Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Archives for July 2011

Minnov8 Gang 133 – OMG! A ‘Feature’ Phone?

By

Mobile is changing dramatically and the strategic-level changes are a challenge to stay on top of, which is why we have Lisa Foote on as our guest for this podcast. No one in the Twin Cities is on top of the mobile space like Lisa is, and the Gang did a lot more than our usual homework to prepare for our time with her. As such, there are several fabulous links below that you’ll undoubtedly find enlightening if you’re at all interested in the mobile market (and where the “OMG!” about the death of feature phones comes from).

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott & Phil Wilson (Graeme Thickins is off this week).
Music: “Only the Bird Knows” by Kelly Richey via Music Alley.

Discussed during the show:

PAST WEEK: 

GUEST SEGMENT: Lisa Foote, CEO and Co-Founder of MixMobi (Twitter)

Upcoming Events:

OTHER

Podcast: Download (Duration: 49:42 — 29.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

Workface Lands $900k in Venture Capital

By

We were delighted to see that friend of Minnov8, Lief Larson and crew, have landed $900k to accelerate their vision of delivering a platform to maximize sales force and customer service engagement for organizations.

The Gang has used Workface’ profiles since the beginning and have watched this startup closely as they’ve continued to execute on their vision.

From their press release:

More than 75,000 professionals and over 2,500 different companies are now using Workface technology to enable their sales and customer service staffs to engage with prospects and customers online and in real time.

“Our ‘profile’ technology helps companies shorten sales cycles, connect with prospects at the moment of interest, and increase the level of engagement and intimacy with customers,” said Lief Larson, Workface founder and CEO. “This new round of capital will help us grow revenue from existing customers, add new customers and focus on several key platform enhancements.”

Congrats Lief and crew! See the full press release below…

…  [Read More…]

Minnov8 Gang 132 – Hot Enough for ‘Ya?

By

The Gang (minus Graeme) talks about the hottest stories of the week from NASA and the last shuttle launch; Apple’s blow-out quarter (as well as Google’s); Google+; Microsoft earnings; and much more. We only mention the stifling heat that passed us over this past week, instead focusing on the acceleration this summer of hot announcements even we are having a hard time staying on top of as a group!

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott & Phil Wilson (Graeme Thickins is off this week).
Music: “Running from the Law” by Mean Gene Kelton & the DieHards via Music Alley.

m8-spacer

The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 48:23 — 28.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

m8-spacer

Discussed during the show:

Upcoming Events: WordPressMSP on July 28th on Gravity Forms; CoCoMSP Kickoff Party on Saturday, July 30th (note slow link…be patient)

Minnov8 Gang Podcast 131 – Deals Baby!

By

The Gang talks with Joseph Rueter, entrepreneur and co-founder of Deals.by (formerly “Locate My Deal”), the “Search Engine for Deals Near You“. Also discussed are numerous developments this past week and what it means for you.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins & Phil Wilson.
Music: “Blue n Boogie” by Norman Hedman’s Tropique via the podsafe Music Alley.

m8-spacer

The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:03:10 — 36.9MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

m8-spacer

Discussed during the show:

Upcoming Events:

T-Mobile Shows It’s Serious About Minnesota, “Not Slowing Down”

By

Everyone loves a challenger, and T-Mobile sure seems to be enjoying that role, as much here in Minnesota as anywhere. Yesterday, Steve Borsch and I had the opportunity to sit down with Tim Adams, the carrier’s new VP/GM for Minnesota and Wisconsin (see June 2 news), and have a wide-ranging chat with about T-Mobile’s plans and their latest 4G offerings. Tim has impressive executive experience in tech and retail, and was virtually bubbling with excitement about new T-Mobile’s initiatives in Minnesota and new offerings from the company to keep up, or ahead, of the big guys.

You might think the most important thing happening in T-Mobile’s world would be AT&T’s impending (but not yet approved) deal to acquire the company, and that was of course the first question we brought up with Adams.  Naturally, he could provide no more information than what’s been publicly announced. But he had much more to talk about. “We’re not slowing down. We’re not waiting for the acquisition,” he said. “Minnesota is a very important market for us, and we continue investing heavily and adding staff here.”  Across the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, T-Mobile has invested more than $43 million in continuous network upgrades since the start of 2010, according to Adams, and now has more than 350 cell sites operating 4G service in the Twin Cities area.

Which brings me to the most exciting news that T-Mobile was announcing yesterday:  T-Mobile’s Faster 4G Network Now Available in the Twin Cities — America’s Largest 4G Network is now twice as fast in Minneapolis/St. Paul.  Its super-fast “HSPA+42” (as in Mbps) network is now available “in the majority of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area,” the company’s release said, and customers will experience “speeds twice as fast as T-Mobile’s current 4G network on compatible devices.”  Before you start hyper-ventilating, it also states this:  the recently introduced Rocket® 3.0 laptop stick, its first HSPA+ 42-capable device, offers “average download speeds on our HSPA+ 42 network approaching 10Mbps, with peak speeds of 27 Mbps.”  Okay, it”s not 42 — but, trust me, I’ll take it!  …  [Read More…]

Good Resources from Rasmussen College

By

Here’s a resource that was brought to our attention and is one you might find useful.

Founded in 1900, Rasmussen College is a premier provider of educational experiences, dedicated to the growth and development of its students, employees, and the communities it serves. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Rasmussen College offers Bachelor’s and Associate’s degrees in fields with the greatest occupation opportunities to more than 15,000 students both online and through its network of 21 campuses. By partnering with leading universities, Rasmussen offers opportunities to students beyond the Bachelor’s level. The Rasmussen Partner Network gives students the opportunity to earn Master’s and Doctoral degrees completely online, at their own convenience, from prominent universities around the country.

Rasmussen frequently publishes valuable posts on their business blog such as 50 Useful Open Lectures for Business People, Tips for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs, 25 Necessities Entrepreneurs Can Get for Free, 10 Common Mistakes Made by Internet Marketers and the Best Entrepreneur Blogs to name a few.

Check ’em out. Pretty good stuff here.

An Entrepreneur’s Expert Guidance Group

By

A top level recruiter I know, Kevin Spanbauer, has teamed with a number of other movers and shakers in Minnesota to form a group called, “Minnesota Emerging Software Advisory (MESA)” This non-profit mentoring organization is comprised of C-level software and information technology veterans with strong local business roots. They have come together to help spark a movement to make Minnesota’s software economy rank among the most vibrant and respected in the nation.

Kevin Spanbauer

What does this mean for you if you’re an entrepreneur or founder? The MESA group members state that they are, “…interested in hearing from entrepreneurs and founders seeking expert guidance, seasoned CEO’s who have an interest in giving back in the form of mentoring, and vendors with a specialty in providing services to the software industry.”

The Minnov8 team is pleased that such a strong resource is available in Minnesota and run by proven leaders who have also begun surrounding themselves with key resources in our state.

Want Spotify? Get Klout

By

Minnesota’s Philip Hotchkiss joined the social influencer measurement startup Klout last fall as Chief Product Officer and they’ve been on a tear ever since.

This news just came in and, if you’ve been following the anticipation around the U.S. launch of Spotify, then you’ll want to know that Spotify has chosen Klout as their exclusive U.S. social launch partner. If you’ve got Klout…you can potentially get Spotify early if you act FAST!

Minnov8 Gang Podcast 130 – Tablets, Schmablets

By

Minnov8 Gang podcast imageWe talk Google+ and Google’s design changes, bring on our guest, Tom Sweeney, to discuss his startup Visiting Ours, and talk tablets. 2011 was projected by many to be the “year of the tablet” and it’s certainly shaping up to be just that…the year when the dramatic changeover from a PC-centric world to one of mobile devices accelerates dramatically.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins, Phil Wilson, & Julio Ojeda Zapata
Music: “Just Got to Boogie” by Matt Thorpe via the podsafe Music Alley.

m8-spacer

The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 59:56 — 34.7MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

m8-spacer

Discussed during the show:

Upcoming Events: