Crowdfunding is one of the most powerful ways to create a decentralized energy system and achieve the goal of steady and secure renewable energy. Using crowd funding to solve climate change challenges is a great solution because there is no greater resource than the people are. There is already community owned renewable resource schemes running in various parts of the world but in small scale. Peer-to-Peer lending/online crowdfunding Online crowdfunding is one of the systems currently in use that allows individuals to raise money for energy projects directly....

What’s a little tougher to understand is the method of compensation many of them rely on. Rather than opt for cryptocurrency-powered subscriptions, many crypto pundits are pointing their more obsessive YouTube, Discord or podcast audiences towards Patreon — a subscription membership site that does not accept even bitcoin, the most common cryptocurrency. Patreon’s Crypto Industry Patreon campaigns within this crypto-centric pocket ecosystem are working towards the creation of “cryptocurrency education,” “cryptocurrency pro trading content & tips,” “cryptocurrency investing/trading charts and videos,” and “how-tos for making money in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency....

As always, you can follow along with TechCo’s video coverage of the event at the embedded player below, but if you’d just like to grab a look at the fascinating stats and trends highlighted in the 30-minute talk, just keep reading. More Shipping Options Steve Koenig, Senior Director of Market Research at CTA, anchored half of the fast-paced talk, while Lesley Rohrbaugh, Senior Manager for CTA Market Research, covered the rest....

The new phone has a pleasingly low €399 (around $450) price tag, and looks extremely well-equipped to do battle with the iPhone SE and upcoming Google Pixel 4a models. However, sadly, the first OnePlus Nord won’t be coming to the US — the company has said that further mid-range models will be arriving with the Nord branding, but they’re not quite ready for launch. Has the US missed out on another great mid-range phone?...

The Facebook Mention Box was created to allow celebrities on the red carpet to provide an interactive video response to fans’ questions. Access Hollywood will have exclusive access to the device for Monday’s red carpet, and questions can be submitted through their website. Once in the hands of celebrities, they simply shake the device to receive a fans’ question, then they record a video response right on the device, which can then be posted on Facebook....

Yes, there’s a lot we owe to the amazing world of tech and there’s a huge demand for more innovation too. However, at the same time we are unwilling to allow our lives to be completely replaced by the digital world, no matter how immersive it may be. Processing information from a screen Earlier this month Waterstones made the decision to stop selling Kindle ebooks as sales have plummeted. At the beginning of 2015 they noted that Kindle sales essentially ‘disappeared’ after reaching their peak in 2011....

Fortunately, some companies understand that you don’t have the time, resources, and complicated knowledge base to get this stuff done, and they’ve made it as easy as possible. With comprehensive layouts and simple step-by-step tutorials, there is now a new mantra running through the startup world when it comes to new technologies: do it yourself. In the simplest of terms, dedicating startup resources to complicated technologies just doesn’t make sense....

DSYNC is a system integration platform that was designed for the retail, healthcare, and fintech industries. It is specifically suited to handling high volume transactions. It doesn’t matter if a business is dealing with multiple systems, the cloud, or legacy systems. DSYNC can seamlessly integrate them giving them better access to all of your data from a single vantage point. Applications for DSYNC include: CRMPoint of SaleEmailWebsiteAccountingSales Channels About the Company DSYNC is an Australian startup that was launched in 2015....

While some of that weekend might have been a blur for the Atlanta native, Luke does remember a few things: getting calls from his friends about being on TV in Argentina and getting praise from viewers, when most YouTube comments are usually negative. So how had Luke gone viral is just one weekend? How did he keep viewers coming back for more? And as a media entrepreneur, how did he create a brand with a consistent, but unique message?...

The platform is wholly open-source, so you can download SlamData now from their website or head over to GitHub. From there, all you need to do is link SlamData with your MongoDB database, and then start writing SQL queries – simple…fast…efficient. SlamData most recently presented at Tech Cocktail’s Denver Mixer & Startup Showcase during Denver Startup Week, where it won Readers Choice for Hottest Showcasing Startup.

The idea came to Shubham when he did some online research and was shocked to learn that Braille printers, also called embossers, cost at least $2,000 — too expensive for most blind readers, especially in developing countries. Shubham’s goal is to develop a desktop Braille printer that costs around $350 and weighs just a few pounds, compared with current models that can weigh more than 20 pounds. The machine could be used to print Braille reading materials on paper, using raised dots instead of ink, from a personal computer or electronic device....

Lagerfeld is responsible for revitalizing fashion house Channel and Fendi, by bringing innovation to the brand while preserving a classic appeal. Today, he designs several collections a year each for Fendi, Chanel and his own Karl Lagerfeld line. And he doesn’t plan to stop any time soon. This week, he was featured in the New York Times, where the designer spoke about his designs and shared some valuable career lessons....

The acquisition means that many of Gowalla’s employees will move to the Facebook headquarters in Palo Alto to work on the new, highly anticipated Facebook Timeline feature. The remainder of Gowalla’s employees will remain in their Austin, Texas headquarters. Since it’s launch at SXSW 2009, Gowalla has been battling head-to-head with Foursquare in a race to win the location based social networking game. Although usage between the two services was pretty comparable for the first year, Foursquare has recently pulled far ahead of Gowalla....

For the advertiser, the purpose of this objective is to get their ads in front of people who are most likely to stop scrolling, look at, and notice the ad. The goal is that the consumer who saw the ad will remember the offer a few days later. Who Should Use This? It’s clear to me that this is targeted at large brands who are spending dollars on IAB placements that can be measured with studies administered by solutions like Milward Brown and Vizio....

In the article, I mentioned that it’s important we, as humans, stop focusing only on the dire warnings folks like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk are saying about AI and focus more on the positive, immediate benefits to be had now. That is, there’s so much good we can do with AI and machine learning to help people in all aspects of life. Case in point is a video that Facebook Engineering posted today describing the smart, AI systems they’re building to enhance peoples’ lives....

To lessen the stigma around failure, the gb.tc (formerly Greater Baltimore Technology Council) is hosting a “fail conference” next week called BmoreFail. There, entrepreneurs will learn from others’ failures and (hopefully) quell their fears of failure. Below, Jason Hardebeck, executive director and chief instigator at gb.tc, discusses why we should embrace the #fail. Tech Cocktail: Why did you choose to start a fail conference? Jason Hardebeck: The only way you learn is when you get an unexpected result; i....

According to a recent CFSI study, they found that 57 percent of households were struggling with their financial health, and that underserved Americans spent $141 billion in fees and interest to meet their financial needs. That is a lot of money these consumers will never see again, and FinLab plans to incubate and accelerate nine startups who are dedicated to solving a component of this issue. With only hours left until the application deadline, FinLab will be looking for fintech companies, tech startups, and innovative non-profits....

In a recent interview on NPR, Fuhu’s founders Robb Fujioka and Jim Mitchell spoke about their fast growth. Here are some interesting takeaways: On Managing Growth As for dealing with the astronomical growth, the founders explain that it can be a bit chaotic but it’s how they are structured. “When a company is growing this fast, you’re constantly running and you’re running at full speed,” said Mitchell. “You have to learn to run in the dark....

GE Garages are pop-up maker spaces that welcome members of the local community to come and use their tools, such as 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC mills, injection molders, and Arduino kits. The spaces also host speakers and run workshops. In Lagos, GE will be offering free workshops for entrepreneurs on new technologies, programming, and business planning. They’ll also offer student training in the power generation sector. According to AllAfrica, one of the goals is to help make students more employable....

But it is possible. I got hired at nine months pregnant, with a failed startup behind me, needing a visa sponsorship and smack in the middle of the holiday season. All the odds were against me but I pulled it off. And I am no Marissa Mayer. It can be done! I got rejected multiple times but all it takes is one ‘yes’ to succeed. Here’s how I did it and how you can too....