Comments on: Dear VCs: Look at the idea, not the postcode http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/ Tracking the UK's mobile and web start-up ecosystem. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:16:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: bad credit personal loans phone number http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-78730 bad credit personal loans phone number Sat, 08 Dec 2007 07:12:59 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-78730 <strong>bad credit personal loans phone number...</strong> Just the information I needed.... bad credit personal loans phone number…

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]]> By: Peter Cooper http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-49866 Peter Cooper Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:05:52 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-49866 Just wanted to chime in that it's totally possible to do it from the "middle of nowhere". I live in the middle of nowhere myself (deepest Lincolnshire) and two years ago built a startup and got funding from the US. A few months ago we sold, cashed out and the business is now with some happy new owners. If I can do it from the middle of Lincolnshire, location definitely isn't a killer! Just wanted to chime in that it’s totally possible to do it from the “middle of nowhere”. I live in the middle of nowhere myself (deepest Lincolnshire) and two years ago built a startup and got funding from the US. A few months ago we sold, cashed out and the business is now with some happy new owners. If I can do it from the middle of Lincolnshire, location definitely isn’t a killer!

]]> By:   Seasonal VC Disorder by Kitchen 2.0 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44530   Seasonal VC Disorder by Kitchen 2.0 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 19:44:47 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44530 [...] argument regarding both VC and whether to go to Silicon Valley. Mike Butcher’s piece ‘Dear VC’s: look at the idea not the postcode’ and Ryan Carson’s ‘Response to Paul Graham‘ are this winters [...] [...] argument regarding both VC and whether to go to Silicon Valley. Mike Butcher’s piece ‘Dear VC’s: look at the idea not the postcode’ and Ryan Carson’s ‘Response to Paul Graham‘ are this winters [...]

]]> By: Rich9 » Blog Archive » location, locations http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44512 Rich9 » Blog Archive » location, locations Mon, 15 Oct 2007 13:59:33 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44512 [...] series on how to plan your career- ‘go where the action is’. Mike Butcher also joins the debate lambasting those VCs who are blinkered when it comes to funding businesses that don’t cut the [...] [...] series on how to plan your career- ‘go where the action is’. Mike Butcher also joins the debate lambasting those VCs who are blinkered when it comes to funding businesses that don’t cut the [...]

]]> By: Geoffrey McCaleb http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44502 Geoffrey McCaleb Mon, 15 Oct 2007 12:22:30 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44502 A couple of points to toss in as well. I too am an outsider to the VC world, but while it may be a bit daunting I've had fairly good luck with phoning people and getting meetings. Sure there are a few VC's out there that want nothing but a bulletproof business plan with sound metrics/financials, but on the same side I've gotten meetings based on nothing more than a 2 minute phone chat and/or a 10 slide powerpoint. I echo Nick's comments on building up a list of good VC blogs, if nothing else you can see what gets funded and what people are talking about. Outside of that, you do have to get yourself out there and network like your life depends on it. A couple of points to toss in as well.

I too am an outsider to the VC world, but while it may be a bit daunting I’ve had fairly good luck with phoning people and getting meetings. Sure there are a few VC’s out there that want nothing but a bulletproof business plan with sound metrics/financials, but on the same side I’ve gotten meetings based on nothing more than a 2 minute phone chat and/or a 10 slide powerpoint.

I echo Nick’s comments on building up a list of good VC blogs, if nothing else you can see what gets funded and what people are talking about. Outside of that, you do have to get yourself out there and network like your life depends on it.

]]> By: Kosso http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44496 Kosso Mon, 15 Oct 2007 10:31:46 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44496 Well said Mike! I'm a Brit working from home for the past year and a half building podcast.com with the rest of the very small company (4) in Boston, USA. I've been over there for many a VC meeting/pitch and ther a feeling that everyone needs to be in Silicon Valley. The money seems greener and the ideas better. Absolute rubbish. I'm building the future of information aggregation and organisation (note spelling - no 'z' heh) and the guys in Silly Con Valley don't even realise it yet ;) Oh but they will... they will. Mu hu hu harr. etc.. (web 3.0) I decided to work in the web about 12 years ago, realising that by do so it meant I could work for ANYONE, ANYWHERE. ps: You need to update the copyright date in your template - it still says 2006 :) Well said Mike!

I’m a Brit working from home for the past year and a half building podcast.com with the rest of the very small company (4) in Boston, USA. I’ve been over there for many a VC meeting/pitch and ther a feeling that everyone needs to be in Silicon Valley. The money seems greener and the ideas better.

Absolute rubbish. I’m building the future of information aggregation and organisation (note spelling - no ‘z’ heh) and the guys in Silly Con Valley don’t even realise it yet ;)

Oh but they will… they will. Mu hu hu harr. etc.. (web 3.0)

I decided to work in the web about 12 years ago, realising that by do so it meant I could work for ANYONE, ANYWHERE.

ps: You need to update the copyright date in your template - it still says 2006 :)

]]> By: Gareth Rushgrove http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44343 Gareth Rushgrove Sun, 14 Oct 2007 16:25:43 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44343 As a serial event attendee and organiser of both the Refresh Newcastle and OpenCoffee Newcastle events I agree it's alot to do with your network. I stumbled upon on a Mashup event in London a few weeks ago and what struck me was the level of interest and the volume of attendees from finance or business. The vast majority of small tech companies in the North East are service based, so networking events are generally orientated around selling or promoting services. Mashup had a completely different spin - were the product or idea was king. I'm not sure whether this is the same for other outlying regions? Having said that their are a number of things going on 'up north' to try and change this, so we'll have to see how the next few years play out I reckon. I know of incubator/accelerator/funding setups getting going in the North West, The North East and as mentioned in West Yorkshire. As a serial event attendee and organiser of both the Refresh Newcastle and OpenCoffee Newcastle events I agree it’s alot to do with your network.

I stumbled upon on a Mashup event in London a few weeks ago and what struck me was the level of interest and the volume of attendees from finance or business.

The vast majority of small tech companies in the North East are service based, so networking events are generally orientated around selling or promoting services. Mashup had a completely different spin - were the product or idea was king. I’m not sure whether this is the same for other outlying regions?

Having said that their are a number of things going on ‘up north’ to try and change this, so we’ll have to see how the next few years play out I reckon. I know of incubator/accelerator/funding setups getting going in the North West, The North East and as mentioned in West Yorkshire.

]]> By: paul fisher http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44316 paul fisher Sun, 14 Oct 2007 12:50:41 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44316 Guys, there is a very similar discussion happenng over on Ryan Carson's blog. Check it out. http://www.carsonified.com/fowa/response-to-paul-graham-on-startup-hubs ps. If anyone wants to catch up, please mail me. Guys, there is a very similar discussion happenng over on Ryan Carson’s blog. Check it out.
http://www.carsonified.com/fowa/response-to-paul-graham-on-startup-hubs
ps. If anyone wants to catch up, please mail me.

]]> By: Flemming http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44305 Flemming Sun, 14 Oct 2007 11:20:53 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44305 Sorry if I now become the spoiler of the romantic dream that all places are equally good for setting up a business. It just happens that your chances of success may be slightly higher when you are based close to or in a relevant industry cluster. Maybe the VCs know this? Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_cluster Sorry if I now become the spoiler of the romantic dream that all places are equally good for setting up a business.

It just happens that your chances of success may be slightly higher when you are based close to or in a relevant industry cluster. Maybe the VCs know this?

Check http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_cluster

]]> By: steven Dotsch http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44299 steven Dotsch Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:35:12 +0000 http://uk.techcrunch.com/2007/10/12/dear-vcs-look-at-the-idea-not-the-postcode/#comment-44299 Hi Mike Thank you for raising this important issue. May I propose you make this entrepreneur aware of WirelessMatch, subject to his/her activities relate to wireless, mobile internet, online media and mobile telecoms activities requiring funding up to £2.5m Most of our investors are sector/technology orientated, rather than location-based. Best regards Steven Dotsch Managing director WirelessMatch Ltd - UK's Wireless Funding Network URL: www.WirelessMatch.co.uk Em: steven@WirelessMatch.co.uk Tel: 020 8374 8718 Hi Mike

Thank you for raising this important issue.

May I propose you make this entrepreneur aware of WirelessMatch, subject to his/her activities relate to wireless, mobile internet, online media and mobile telecoms activities requiring funding up to £2.5m

Most of our investors are sector/technology orientated, rather than location-based.

Best regards

Steven Dotsch
Managing director
WirelessMatch Ltd - UK’s Wireless Funding Network
URL: http://www.WirelessMatch.co.uk
Em: steven@WirelessMatch.co.uk
Tel: 020 8374 8718

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