Every quarter, plenty of hay is made across many of the VC-focused industry channels about what this means. Where is the seed funding going? My hot take — it could mean a few things. Let’s assume the seed fund investment model requires seed funds to invest in companies that can grow 10x in value within 3–5 years, and get acquired or IPO. For the entrepreneurs, this could mean that we are entering a period that has been long overdue — a necessary culling of the herd of me-too, hard-to-scale, low-potential companies....

According to SiriusDecisions vice president, Marisa Kopec, up to 80 percent of the content made available by marketing agencies isn’t viewed or downloaded. The problem isn’t the content being produced. It’s a lack of understanding about how individuals make decisions when purchasing. For instance, in my business, that means understanding the details of the patient’s life that led to them to seek physical therapy in the first place. The good news is that when your prospects talk freely with staff, they share information that can help you remove the obstacles that are preventing them from making a commitment to your business....

It’s hard to argue with that last part. Over 2.5 million posts on Instagram are tagged as an “#ad.” So why would I argue that influencers are becoming more important? Social Media Prioritizes Engagement Facebook’s latest algorithm update heavily favors engagement. True influencers get plenty of that. Sure, the exec quoted above is right that followers are meaningless, but engagement is essential. As long as the influencers can still engage their audiences—the main reason people turned to influencer marketing in the first place—then they’ll be worth it....

Lisbon’s counter-attack has been largely led by its young people who have instilled a new creative energy in the capital. Of around 500,000 university graduates that left the country during the crisis to find work abroad, 60 percent have since returned to launch their own companies. The city is currently favoured by young entrepreneurs looking to launch their business ideas, thanks to the low cost of living, thriving cultural scene, and the high quality of life....

Not only is the camera only $20, it features everything you’d expect and want from the more expensive solutions, sans an air sensor and maybe a few smart features. In other words it includes free cloud storage, a slot for a micro-SD Card, HD video, real-time streaming, night vision, and motion alerts. This also comes right after the announcement from Canary that they were changing up their subscription plans, while removing what were previously free features, and caused a bit of a ruckus for their existing users....

While the show is sure to help participants gain exposure, Simon and Will are also hoping the new show creates more jobs, thus helping the economy. It is not Will.i.am’s first tech dabbling as you may recall him being named creative director for Intel last year. If you feel brave and are looking for TV fame and potentially some financial backing, you might want to keep your eye on the development of the X-Factor for Tech program....

Launching almost exactly a year ago, the farm management software company has quickly helped modernize farming by bringing critical farm data online. FarmLogs replaces paper record keeping with simple, easy-to-use software that is accessible via smartphone or web browser. “We built a product that my family and other farmers were asking for. Our customers around the world tell us that they could never go back to the old way,” said Jesse Vollmar, CEO and cofounder of FarmLogs....

The new feature is set to be rolled out over the next few weeks, and, although Google regularly enhances or modifies its video conferencing app, this might just be one of the more useful updates. Millions of people across the globe use Google Docs and Sheets during their workday but then hop onto Zoom for their video calls, so the company may be looking to give another reason to ditch competitor video conferencing app providers....

According to a survey from Ipsos, India is the country most reliant on the internet, as 82 percent of respondents from that area claim that they can’t imagine what life would be like without it. The United Kingdom (78 percent) and China (77 percent) rounded out the top three, with Germany and the good ol’ United States tied for fourth place at 73 percent. With an estimated 3.6 billion internet users around the world, this survey rings true across the board....

To say I’m grateful is an understatement. And that’s part of the reason I’m writing this article. The other part, of course, is to help y’all out, because, for all that we did do right, there are 10 things I wish we’d done differently: 10 Tips for Your Product Hunt Launch: The way I’d Do it Over:

In the innovative video space, there seems to be no shortage of startups that are making a big difference. The following ten startups are making sizable dents, however, capturing attention from the media, investors, and audiences everywhere. RabbitTV As popular as streaming has become, viewers are still challenged to watch their favorite network shows. RabbitTV searches the Internet for video content and brings it to viewers in an easy-to-browse format....

Reputation of the Company Consider the number of years the cell phone service provider has been in the industry. Think of the results they have garnered over that time — either good or bad. For instance, if a company has been in the business for decades, it means it is intent on longevity and probably has a good reputation (how else would it have lasted that long?). Regional Coverage On the other hand, there are a large group of territorial carriers that are conveying truly awesome services for individuals in specific parts of the nation....

This simple phrase taught me the importance of accountability. In college, it’s every man for him/herself. You get graded on a curve, and you are actually discouraged from helping fellow students since, if they do better on their tests, you do worse in comparison. I got my comeuppance when I took this “every man for himself” attitude with me to my first job as a robotics engineer at IBM in Silicon Valley....

1. Make Sure Your Equipment is Functioning before Starting. Online conferencing absolutely relies on working equipment and Internet connections. If your equipment isn’t working properly, or at all, it will be very difficult to take part in the conferencing session. Don’t delay the meeting because of technical issues, such as having an unplugged webcam or headset. 2. Use the Right Software. Today’s software is designed to make communication easier. There are many great programs out there, including web conferencing tools like UberConference, Google Hangouts, iLinc, etc....

Update: This Guest Contribution is by Travis Kalanick, now the CEO of successful ride logistics company Uber, which raised over $1 billion in Series D funding in 2014. If any of you are raising your first startup or seed money, this is a must read. Would love to hear any of your stories/feedback in the comments on this post… 1.) Priming the pump: How do you get started with rounding up some angels for a seed round?...

But three of the tips in a section about building a rapport are particularly interesting: They can be applied to both members of the process. The interviewees want rapport just as much as the interviewers. Here are the tips, and why they’re applicable to both. 1: Look for Cues in the First Few Minutes The article focuses on energy levels, but this is a great time to scope out additional factors like uneasiness, how dressed up they are, or if they’re on time....

On the years that I did come up with resolutions, it was often an overly ambitious list, not easily attainable, with no concrete actionable steps. It was more of a things-I-wish-I-were-better-at list, rather than a list of things-I -was-actively-willing-to-work-on. This year I’ve decided to go back to making resolutions, but I’m going at it with a different approach. For example, instead of trying to change a bunch of things at once, I will work on one resolution at a time until it becomes habit....

How can you keep visions of “Inbox (75)” from crowding out the sugarplums that should be dancing in your head this holiday season? I contacted Alex Moore, CEO and co-founder of email app company Boomerang, to grill him on the best advice for managing email while respecting both your coworkers’ vacation time and your own. Here are the top three tips Moore had to offer. Schedule Email in Batches A common email response tactic is to establish specific time periods during one’s workday in order to respond to email....

UX and Customer Experience At first, it may seem strange that something as simple and seemingly insignificant as a website could have a very real impact on a customer’s experience with your brand, but it’s true: in a marketplace dominated by Internet marketing and ecommerce, your website often imparts a first and lasting impression on consumers. Whether they realize it or not, your users develop an opinion of your brand within a fraction of a second after visiting your site....

The Mattermark 2014 Startup Traction Report, released last December, includes a wealth of data on the fastest-growing startups, regions, and industries (get it for $99). They used data from public sources like Crunchbase, AngelList, NASDAQ, the SEC, and the White House Office of Management & Budget, as well as private relationships they have with investors and entrepreneurs. Everything was measured for the 2014 fiscal year, which covers October 2013-September 2014....