Tipping Points

Apple Approves Spotify iPhone App Ahead Of U.S. Launch (AAPL)

Congrats to Daniel Ek for his calm perseverance in getting Spotify to this position.  Competes with iTunes with the slickest and most advanced streaming music service I've ever used.  And where did he get his catalog?  Check out the YouTube demo.

Apple Approves Spotify iPhone App Ahead Of U.S. Launch (AAPL).

What Happened to the Ad-Network Apocalypse?

..."rampant consolidation" and "decimation" were used to describe the impending, inevitable shakeout that was sure to come.

Almost a year later, no apocalyptic shakeout has hit yet. So what happened? 

What Happened to the Ad-Network Apocalypse? - Advertising Age - DigitalNext.

Wenda Harris Millard To Lead MySpace Ad Sales (YHOO, MSLO, NWS)

Wenda Harris Millard To Lead MySpace Ad Sales (YHOO, MSLO, NWS). 

Here's what interested me about this story:

• Amazing team.  Wenda, Jason, the Partovis, Nat Brown, Sam Wick - all superstars
• Renewed energy post-iLike acquisition
• Hats off to Media Link, the strategy advisory firm who will continue advising MySpace.  Wenda, who will keep both her current post as President of Media Link, as well as become temporary head of MySpace Ad Sales

It's going to be fascinating watching what an all-star team can do to resurrect MySpace's damaged brand.

Cautious optimism: Up Rounds Increase But Down Rounds Still Prevail

Green Shoots In Company Financings?.

• Pre-money valuations up from Q1, especially at Series D level
• Up rounds 25% vs. Down/Flat rounds at 56%
• Liquidation preferences are 1x or greater
• 60% of deals done with fully participating preferreds
• 67% of deals have drag along provisions
• 71% of deals have anti-dilution provisions; 50% have full anti-dilution
• Redemption and accruing dividends are widely used outside northern California
• Pay-to-play provision are not typical at Series A, but are not uncommonly used in later stages

Chat Profile Hijacking - But which profile?

This is the first time I've had someone spoof a good friend on Chat before.  I reported this to Facebook, thinking it was a Facebook chat scam, but then I realized that the chat appeared via Adium, which aggregates my iChat, AIM, MSN Messenger and Facebook Chat profiles.  So the source?

I found this to be particularly chilling.  Online chat is what I do with my friends.  It is the closest thing to a real conversation and because of that, it feels immediate and can feel intimate.  A valuable lesson.

Here's the transcript:

[Friend]
9:22
hi
are u there

Art Chang
9:22
i am!
are you?
where is there?
there for me is shelter island!
9:22 [Friend] became active
[Friend]
9:22
wish i could say good
am in a kinda tight situation and really need your help urgently

Art Chang
9:24
what's happening?!
[Friend]
9:24
am stuck in london
i was mugged at a gun point

Art Chang
9:24
no way
where's your family?
[Friend]
9:25
all cash on me and my credit card was stolen by the muggers
that is why i need your help
they are in fiji island

Art Chang
9:25
i'm going to call them now
[Friend]
9:26
yes
but that is what i could my self
but my cell phone as been stolen my the muggers

Art Chang
9:27
for verification, what are the names of your family and what is your street address
[Friend]
9:27
i have lost all contact t my friend and family
what do u mean mu name of my family

Art Chang
9:27
tell me your last place of employment
also your current street address
9:30[Friend] disconnected

Greenhill SAVP Completes Investment in Mobile Commons

Congrats to Jed Alpert, Chris Muscarella, Ben Stein and the Mobile Commons team!  Congrats to Steve Brotman, JB Lockhart and Greenhill SAVP on a terrific investment in a Tipping Point Partners portfolio company. 

PRESS RELEASE May 28, 2009 For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Brotman (212) 389-1600 Greenhill SAVP Blog: http://www.vcball.com/     Twitter: www.twitter.com/stevebrotman

Greenhill SAVP Completes Investment in Mobile Commons     NEW YORK, NEW YORK, May 28, 2009 - Greenhill SAVP announced today it has invested in Mobile Commons, Inc. ("Mobile Commons"). Greenhill SAVP led the Series A financing and was joined by Zelkova Ventures. As a result of this financing, Steve Brotman, Managing Director of Greenhill SAVP, has agreed to join the Mobile Commons Board of Directors. Based in downtown Manhattan, Mobile Commons (www.mobilecommons.com) has developed an easy to use mobile messaging platform.  Its web-based user interface enables any business or organization to instantly create mobile campaigns that combine SMS, voice, and mobile web functionality.   Mobile Commons' applications seamlessly connect to the web, social networks, existing CRM databases, and other media.  Mobile Commons has over 100 blue chip clients, including Bank of America, Credo Mobile, Diageo, Humane Society, Planned Parenthood, and the Sacramento Kings. Greenhill SAVP's investment in Mobile Commons represents the fund's fifth online media and marketing services investment in the past 18 months. "Mobile Commons has built a quick, easy and efficient solution that has the potential to revolutionize the execution of mobile marketing campaigns.   Mobile Commons is the established leader in the public, advocacy, and non-profit sectors. We are excited to partner with Mobile Commons' accomplished management team to realize its full market potential in the commercial and government sectors as well," commented Steve Brotman, Managing Director of Greenhill SAVP. "We are very pleased to have Steve join our board and Greenhill SAVP as an investor. Given Greenhill SAVP's notable experience and successful track record in technology-enabled marketing services, we believe they will add significant value and expertise to help us grow our business," said Jed Alpert, Founder of Mobile Commons.   About Mobile Commons   Used by the leading marketers and cause-related organizations in the world, Mobile Commons makes it simple to create mobile programs based around text messaging, voice calls, and web-based interactive components. With these tools, organizations can raise money, build lists, grow support on the web, add interactivity to live events, and spread their ideas more effectively.   Mobile Commons' goal is to provide customers with a seamless offering of products that spans the web, the real world, and the full range of mobile mediums. For more information, visit www.mobilecommons.com.  About Greenhill SAVP   With over $100 million under management, Greenhill SAVP makes early stage venture investments in technology-enabled services and business information services companies.  Prior fund manager investments include LivePerson (NASDAQ: LPSN), OpenWave (NASDAQ: OPWV), YellowJacket (acquired by the Intercontinental Exchange, NYSE: ICE), UGO Networks (acquired by Hearst Corporation), and KnowledgeStorm (acquired by TechTarget, NASDAQ: TTGT).     Greenhill SAVP is an affiliate of Greenhill & Co., Inc. (NYSE: GHL), an independent global investment banking firm with offices in New York, London, Frankfurt, Toronto, Tokyo, San Francisco, Dallas and Chicago.   Greenhill SAVP leverages its deep domain expertise, a proven investment track-record, and a global corporate network to create significant portfolio value.    For more information about Greenhill SAVP, please visit www.gsavp.com.

Cookstr Gains Two Webby Noms and an Honor

Cookstr.com garnered two nominations and was named an honoree for the 13th Annual Webby Awards. Hailed as the "Internet's highest honor" by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet. 

Please vote for Cookstr in the People's Choice Awards at http://pv.webbyawards.com!

Cookstr is a nominee in the Best Practices category, alongside the NYTimes.com, Digg, WebMD Health, and The Daily Beast. Past nominees in the Best Practices category have included Facebook, Flickr, and Google (who was the first winner of this award). The Webbys define Best Practices as the following:

“Best Practices sites serve as an industry benchmark for the most current, innovative, and advanced practices in Web development. Sites demonstrating unparalleled excellence across The Academy's six criteria: content, structure & navigation, visual design, interactivity, functionality, and overall experience.”

Cookstr is the only content site to receive a nomination in the Food and Beverage category, joining Red Bull Flugtag Flight Lab, Music in a bottle, Hotel 626, and Hello Sour Sally. 

Cookstr also won an Honorary Mention in the Lifestyle Category.

This recognition would not have been possible without the amazing work of The Barbarian Group (design) and Pivotal Labs (software development). 

peHUB » VC Recruiter Jon Holman on the VC Job Scene, Nine Months Into Downturn

peHUB » VC Recruiter Jon Holman on the VC Job Scene, Nine Months Into Downturn.

Mark Penn at Media Summit

I'm listening to Mark Penn, global head of Burson-Marstellar at McGraw-Hill's Media Summit.

Some key themes:

1. 20-25% are "info shoppers". Thee consumers don't trust messages pushed at them but require independent research to validate buying decisions.
2. People get 2 hours less sleep a night. Some wake up early, but a lot of this time is spent using the Internet.
3. Green is important as a reflection of "value shopping". A growing group of consumers view shopping as an extension of their values. Marketers need to recognize this.
4. Early tech adopters used to be anti-social; today early tech adopters are the most social people. Tech tools are no longer serving the isolated tech geek; instead, these tools enhance social connections.

Cookstr Featured in WSJ.com Guide to New Food Sites

It is really gratifying that Cookstr continues to get attention and favorable reviews.  See A Guide to New Food Sites - WSJ.com.  User comments and other social features are in the works!