Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Archives for June 2010

Andy Morgan Leaving Internet Broadcasting to Join Godengo as CTO

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A longtime local technology infrastructure guru and head of development at one of Minnesota’s largest Internet firms has joined an emerging Bay Area startup — but will continue to live in the Twin Cities. Godengo Inc. today announced that Andy Morgan is joining the firm as Chief Technology Officer (PR Newswire).  Andy has been with St. Paul-based Internet Broadcasting (IB) for the past five years, most recently as Vice President of Platform Technologies, where he was responsible for delivering 500 million page views and 70 million on-demand and live video streams per month, to 15 million monthly unique visitors.  He also led a development group at IB that has numbered more than 40.  You also may remember Andy as the key tech guy who managed two Olympics sites for IB client NBC.

Morgan joins a former colleague at Emeryville, CA-based Godengo: Peter Stilson, CEO.  Stilson served for several years as COO and Chief Revenue Officer at Internet Broadcasting during it strongest period of growth.  He moved from the Twin Cities to the Bay Area in September 2008 to take the reins at Godengo. Andy tells me he starts his new position July 16.

Godengo provides print and web publishers a strong online presence and networked advertising inventory, enabling them to more effectively compete online.  Godengo’s Rivista™ content management system (CMS) is designed from the ground up for multiplying traffic volume, enhancing search engine optimization, and increasing profits at magazine publisher’s web sites. The Godengo™ Online Ad Network harnesses an affluent, upscale consumer audience that reads the premier city & regional and lifestyle publications, providing advertisers national reach with deep expertise in local markets. One of Godengo’s investors also has a Minnesota connection. Chairman George Lawson was VP of Corporate Development for Dayton Hudson Corporation earlier in his career, and also held senior operating and corporate positions with Levi Strauss & Co. and General Mills.

W3i Lights Up the ‘Net with Its Latest App News

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Okay, so there’s this company named Apple that I hear makes phones.  And people tell me there’s been, uh, a bit of news lately about some new phone of theirs?  Well, that media firestorm didn’t stop Minnesota’s W3i LLC from deciding to jump in with some news of its own, which is actually related to the exploding ecosystem around Apple mobile devices.  That would be apps.

St. Cloud-based W3i is in the app distribution business — in a big, profitable way (33 successive quarters thereof).  But till now that business has been all about desktop apps, and Windows only. Well, mark down yesterday as the day they entered the world of mobile, with this bombshell: W3i Launches New Incented Mobile App Distribution Service for iOS App Developers.  A separate version of the release, for consumers, gets more to the benefit: Consumers Can Now Earn Rewards for Installing Apps.  Those rewards, my friends, would be cash — for consumers who register at a W3i site called Apperang.com.

Naturally, app fanboys and girls everywhere loved the news — after reading about it on some of the sites they frequent the most.  TechCrunch (MobileCrunch) ran this story: Apperang Pays You Cash to Download iPhone Apps… Ka-Ching! And VentureBeat (MobileBeat) ran concurrently — amazing how that happens — with their take: Get paid to install apps with W3i Mobile Solutions and Apperang.  Numerous other sites and blogs picked up on it immediately, and Twitter was going crazy on it (just search on hashtags #apperang and #w3i).  [Oh, sure, there was a story in the StarTrib last week, too, but that didn’t light up much of anything… <rimshot>]

I asked the CEO of a local app development company for his reaction to this W3i news, from a business perspective:  “The model and integration W3i has developed for desktop distribution has been a huge success in the past, so I wouldn’t bet against them on making their mobile version a success,” said Wade Beavers, CEO of DoApp Inc. “For developers wanting to get a core base of users fast, it makes sense to use this service. The key will be how long those users keep your app, because that’s where the return on investment is.”

I also asked one of Minnesota’s most experienced iPhone app developers for his reaction: “Will app publishers readily jump to use this type of service? Small developers, maybe,” said Bill Heyman of CodeMorphic. “But small developers may not have budget to support this type of promotion… Will it be enough to hit the tipping point for more organic sales because of a higher App Store ranking? Well, ultimately, it would depend on how much a company wants to spend to buy a ranking.”

But, actually, W3i signed on some pretty successful big developers for its private beta before the announcement yesterday (the service is now in public beta).  That list of launch advertisers — just those that let W3i use their names for PR purposes — includes these firms, with the name of their app in parentheses: Big Stack Studios (Sigma), Inert Soap (FingerZilla), Booyah (MyTown), Gist (Gist), Thinking Ape (Kingdoms at War), Flixster (Movies), Slacker Inc (Slacker Radio), xCube Labs (My Health Records – Health n Family), and infinidycorp (Zombies vs. Aliens).

I’m sure we’ll be hearing about a lot more, as W3i tells me they are crazy-busy now following up with other app companies who are inquiring.

(Disclosure: the author has had a consulting relationship with W3i for providing PR services.)

Minnov8 Gang 83: Innovation is Accelerating

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The Gang covers much of what happened this past week in innovation, specifically surrounding the Minnesota Cup, Unsummit, iPhone 4 introduction and we even discussed an infamous news item, the ICANN authorization of the new “.xxx” top level domain.

Show Hosts: Steve Borsch, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson (Tim Elliott was off this week).
Music by Al Phlipp and the Woo Team and their song, “Timber Stone” from Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:03:01 — 36.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

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Discussed during the podcast:

+ SMBMSP at Target Center
+ Minnesota Cup Semifinal event and the semifinalists
+ UnSummit
+ 2005 Bush Administration objection to the .xxx top-level domain
+ The Collaborative
+ A fabulous resource for anyone in business in Minnesota (especially startups!), the James J. Hill Library
+ Alvenda funding ($5M from Split Rock: link to PDF)
+ W3i mobile strategy announcement coming. Check their site Monday morning.

Minnesota Cup Semifinal Kickoff

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Last night’s turnout at the James J. Hill Library for the Minnesota Cup Semifinalist kickoff was impressive and quite large for an event of its kind. In attendance were 125-140 entrepreneurs, investors, sponsors, MN Cup judges and those of us covering the event (Minnov8 and tech.mn) as well as the people who were the entire reason for the kickoff itself: the semifinalists.

If you don’t already know about the Minnesota Cup, it is an annual, statewide competition that seeks out aspiring entrepreneurs and their breakthrough ideas and is open to all entrepreneurs, whether your breakthrough idea is high tech or no tech, whether you are just putting your ideas into a business plan or if you’ve already been actively building your venture for some time.

James J. Hill

After some initial networking and refreshments, the evening festivities were kicked off by Anne Rasmussen, JJHill Library CFO/COO. She dropped some factoids on us about the Hill Library being one of the top business libraries in the nation, is fully self-supporting, and she ended her remarks by referring to how fitting it was that the entrepreneurs in attendance were sitting beneath a portrait of James Jerome Hill himself.

As you are undoubtedly aware living here in Minnesota, Hill was an incredibly successful entrepreneur who began his railroad empire in the 19th century and whose heirs established the library we were sitting in last night. (One factoid she didn’t mention–and one I’ve always found intriguing–was the supposed inspiration Hill’s life and empire building gave Ayn Rand for her character Nathaniel Taggart in her novel Atlas Shrugged).

Next up was Scott Litman, co-founder of the MN Cup (along with his business partner, Dan Mallin). Scott walked through the particulars of participating in the competition, what it took to deliver on it successfully as a competitor, a bit about the prize money, and gave the semifinalists the information they required to complete their business plans and make sure they submitted them by the deadline of July 23rd at 11:59pm (on a humorous note, Scott mentioned that historically something like 1/3rd of the plans are submitted within the final six hours!).
…  [Read More…]

iKenex Platform from DoApp

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The team at Rochester, MN-based DoApp just announced their new iKenex real estate platform built in collaboration with California MLS software firm Concentric Mobile. iKenex brings all the real estate data a realtor or buyer would ever need to their preferred mobile smartphone device, whether it is an iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry. Taking advantage of the mobile device’s built-in Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology, the iKenex app pinpoints where you are and delivers a home’s complete listing details in seconds.

This sort of innovation is sorely needed in the real estate marketplace today primarily due to the collapse that has occurred in the housing market. With its capability to make the process of selling and buying a home considerably more efficient for both buyers and real estate agents, iKenex promises to remove much of the typical lag time for realtors to communicate to buyers about properties or for buyers to wait around for a real estate agent to call or email when you’re on the hunt for that perfect home.

What might not be obvious from looking at the features of iKenex is this: DoApp and Concentric Mobile have done a remarkable job of creating a platform adept at aligning incentives in the residential real estate marketplace and making the process of communicating with buyers fast and easy.

Of course, the key to any platform is to provide an on-ramp to a market or technology which savvy businesspeople and developers can leverage. My impression of the iKenex platform is that it strongly aligns with the incentives of local, regional, state or even national companies that want to participate in the mobile/GPS real estate app space, but clearly can’t “play” with providers like Zillow and maybe couldn’t obtain decent ROI by building their own app. In addition, a realtor’s incentives seem obviously aligned with iKenex and how they could easily leverage what’s happening with their local listings and the areas in which they sell houses.

I asked DoApp CEO, Wade Beavers, if my assumption that their strategy about aligning incentives with iKenex was on the right track. …  [Read More…]

MN Cup Announces Semi-Finalists

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Out of a field of 1,000 participants from around the State, 48 of them have been chosen as semi-finalists to enter the next phase of the competition. If you don’t know the Minnesota Cup, it,  “...presents entrepreneurs and start-up companies with a unique opportunity in these challenging economic times. More than $130,000 in seed capital and many hours of professional services are awarded to competition winners across six divisions. Beyond the cash and prizes, participants gain exposure for their ideas, strengthen their business plans, and make strong connections in the business community. The payoff is real: 2009 Minnesota Cup finalists have already secured more than $8 million dollars in capital and brokered numerous business partnerships, collaborations and distribution agreements.”

It’s not just the dough, though, it’s the “professional services” mentioned that can make a huge difference in the life of a startup enabling them to “…connect with local business leaders and mentors arranged by the Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management.”

The 2010 semi-finalists will be honored with a reception at the James J. Hill Library on Tuesday, June 22 from 6:00-8:00 p.m and Minnov8 will be there covering it live. Read the press release here.

Minnov8 Gang Podcast 82: Vicarious WWDC

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We revisit Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) through Julio Ojeda-Zapata’s experiences talking about the new iPhone 4 and his reliance on the iPad and HTC EVO 4G on his trip. Many other related subjects are explored to their logical conclusions.

Show Hosts: Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson (Steve Borsch was away this week).

Music by AjT “Apple Chunk Guitar” from Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 53:42 — 31.0MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

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Discussed during the podcast:

Events:

OnCorps Reports: A MN Success Story

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While running strategic alliances at Lawson Software back in 2005, I met a woman named Catherine Settanni who was actively involved in digital literacy and a true advocate for ensuring that as many people as possible had access to the internet. Her leadership in the AmeriCorps Community Techology Empowerment Project (C-CAN) and its focused community outreach effort (the Digital Access Project) led her to a deep involvement in the Wireless Minneapolis effort to saturate the city with Wifi, bringing about one aspect to the internet access the other programs were intent on delivering.

But Catherine was frustrated. She saw that the required AmeriCorps reporting was excruciatingly difficult for a program director to create and deliver so, like any good entrepreneur, she set about leveraging her background and abilities as a filmmaker, database design, technologist and advocate to pull together a team, obtain funding and set about writing her own software as a service (SaaS)!

Other State programs caught wind of what she was up to and climbed on board as initial customer/funders. The result of her efforts has evolved in to OnCorps Reports™ which provides web-based reporting and communication tools for National and Community Service programs, including AmeriCorps, VISTA, Senior Corps and Learn & Serve programs. Designed specifically to support service programs, the application framework is easily modified for use by any Non-Profit organizations to manage volunteers or staff, monitor program progress, and utilize financial reporting tools.

When we had coffee this week, I was at first delightfully surprised at how powerful and robust OnCorps Reports was and how it had a very well executed user interface, but at the same time I thought, “What the hell!?! Why isn’t Catherine involved with the minne* crowd, showing at Minnedemo or leading sessions at Minnebar? Connected to the startup community here in Minnesota?” So we spent some time having her walk me through the software and me thinking out loud about how to connect her immediately within our tech community and get her more attention from those of us keenly interested in discovering MN startup success stories. …  [Read More…]

Lost in Minneapolis Skyways? FrypanDigital Has Your Lifeline

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FryPanDigital, a startup that intends to create “tasty apps” was founded by, “…two dudes who know nothing about application development, but wanted to try super hard to kick out an iPhone app.” These two have succeeded in “kicking out an app” and have released their new, free Minneapolis Skyway app for iPhone (their blog; iTunes link).

I met co-founder John Haddad at the Mobile March event a couple of months ago. He said that he’d keep in touch on the apps release and, true to his word, did so today and I thought I’d write a post immediately so you all could go and download this free app.

If you’ve ever spent any time hiking through the 8+ miles of skyway in the Minneapolis system, you know how challenging it is to find your way, locate that favorite deli or coffee shop you’ve been thinking about, or are heading toward to meet a friend for lunch and if you’re like me — a guy who detests pausing for several minutes to locate my destination on a skyway directory and then orient myself in the skyway labyrinth over-n-over again — this app will be a godsend and make it significantly simpler to ensure you and I don’t get lost in the skyway system.

For retailers and merchants who struggle to get the attention of potential skyway-walking customers (and face restrictions on placing signage in the walkways) this app promises to give them a new avenue to connect with customers as well as prospective ones. This is a struggle I know all too well since a few college buddies of mine once had a video rental store on the skyway system and every day multiple people would stop in and express surprise and delight that, “Oh good! There’s a video rental store in the skyway. How long have you been here?” even though they’d been in business at that location for several years. This app holds the promise of being both a fabulous tool for people to discover merchants and retailers but will also enable those retailers and merchants to deliver specials, deals and other focused advertisements through the app….  [Read More…]