Jun

25

Comptuer Tech Startups in Indiana…Not So Much

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Computer Tech Startups in Indiana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture was pulled from a new Website that’s a mashup of Google maps and computer tech startups from around the globe. Its primary source of data is from Techcrunch’s crunchbase. If this map is any indication of the computer tech scene in Indiana, then we clearly have a lot of work to do Hoosiers!

Jun

20

Before You Come to Indiana

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Indiana State HouseBefore you come to Indiana, make sure you’re in the right industry.  If you’re in business, you can only be in 2 types of industries: the right industry or the wrong industry.  All you have to do is make sure that you’re not in the wrong industry.  Well how can you know if you’re in the right industry?  Easy. 

Are you doing something that has to do with biotech?  No you say?  Do you have a patent on something that gives you an unfair sustainable competitive advantage?  No you say?  Got some farmland?  No you say?  Do you own a manufacturing firm?  No you say?  Are you at least selling a physical object that I can feel and touch?  No you say?  Then you might want to rethink coming to Indiana.  The entrepreneur who answers “No” to all these questions, will face an insane amount of resistance in Indiana.       

If you answered “No” to all of the above questions, your best bet is to do what you’re doing elsewhere.  Silicon Valley might be cool, because surely you must be a Web-based operation–probably of the Web 2.0 variety.  Another place might Boston or Chicago.  Another pair may be NYC or DC.

This fact, in my opinion, plays some role in young people leaving Indiana.  Generation Y is interested in doing, oh I don’t know, cool stuff.    There’s definitely some cool stuff in Indiana, but let’s face it, not everybody gets turned on by biotech.   

Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, only certain type of innovation is exalted in Indiana.  Do you want a warmer reception of what you’re doing in the Web space?  You might want to do what you’re doing in a state other than Indiana (unless you can answer yes to one of the questions given earlier in this post).  Don’t get me wrong, you can totally be successful with your Web app in Indiana, but you’re just going to take a few kicks in the shorts, a few slaps in the face, and a few elbows to the groin.  If you find yourself in Indiana launching a Web based app, be ready for the paaaaain.              

[Note: Even though I am picking on Indiana, I’m pretty certain that most of America is no better than Indiana when it comes to this kind of stuff.]

Jun

18

Compendium Blogging Software For Companies

Filed Under Blogging | 2 Comments

compendium logoCompendium Blogware software is a company that taking advantage of the importance of blogging. However, Compendium is targeting companies and NOT consumers. I think this is an interesting play. They’ve created a platform that eases a companies ability to blog. The other thing that they’re doing is assigning posts to particular keywords or topics. I’m not exactly sure what this means in concrete terms, but it sounds like a good idea.

I guess was thirsting for more technical details, but I really didn’t have the patience to hunt it down from their Website. After going through a few pages, I gave up. What would be useful, is a demo of exactly what the software is, and exactly what it’s doing. I guess it’s the technical guy in me that wants more concreteness. For example, Compendium claims to help with SEO rankings, but it’s unclear exactly how it does this from reading the Website’s copy.

So I guess my big question is: how are they getting customers? They seem to have a rather long client list. I seriously doubt this long list was obtained through their Website.