their crazy second cousin isn’t actually related.
The site will soon start adding DNA results to existing family trees, making it possible to find other relatives down the road as more people submit tests. Another interesting twist is that by the end of the year, DNA Ancestry will offer a “Groups” feature so people with similar characteristics such as the same last name can get together and determine how they are related, if at all.
All of this genetic fun isn’t free – tests cost between $149 and $199. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting combination of science and social networking that could yield some fascinating results for people that want to explore their ancestry.
More at:http://dna.ancestry.com/
Ancestry.com has launched a new service called DNA Ancestry that looks to combine science with the company’s online database of family trees.
How It works:
The service allows users to submit a DNA sample to Ancnestry.com, who will then analyze and compare it to results in their genetic database. The hope is that this can lead to users discovering more relatives, or, once and for all proving that their crazy second cousin isn’t actually related.
The site will soon start adding DNA results to existing family trees, making it possible to find other relatives down the road as more people submit tests. Another interesting twist is that by the end of the year, DNA Ancestry will offer a “Groups” feature so people with similar characteristics such as the same last name can get together and determine how they are related, if at all.
All of this genetic fun isn’t free – tests cost between $149 and $199. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting combination of science and social networking that could yield some fascinating results for people that want to explore their ancestry.
More at:http://dna.ancestry.com/
Ukash is now offering an alternative to the Linden Dollar
What company is offering:
Ukash is a new, simple and secure way for you to shop, play and pay with cash online.
Ukash is now offering an alternative to the Linden Dollar for those wishing to engage in economic transactions on Second Life. The company bears a strong resemblance to well known eCurrency providers like PayPal, except that Ukash does not have a strict reliance on credit card or bank transactions like other online money brokers. Cursory searches across the internet also show that UKash doesn’t have reputation problems (at least as of yet), like so many other PayPal alternatives.
What's idea behind creating it:
According to Miark Chirnside, Ukash CEO, the alternative currency is growing in usage across Europe because of its ability to convert from cash. Ukash terminals are now available in the Bulido Money Service outlets inside Second Life, but those UKash isn’t limiting itself to simply just Second Life transactions. Ukash has real world terminals too, located in newsagents, grocery stores, post offices, and gas stations in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany and The Netherlands.
How It works:
Like PayPal, Ukash makes their money by charging merchants a transaction fee. Their website bills the ability to spend your Ukash at several online outlets, phone companies, and online gambling outlets (which largely dominate the list of places to spend).
More at:http://www.ukash.com/
Ukash is a new, simple and secure way for you to shop, play and pay with cash online.
Ukash is now offering an alternative to the Linden Dollar for those wishing to engage in economic transactions on Second Life. The company bears a strong resemblance to well known eCurrency providers like PayPal, except that Ukash does not have a strict reliance on credit card or bank transactions like other online money brokers. Cursory searches across the internet also show that UKash doesn’t have reputation problems (at least as of yet), like so many other PayPal alternatives.
What's idea behind creating it:
According to Miark Chirnside, Ukash CEO, the alternative currency is growing in usage across Europe because of its ability to convert from cash. Ukash terminals are now available in the Bulido Money Service outlets inside Second Life, but those UKash isn’t limiting itself to simply just Second Life transactions. Ukash has real world terminals too, located in newsagents, grocery stores, post offices, and gas stations in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany and The Netherlands.
How It works:
Like PayPal, Ukash makes their money by charging merchants a transaction fee. Their website bills the ability to spend your Ukash at several online outlets, phone companies, and online gambling outlets (which largely dominate the list of places to spend).
More at:http://www.ukash.com/
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