Minnov8

Showcasing Minnesota Technology Innovation

Minnov8 Gang 196 – Big, Disruptive Innovations

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The Gang talks about Instagram, Best Buy, Kodak and other top stories and then has a great conversation with Kim Garretson, a founding partner of Ovative/Group and the leader of their Emerging Innovation practice area. Since Garretson connects venture capital firms and their portfolio companies with enterprise customers — and is always on the hunt for better and more powerful tools — he enlightens us about some disruptive innovations he’s tracking (and with companies they’ve partnered with) and you’ll want to hear about them too.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.
Music: Merry Christmas Baby by Calvin Owens brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:05:17 — 38.4MB)

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Minnov8 Gang 195 – Apocalypse NOT!

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You can rest easy now: NASA says the world will not end on December 21st of this year (phew)! We’ve averted a calendar-driven apocalypse (how did that even start!?!) so go ahead and make plans for Christmas, New Years or whatever else you have coming up.

The Gang discusses several stories but started off with Minnedemo (here is a list of who presented), the MIMA Holiday Party and the W3i Minnesota Tech Holiday Bash.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.
Music: Waiting by Freeky Clean brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 59:03 — 34.7MB)

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8thBridge 2nd Annual Social Commerce Study

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8thBridge, the smart social commerce startup in Minneapolis, has just released their second annual Social Commerce IQ study and it’s a free download.

There are several revelations in the study, none the least of which is about Pinterest and the report conclusions surprised me. Several retailers, marketers and clients I know have been thinking for some time that Pinterest is the be-all, end-all of driving social commerce. Turns out the study discovered, “…a major shift in social commerce strategy that is perhaps best exemplified by increasing interest in Pinterest, which has been adopted among 78 percent of IR 500 companies in less than a year but has not generated a corresponding rise in traffic or sales conversion.”

8th Bridge Social Commerce IQ Study Highlights (click for larger view)

8th Bridge Social Commerce IQ Study Highlights (click for larger view)

The other revelation for me, some of which has been reinforced from time I’ve invested with Internet Retailer itself, are how many companies there are out there that most of us have never heard of and are actually selling a lot online. More importantly these are the ones that are learning what it takes to succeed with social commerce and not waiting around until everything is crystal clear in order to do so (since by then it’s too late!). Take a look at these “Top 10 Retail Brands”. How many have you shopped at? Is your brand waiting around to have others figure out social commerce?

The top 10 retail brands by Social Commerce IQ:

1. Fab.com
2. Deb Shops
3. Coastal Contacts
4. ModCloth
5. PetFlow.com		 6. ShoeDazzle
7. JackThreads.com
8. CafePress
9. Birtchbox
10. Totsy

The other interesting aspect were the consumer findings in the report. Some of these didn’t enlighten me — such as that 70% of people would rather get a trusted recommendation from a friend than from some brand — but what did was that 56% of people don’t share things on social networks to get something in return. So how do you motivate sharing?

Consumer findings from the report include:

  • 70 percent of respondents would rather hear about a new product from a Facebook friend, than from a brand.
  • 57% have asked their friends on Facebook for advice before purchasing a product
  • 31% say they don’t share products on social networks, while 63% say they share on Facebook, 25% on Twitter, and 22% on Pinterest
  • 64% said that more Facebook “likes” on a product do not increase the likelihood that they will buy that product
  • 44% say they are most likely to discover new products on Facebook compared to 21% on Pinterest and 13% on Twitter, but 37% don’t pay attention to posts about products
  • 56% do not share things on social networks to get rewards.

Brand findings from the report include:

  • Facebook Upstream Traffic: 2.46%
  • Pinterest Upstream Traffic: 0.13% (Low)
  • Twitter Upstream Traffic: 0.06% (Distant 3rd)
  • 35% of companies researched had apps on Facebook that were not functioning and/or were out of date.
  • 51% of companies have incorporated the Pin It button

See the full press release right here on Minnov8 or go to the 8thBridge site here to download the report.

Minnov8 Gang 194 – All Our Startups Are Above Average

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A surprising number of hot stories this week for a December and the Gang covers it and more.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.
Music: The One by The Woodshedders brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 49:13 — 28.7MB)

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SmartThings Closes $3M Seed Round

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SmartThings, the Minnesota startup focused on the “internet of things” with its smart hub and connected devices, has announced they have closed a $3M seed round.

One of the key aspects of SmartThings’ value proposition is their API and developer-centric positioning. So far they have more than 1,000 developers who have signed up to participate in making connected devices to work within the SmartThings ecosystem.

They also scored this great post on TechCrunch, visibility that only helps.

Wow…congratulations you guys and your hard work is paying off! Check out their press release below:

An Open Physical Graph

SmartThings Announces $3M Seed Round and Developer/Maker Contest to Drive an Open ‘Internet of Things’

At SmartThings, we believe the next and perhaps most life-altering evolution of the Internet will be the creation of the physical graph; the digitization, connectivity and programmability of the physical world around us. Whether you call this the Internet of Things, sensor networks or home and life automation, the implications for how we live, work, and have fun are profound. At our core, we also believe that for the ecosystem to be healthy, it must be open. An open physical graph is the only way to bridge the innovation, inventions and brilliance of the many device manufacturers, hardware makers, developers, and everyday people who are working to change our lives today and in the future.

SmartThings sits at the center of this open ecosystem. We provide a platform that enables developers and makers to build smart and connected devices, an interactive and mobile user experience for consumers to manage and install apps into their physical world to make it behave more intelligently, and unique combinations of SmartThings and SmartApps packaged to solve real world problems, out of the box, with no professional installation required.

We appreciate the immense support we’ve received to date in making that open vision a reality. Our Kickstarter backers embraced this vision and made us the second largest technology project of all time, and the largest Internet of Things project by more than 2x when we closed. This momentum continued across the globe with SmartThings winning the Spark of Genius award at the 2012 Dublin Web Summit against a field of over 4,000 original startup competitors from 36 countries.

Today we’re announcing 2 significant events in our continued success and progress in bringing the open physical graph to the world.

The SmartThings vision is a big one. But it’s clear the world is ready. The entire Le Web conference in Paris this week is based around the Internet of Things, and new projects aiming to connect our physical world are emerging almost daily. It will take a significant ecosystem and the participation of many of these innovators to realize the full potential of the physical graph.

Fortunately, some of the best and most dynamic investors and entrepreneurs out there believe in our vision as well. Today we’re announcing the successful close of a $3 million funding round lead by First Round Capital and including SV Angel, Lerer Ventures, CrunchFund, Max Levchin, Yuri Milner’s Start Fund, David Tisch, A-Grade Investments, Chris Dixon, Vivi Nevo, Alexis Ohanian, Loic Le Meur, Martin Varsavsky, Kal Vepuri, Ryan Sarver, Jared Hecht, Steve Martocci, Emil Michael, Aaron Levie, Zorik Gordon, and Nathan Hanks.

This is the perfect group to both help us in our direct growth and to make investments in the ecosystem of developers and makers who will create a breathtaking array of connected devices, intelligent and learning applications, and breakthrough innovations.

With this funding, and in direct support of the open ecosystem vision, today we’re also announcing the first SmartThings Developer and Maker Competition. Based on community feedback and more than 1,000 developers and makers that have signed up on the SmartThings platform, we’ll be choosing 5 key themes representing the most exciting areas of innovation on the physical graph. In each theme, we’ll be awarding a winner for the best software developer / SmartApp, and the best hardware/device maker. In April 2013, we’ll announce the overall winner.

The judging panel for this contest includes First Round Capital, SV Angel, Lerer Ventures, Matt Williams, EIR at Andreesen Horowitz, Loic Le Meur, David Tisch, and Alex Hawkinson, CEO of SmartThings.

Winners will receive cash ($100,000 overall including $25,000 each for the top app and top new connected Thing), investor exposure, media coverage, manufacturing and design consulting and be featured across the SmartThings customer base and ecosystem. You can learn more about and sign up for the competition at build.smartthings.com.

We expect this to be the first of many competitions driving an explosive growth in innovation on the open physical graph. Thank you so much for your continued support. Together we will create an open physical graph and a smarter world!

– The SmartThings Team

Minnov8 Gang 193 – We Come Bearing Gifts

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There are so many tech gifts for this holiday season it is hard to figure out what is hot and what’s not. On our Holiday Gadget Buyer’s Guide Extravaganza the Gang recaps our top picks and we’re joined by Julio Ojeda-Zapata whose great list of Minnesota (and non-Minnesota) gift ideas is comprehensive and worth a look.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.
Music: Natural Man by Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:10:10 — 41.3MB)

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Da Vinci Fest – Science, Art & Technology

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Exciting our kids about the world they will inherit — not just the future but their future — means that getting them engaged and excited about science, art and technology will enable them to invent it. A unique festival in Stillwater on January 5, 2013 is one that sets up a venue for kids to showcase and demonstrate what fills them with passion and motivating them to think about, and work toward, the possibilities of what they can create.

For a long time Minnesota has been a leader in educational uses of technology and has a high degree of focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and many, like the US News and World Report tout that STEM Education Is the Key to the U.S.’s Economic Future and even have this dedicated site about STEM.

The Stillwater school district has a unique, community-driven non-profit called The Partnership Plan whose focus “…is to be a catalyst for exciting and innovative learning for students of Stillwater Area Public Schools by forging community partnerships of time, talent and resources.” Driven by parent and community volunteers, they are the ones who put on the event alongside the teachers and school administrators engaging our kids.

Click to view the Da Vinci Fest poster

Click to view the Da Vinci Fest poster

The DaVinci Fest, named after Leonardo Da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance genius who was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer, is an annual educational fair highlighting art, science and technology projects by the Stillwater District’s students in grades 4 through 12. Last year, over 700 student projects and 60+ interactive exhibits and demonstrations by businesses, clubs and organization were on display for more than 3,000 attendees!

But did you also notice the word “art” in their event’s title? Let’s face it: without deep design thinking — and the depth and texture an artist brings to our human perceptions of just about everything we see, hear and touch in the world — even the best science and technology functionality falls flat. One of the reasons Microsoft founder Bill Gates gave for purchasing Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘codex’ for $30M was that this genius Da Vinci not only invented, engineered and analyzed, he could articulate his vision and communicate it in a beautiful and highly useable way. It’s one reason why having art within this event seems both logical and insightful.

The best part? You can attend on Saturday, January 5, 2013 held at Stillwater High School (map) and also participate as an exhibitor by contacting Paula Thrall by email. Take a peek at some of 2012’s exhibitors here and see that you would be in good company as an exhibitor, support this cause, and help build a future smart population that will keep Minnesota and the U.S. great.

Take a peek at their 2012 promotional video which will give you a good overview:

[youtube=”http://youtu.be/qnF4gD12vpQ”]

Minnov8 Gang 192 – Light the IoT with Spark

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The Internet of Things continues to accelerate and you will soon find yourself controlling all sorts of ‘things’ with your smartphone or tablet devices. Another innovative Kickstarter project, Sparks, has debuted and the Gang talks with Zach Supalla (LinkedIn; Twitter) , you need to go there now and signup (and watch the video since it is very well done!).

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott and Phil Wilson (Graeme Thickins is off this week).
Music: Someone to Talk To by Robin Banks brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:04:16 — 37.7MB)

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Minnov8 Gang 191 – Flip That Toast!

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The local Minnesota startup community continues to grow as have technology players who started up a long time ago. One of those growing, players, an organization that has reinvented itself and accelerated in to the mobile space by helping developers monetize their apps and even vaulting themselves in to the thick of things with their own social FlipToast app, is St. Cloud-based W3i. Though putting “evangelist” in his Senior Vice President list of duties isn’t official, co-founder Rob Weber is certainly that and a lot more and we were delighted to have him on the podcast this week.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.
Music: Traveling Blues by Bo Lozoff brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.
Image: “Toaster image” used for composite is courtesy PixelPlacebo under a Creative Commons license.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:06:20 — 38.7MB)

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Minnov8 Gang 190 – INCOMING!!

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The Gang, minus Graeme this week, talks about a range of topics including the QFOLabs Toy-helicopter startup has the tech, needs the lift (Minnov8 profile by Graeme here) and how Borsch would like it if it had munitions on board (especially lasers!).

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott and Phil Wilson (Graeme Thickins is off this week).
Music: Without You by Black Lab brought to us by the podsafe Music Alley.

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The Podcast

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:02:22 — 36.5MB)

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This week’s stories…

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