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CoCo Ties Up with Google

February 20, 2013 By Graeme Thickins

CoCo-logoBig news today from our friends at CoCoMSP.  The very successful, high-profile coworking venue announced today it will partner with Google to “boost entrepreneurship in Minnesota.”  Specifically, CoCo has agreed to work with the “Google for Entrepreneurs” program to host a variety of events, conferences, and social mixers over the next two years at its Minneapolis location (the former Grain Exchange trading floor), all with a focus on technology and startups.

The news is breaking on the same day Google and CoCo are cohosting a day-long event on entrepreneurship and innovation in Minneapolis, including speakers, workshops, and a closing happy hour reception. (At 11:00 am, there’s even a Google+ Hangout on Air with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.)GoogForEntrepDay-Mpls

According to CoCo’s news announcement today, its ongoing two-year partnership will feature several types of events to be held at the CoCo Grain Exchange location:

  • Launch and pitch events, such as Startup Weekend Twin Cities
  • Affinity and user groups, including Google Developers Group Twin Cities, Android Users Group of Minnesota, and House of Genius
  • One-day and multi-day conferences
  • Social and networking events for startup founders and mentors, including a mentor event for Minneapolis’ STEP-UP program.
  • Classes and educational sessions, including online-only sessions that will be available to entrepreneurs across the state.

All events in the series will (of course) make use of Google technology, including Google+ Hangouts, so that entrepreneurs from throughout Minnesota can participate in events remotely.

The first event of the partnership will follow the all-day event today: the local Google Developer Group’s monthly meetup, which will be this evening at CoCo. The news release states “a full 2013 event schedule will be finalized and made public in the coming weeks.”

Today’s “Google for Entrepreneurs Day” is being kicked off by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and features talks and sessions led by visiting Google employees.

“This partnership with Google will allow us to continue to expand our mission of creating a robust community of individuals pursuing the work of their dreams,” said CoCo founding partner Kyle Coolbroth in a prepared statement.

Google describes its “Google for Entrepreneurs initiative” as actively supporting entrepreneurs in the U.S. and across the globe. “We believe entrepreneurship drives innovation, economic growth, and vibrant communities. We see that happening in Minnesota and particularly at CoCo,” said John Lyman, Entrepreneurship Manager at Google, in the release.  Google For Entrepreneurs says it empowers “the next generation of innovators to be successful.” (No word on you older entrepreneurs, haha.)

For those who haven’t yet been to CoCo, you should drop by and get a tour — it’s fantastic!  (Disclosure: I’m a member, so I’m very biased.)  CoCo describes itself as “a place where entrepreneurs, freelance professionals, small businesses, and corporate workgroups can gather to share ideas, team up on projects, and get work done.” For its members, CoCo is an alternative to working from home or meeting at the local coffee shop. CoCo also has a location in Lowertown St. Paul.

I’m looking forward to today’s event and hope to be doing several video interviews (especially of Google execs), as well as tweeting and more blogging during the day.

Filed Under: News & Events, Startups & Developers Tagged With: CoCo, Google, Minnesota, MN Entrepreneurs

Minnov8 Gang 46: Addicted to Twitter, Chatter about FanChatter & More

August 8, 2009 By Steve Borsch

twitter-addictOn this week’s show we talk about Twitter being down and how people realized they are social media addicts, FanChatter, controversy over iPhone apps being rejected and much more.

Hosts: Steve Borsch, Tim Elliott, Graeme Thickins and Phil Wilson.

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The Podcast
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Podcast: Download (Duration: 46:12 — 26.9MB)

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Discussed during the show:

+ Twitter down (and Dragnet’s “Blue Boy” LSD episode); FanChatter; Blog comment addition vendors: Echo and BackType (and BackType Connect for WordPress); Minnesota startups BusinessCard2 and Extendr as well as Retaggr

+ Federal Trade Commission (FTC) looking in to Google’s Eric Schmidt on Apple’s board (now potentially a moot point)

+ Pending Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proceedings regarding wireless open access and handset exclusivity are in motion, and as part of this the FCC requested more information from the Google Voice app rejection by Apple (good overview of the controversy–and Apple’s overall app rejection policy–in this BusinessWeek article)

FCC’s letter to Apple
FCC’s letter to AT&T
FCC’s letter to Google
  • FCC’s letter to Apple
  • FCC’s letter to AT&T
  • FCC’s letter to Google

+ HTML 5 and the open source video codec rejection; Google acquiring On2 and conjecture it was a strategic move to open source On2’s codec, move away from Flash (and minimize the possibility Adobe could make it a ubiquitous application platform as well as continuing to extend its reach as one for video) and not require licensing H.264

+ The MiFi device and the Wired article referred to by Tim; Comcast getting in to wireless broadband

+ “Social Media on a Stick“: Social Media Breakfast, Minneapolis/St. Paul (SMBMSP) is meeting at the State Fair

+ Blogwell is next week! This is positioned as a must-attend event for anyone interested in corporate social media use

+ Evocam: Steve’s geek fun this weekend.

Filed Under: Minnov8 Gang Podcast Tagged With: Google, MN Entrepreneurs, SMBMSP

Extendr: Your Web. One Place.

July 9, 2009 By Tim Elliott

extendr

If I googled you – what would I find, how fast would I find it, and what initial impression would I form?

Personal branding is in and the premise is simple: people search for other people online and extendr.com makes it easier to be found online while enabling one to retain control over their own unique digital introduction destiny.

Call it a launch pad, virtual porch, or online hub. It’s all the same if you can take your digital breadcrumbs (social links, contact info, portfolio, CV, favorites, etc.) and aggregate them into one customizable & search engine friendly source.  It’s simple, free, and it works especially well for those too illiterate and/or cheap for a professional personal website and too busy to consistently maintain a functional blog.

The tour feature allows for someone to visit your extendr page and browse the various links/websites that you have included, all within the extendr frame.  This offers two distinct benefits: (1) ensuring that whoever is seeking can find everything (and then some) under one roof, and (2) less time spent back and forth jumping from site to site.

Isn’t it pleasurable when you can efficiently locate and access what it is your looking for online? Consider extendr a great personal marketing tool, as we (as searchers) are forming unforgiving subconscious first impressions and subsequent judgments based on how accessible people are choosing to make themselves online-or rather-not.  For example, if you’ve taken the upfront time to make it easy for me to find you online then it tells me that you respect my time.  This would likely lead to a favorable first impression as opposed to having to sift through pages of SERPs.

Go to extendr.com now and get running in a few minutes.  What’s that? You already have a personal website/blog?  Already profiled in google? Fair enough… but isn’t it better to cast one’s personal branding net as far and wide as possible given the option?

Filed Under: Emerging MN Companies, Startups & Developers Tagged With: MN Entrepreneurs

Sharpen Up Those Business Plans! The ‘Minnesota Cup’ Deadline Is May 22

May 10, 2009 By Graeme Thickins

mncup-logo1Attention all Minnesota startups and would-be startups: only a short time remains to enter the statewide business-plan competition known as The Minnesota Cup — applications are due Friday, May 22, 2009.

Now in its fifth year, the competition is bigger and better in 2009, with more prizes and more opportunities to win.  The total amount of winnings this year was upped to more than $130,000.  And the competition was expanded to now include six divisions — Clean & Green, BioSciences, High Tech, Social Entrepreneur, General, and Student. The first-place winner stands to win as much as $40,000.  But I submit the money isn’t everything — the publicity and connections the winners get from this competition are worth far more.

The MN Cup, in more than doubling its prize money, stands in sharp contrast to a national study that recently reported angel investment dollars were down 26% in 2008.  Yes, Minnesota entrepreneurs should take heart — seed funding is actually on the rise in this case!  And many more founders can now participate in this competition with its newly added business categories.

Twin Cities Business magazine did a story on the 2008 MN Cup winners.  …  [Read More…]

Filed Under: Events, Innovation, MN Entrepreneurs Tagged With: MN Cup, MN Entrepreneurs

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