Today, one of my friends asked me why we haven't yet iphone games in the market? he told me that Apple appStore was crowd of people downloading games. The answer wasn't clear in my mind. At least, after thinking it for a long while, I must said that we haven't the investment capacity, we can't go to do everything we see and every attractive thing we found. We bet for a way and although we are agile and flexible we must be constant with the projects and don't jump from one idea to another depending on fashions or wishes. Now, the answer is clear, we don't have the money to do everything we like and when we would like. We have the team, the knowledge, we want, we do the R&D with the apple technology, etc. But at the end, what mind is the invest on your bet, and the other things are the opportunity cost. Would you see games from us in iPhone?, yes, absolutely yes, but by now you must wait us to finish other things.

The nonstop growth of investment in technology gives daily news. Today we see that Nauta leads investment in Privalia an outlet online, and it does neither more nor less, with a push of 4 million. It has long observed the spectacular growth of BuyVip –I’m with my brother together on an idea in the clothing arena -.

It appears that the crisis has opened up opportunities for startups, showing new options for achieving return on investment now in the construction industry darkness.

Labels: startups

Today I have something in my email inbox that has surprised me. The American magazine "Forbes" has LABoral Centro de Arte and its exposure Homo Ludens Ludens among the eight sites essential that the lovers and video game fans should visit. It’s also the only one in the European area, and so so close from us.

And I’m sure all of you have the same question in mind, what are the others:
• E for All, Los Angeles, California. The exhibition will take place in October between 3 and 5th.
• Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan, "Players shopping paradise."
• ZEUM, San Francisco, California, "a museum of art and technology, bringing near young and older people to the world media."
• The Nintendo World Store in New York, with two floors devoted to the Wii and DS consoles.
• Downtown Disney, Orlando, "an interactive theme park offering games that combine virtual reality with experience in three dimensions."
• Penny Arcade Expo, Seattle, Wash., which will run between 29 and August 31.
• Montreal International Games Summit, Montreal, Canada, "an event focus on the industry that includes a large sample for consumers." The conference will be held in November between 18 and 19.

I have many places to visit yet.

Labels: mobile games

Some months ago, Unkasoft sent its candidature to the International Dell Small Business Excellence Award. Some days ago, Dell call us to comunicate us that we were one of the ten award finalist. We will know the final result on September. From Unkasoft we are happy to continue participating in different awards and events, because is the best way to recognize the effort we are doing at technical and human level. We think that every company must base it success in the recognize of well done work, the good evolve of the business and a sucessfully corporative social politic. If we win this award, that will be part of the recognize, we expect to return part of it to the ecosystem that is around us.

If you want to know more about the award, try Dell Pymes.
Good luck for all contestants !!!

Labels: award, Dell, excellence, finalist, small business

The first edition of Mobile 2.0 Europe is over. Always organize something like this is knotty, so congratulations!.

The event has begun with Nokia and m: metrics. From the data supplied by this second, surprise me especially those about the U.S. market. They indicate that 27% use 3G services, which actually don’t exist. The only thing I saw in the U.S. to use 3G is using the 3G Sprint modems.

What about iPhone, definitely it’s the best marketing campaign in the history. Everyone talks about the magic of those handsets that make people use mobile services several times over. In addition, it’s the cool picture for all the presentations we have.

The slot about Mobile Social Media has left disappointed me a bit, to be frankly.

Then time for the Early Stage Start-ups presentations, we felt the pressure:

• Aka-aki, social networking with location capabilities, reminded me what I saw in the Spaniard Tooio.
• Dial2Do. hands-free service, even supports Twitter, for the most dependents. You can dictate what you want to twitter.
• Shout'em. It reminds me of what I said Roberto, sell 'picks and shovels'. They offer a tool for microblogging sites. Its focus on having support multiple languages and move into local communities.
• ViaMobility. Another site for widgets, they want to be the 'player' for widget.
• YouLynx. Our friend, Jorge has just received investment from La Caixa. They will be focus on the convergence PC - Mobile, but also decisive on the social network. There are playing in a hard arena.
• Zipipop. I agree with the jury, have offered a very fresh service with a very good image for organizing social activities. If I would be a VC, I would have missed some information about the business model and team. But they have potential, for sure.

I liked the Venture Capital panel. And I heard many interesting messages:

They want invest in companies which a clear business model. The leading edge technology or ideas are not enough. They begin to be reluctant to revenue share models with mobile operators.

Not having data flat rates continues to affect everyone in the industry.
Maximilian from Atlas, spots that there are much innovation and products, but little business.

We must have the right model at the right time. Many have failed by removing an idea ahead of time or later.

The executive team is vital –point that few have shown at the event-. it’s essential to have a plan and a team of people who can execute the plan.

Then began the Pre-series A:

• Kooka. Visual search engine. I mean I've seen something similar in AquaMobile. They presented the idea clearly, indicating what they need from the VC.
• MobiLuck. Friend-finder. Frankly I liked more the Zipipop service.
• Rummble. Location system that has a sensational team. They are selected as the best in the pre-series A.
• Secufone. Service focusing on security. It allows you to send SOS alerts or track you for security reasons. From the VC seems they mentioned many points, but the presentation wasn’t enjoyable at all.
• Unkasoft. Well, I will be objective. The beginning not good enough, not booted the presentation and suddenly played the video. From our side, we failed to don’t make clearer the business model. However, asking people, they love the concept and solution. The presentation goes into the team and investment required, points needs for the VC. Jaime has made an enormous effort and great strides to improve.
• Viif, have a community around mobile entertainment. But I admit that I disconnected : (

Panel discussion with ops starts and security people close nearly enter in the room, as saying in Twitter. Do operators support innovation whether or not? What do you think?

Operators commented that they are building the highways for our mobile services. But people do not seem very happy.

Alike, an operator commented that 'rather than the business model', they concerns 'quality of service,' because in case of problem always call them.

Commented that are open to negotiate data flat rates, for example, ‘iPhone has agreed flat rates with an interesting model for both sides’. Here I make a remark, I do not know if apple and unkasoft, would have the same opportunities for that.

The moderator asked, 'but in the short term, How are you going to help Start-ups?'. First answer from an operator is, 'the next two months we’re on holidays but then things can move on'. Carlos Domingo, reacts soon, and said is open to ideas and help start-ups today, and is giving his e-mail.

The rest of the panel commented they support open markets, and called an effort to entrepreneurs to do the homework and prepare always how monetize the projects.

Post-series A large:

• Futurlink. Wimob rocks, allows us connecting the web and mobile world. Wimob send mobile content from the PC, in an easy way. They point high. Les judgement on video (and it broke a little presentation.
• Mippin. A site to have your Widgets, I know, I know, there’re many players in this arena. But Mippin offers improvements to display content and to speed up the browsing experience.
• Nimbuzz. It integrates all IM services (MSN, Yahoo,…) in a single application. The jury selected them as the best post-series. In my humble opinion, I've already seen many service like that, and another Post-series did the presentation better.
• Palringo. Messaging service, the presentation wasn’t enjoyable, and perhaps because it was late. They missed information for a presentation for these events.
• Taptu. A mobile searcher. But I don’t know if they can be an alternative of Google hegemony.

Finally there was a panel moderated by Mike of TechCruch on Open Business Models, quite persistent on the advertising model. Mike did a good job; the rest has left me eager to hear new ideas. The only thing that called my attention is a question from the audience, 'Where is google?'.

Just to finish, mention a change in our society. Time ago, the audience of an event was just hearing the presentations. Some years later, we got our mobiles, and sometime we were left outside to talk. Now people around me have their laptops, blackberry, everything, to keep working and twittering,… What will be the next stage? printers, and a coffee table? : )

Thanks to Rudy, Carles and Penélope for this great event.

Labels: events, m2eu

My fellow Narciso of Elondra (better known by Basemovil) has received investment, as he twittered to me. Although I already know who has invested, I wait until he send the PR, and I can only say that they are very good people. I think they will make a great tandem.
We commented about basemovil time ago, because they have an excellent framework for developing J2ME applications that require store information, and management it. They have also opened some tools for the community base on a GPL license, which have had wide acceptance, particularly in countries of northern Europe.

If that were not enough, I was last Friday in TOOIO presentation (pronounced TUUYOO : ). A mobile social network based on location, which is led by people who know well the Internet and mobile, between those are Alberto and Salvador (Mobile Dreams), also I recognized to Agustin.

The idea sounds good and I know that explode with the service you ever call advertising 2.0. Today I spot in the Carlos Blanco’s blog something that I have heard several times:
"Sample clients disoriented phrases "we should create a viral and to reach a lot of people "or" create a post and I want to send it to all blogers". Or “Advertisers are wrong with such presence in TV advertising and so little on the Internet.”

I would like to hear from you typical phrases such as:

• "make a viral campaign"
• "use social networks to see what the whole world"
• …

What is a viral content? What content or information you have recently send to a friend? for sample, I send that what I thought was very funny. If we review what we have sent, 80% or even 90% will undoubtedly humour stuff.
Therefore, if there isn’t a great creative team full of original ideas, forget about the virals. To broadcast certainly it, you need a good technical team. If you see something you like on TV, you can not do very much. Internet and mobile, allow send content forward. So it is time to invest more in on-line advertising.

Labels: advertising