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Female Internet Hero: Audio Interview with Caterina Fake of Hunch and Flickr
As part of our Female Internet Heroes series, and in conjunction with NCWIT (the National Center for Women & Information Technology), The NextWomen are publishing audio interviews highlighting a diverse group of women innovators from small companies, larger corporations, and non-profits, whose ideas and products are changing the way we think, work, play, and communicate. Listen as these women discuss how they first became involved with tech, why they chose to be entrepreneurs and what advice they would give to young people interested in IT or entrepreneurship.
Caterina Fake, Co-Founder of Hunch and Flickr and TNW Female Internet Hero
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Listen to the NCWIT Entrepreneurial Interview with Caterina Fake. |
Caterina Fake
Caterina Fake is a NextWomen Female Internet Hero and co-founder of Flickr, the popular photo-sharing site that helped transform the web into the participatory environment it is today. Flickr was launched early 2004, but Caterina’s love affair with the net and web development started as early as 1994 when she worked as an art director at Salon.com and on the development of online communities, social networks and personal publishing.
Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Fake graduated from Vassar College in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. In 2001 she cofounded Ludicorp which in 2004 launched Flickr, later acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. While there, she worked on MyWeb and Yahoo! Answers and ran Yahoo’s Technology Development group, known for its Hack Yahoo! program, designed to stimulate innovation and creativity, and Brickhouse, a rapid development environment for new products.
In March 2009 her new company, Hunch.com which helps people make decisions and Read more
The Ladies go Gaga for Music Entrepreneurs
Here The NextWomen Events Editor, Misae Richwoods, waxes lyrical about Music4point5.
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Misae Richwoods (flickr cc: pevijo)
When it comes to the old sing-a-long, two girls who’ve been backing many an act are Petra Johansson and Rassami Hok Ljungberg, whose duo performances are made under the stage name of 2 Pears. Better known for their encore performances staging Tech Crunch Europe’s regular events, 2 Pears noticed that tech was starting to rock the music industry and put out a ballad called Music 4.5 to serenade the two together. Would it be an A-ha moment, INXS of expectations or Simply Red?
Panels
Held at Central London’s Cavendish Conference Centre near Harley Street, the line up was equally plush. An opening panel was made by The Guardian’s Jemima Kiss interviewing the head of The Performing Rights Society, Fergal Sharkey. Whilst half expecting him to break into a medley of ‘a good right these days is heart to find’, successive panels focussed on key topic areas and played a percussive chorus of music being a strong industry.
“Let’s get this clear,”
said Jeremy Silver of the FAC,
“all this talk of music being an industry in crisis is media hype. Look at the facts. Live music is massively on the up. Merchandising is on the up. The only area that technology has affected is recorded music and that’s the area that technology created in the first place.”
This was backed up by Chris Corey of the PRS
“From £1.3bn to £1.4bn last year in recorded, music is a growing industry and a great industry to be in”.
“The issue,” continued Jeremy, “is simply of an industry trying to modernise itself. And like the Post Office, it’s messy!” Read more
Brazil Means Business Symposium – A 360 Degree View of an Emerging Economy
AMSTERDAM – Joana Picq, COO of The NextWomen will be speaking at the first edition of the Brazil Means Business Symposium, that will take place March 29th 2010, in Holland, showcasing some of the fastest growing Brazilian companies in the IT and Bio/Pharma sectors. If you are based in Holland or in the area on the day, take advantage of a special discount which allows all our readers a 10% discount with the code: NW
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Brazil is a Great Place to Start a Business
Brazil has become an attractive market to do business in the last decade, according to the President of the Banco De Lage Landen, in the South of Brazil, Porto Alegre, Mr. Maarten Viskaal:
“Brazil is economically developing very well. Huge investments are planned for in infrastructure, energy and oil extraction. The middle-class is upcoming and pushing domestic demand for consumer goods and housing.”, and “more and more there will be a push into high-tech solutions”.
In Brazil, De Lage Landen provides vendor finance services to the agricultural, construction, healthcare, and technology sectors.
Mr. Viskaal, who has been based in the country for several years, and has witnessed the fast pace of transformation and greater economic stability, adds that the
“The scenario of Brazil diving into a deep economical crisis combined with hyper inflation and currency devaluation is something of the past. The country is economically well run and has a strong banking sector”.
Keen Interest in R&D Carried out by European Biotech Companies
There is keen interest from European entrepreneurs to export goods, biotech imagining equipment, and services to tap the huge consumers’ market that Brazil represents. And there is interest, from Brazilian companies, in biomedical R&D carried out by European biotech companies. Entrepreneurs, investors, market analysts, and technology startups interested in going to market, forming partnerships, and investing in Brazil will be attending the Brazil Means Business Symposium, to better understand how the emerging economy is poised for growth.
Brazilian Software Companies will Have a Huge Presence Read more
Startup Interview: Esra Young of The Ragtrader, The Freelance Site for Fashion Designers
Fashion recruitment agenices, whilst well established, often charge dearly for their services. Co-founded by Esra Young, The Ragtrader is an online service for freelancers in the fashion industry which enable designers from anywhere in the world to work on projects half-way across the Globe. Here, Esra talks to The NextWomen about recognising a niche in the market, their heavy reliance on social media and the slow move online by players within the industry.
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From Freelance Fashion Designer to Female Entrepreneur
I graduated from Central Saint Martins with a degree in womenswear fashion design in 1999 and worked as a freelance designer for numerous UK companies. Freelancing is tough at the best of times as it is not consistent, but I found it increasingly difficult to fit work around my two young children & so came up with the idea of The Ragtrader as an answer to the problem.
What is The Ragtrader? When did you launch and what are your objectives for the next three years?
The Ragtrader is an online service which enables international fashion companies to use freelance fashion and graphic designers based anywhere in the world. We launched in December 08 & are in the process of recruiting agents around the world in order to grow globally. China is proving to be one of our strongest markets. Our aim is to become the “go-to” place for companies looking for freelance fashion or graphic designers.
Who makes up The Ragtrader team and what do you all bring to the table?
The team compromises of me and my husband Steven who has also worked in the fashion industry for over 10 years. We have a few interns, a technical team that manage the site and business advisors and investors.
What is your business model and how do you differ from your competitors?
We are unique in the fashion industry. Read more
Female Internet Hero: Audio Interview with Dina Kaplan of Blip.tv
As part of our Female Internet Heroes series, and in conjunction with NCWIT (the National Center for Women & Information Technology), The NextWomen will be publishing audio interviews highlighting a diverse group of women innovators from small companies, larger corporations, and non-profits, whose ideas and products are changing the way we think, work, play, and communicate. Listen as these women discuss how they first became involved with tech, why they chose to be entrepreneurs and what advice they would give to young people interested in IT or entrepreneurship.
Dina Kaplan, Co-Founder of Blip.tv
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Listen to the NCWIT Entrepreneurial Interview with Dina Kaplan. |
Dina Kaplan
Dina Kaplan is the co-founder of blip.tv, overseeing business operations for the company, including media partnerships, advertising and sponsorship deals, distribution deals, PR, marketing and investor relations.
Blip.tv is the double Webby-award winning video sharing site focused on shows. It enables independent producers to create their own TV shows for the Internet, from scripted sitcoms and dramas, to journalists covering the war in Baghdad. In writing about online video sites, Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal recently wrote:
“My favorite is blip.tv.”
In 2008 Business 2.0 named blip.tv in a cover story as one of “25 start-ups to watch.”
Before blip.tv Read more
Interview: Marion Carrette, Co-Founder and CMO of Zilok
Businesses that thrive in times when people want to watch their pennies are clearly evident during a recession. People flock to rental sites such as Girl Meets Dress, handbagsfromheaven and LOVEFiLM as they look for ways to continue living life in a way they enjoy, but with a more affordable pricetag. With Zilok, rather than buying a power drill to put up your shelf, or a fondue set for your ski-inspired birthday party, individuals and professionals can rent them. Here, Co-founder and CMO of Zilok, Marion Carrette, talks to guest writer – Pamela Poole, founder of Francophilia – about her love affair with the web, the strike of good luck she had in finding her business partner and how she wishes she had founded Leboncoin.fr – the French Craigslist.
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Tell us about yourself – your background and education
I went to ESSEC (business school) and graduated in 1996. Since leaving, I’ve always worked on the Web. I initially spent three years at a web agency before creating my own web content agency – ECRITO – which I sold to a PR firm so I could launch ZILOK.
What is Zilok? When did you launch and what is your mission?
Zilok is the number one site where people can rent and offer for rent all kinds of objects. It’s a kind of eBay, but instead of buying things, people can rent items from each other or from a company.
The site was launched in late 2007 with the goal to promote renting as a new way of consuming and one that is more sustainable.
How did you choose your partners? Looking back, would you have done it differently?
It was purely by chance. We actually had our own separate projects going on at the same time, and met when an investor let something slip. We hit it off right away, we’re very complementary, and our projects were also at about the same stage, so we decided to join forces rather than fighting for the same market. And it was the right move. I would do it exactly the same way if I had to do it over again.
What were your start-up costs, and how did you fund them? How would you rate crowd funding in France? Did it work for you? Read more
Bespoke Shoe Design Site, Upper Street, to Launch March 2010
Having the option and ability to design your own little piece of fashion is becoming ever more popular. Nike began the craze with their Nike ID range, enabling sport lovers to personalise their trainers. More recently, companies are taking the concept online, and it seems the competition is building.
Due to launch March 1st 2010, Upper Street is:
‘The made-to-order footwear label that lets you create your ultimate pair of designer shoes. Choose the style, all the detailing and the finish, then sit back while our craftsmen create your one-of-a-kind pair, delivered right to your door. Upperstreet.com – the perfect way to unleash your creative streak or simply create the shoes you’ve always searched for.’
Co-founded by sisters Julia and Katy Grinham, the site has the potential to be very slick and already has a sneak preview of the immense options to come on its facebook page. With sizes ranging from a UK 2 – 10 (I know a lot of women that will be excited by such broad offerings), there is reported to be hundreds of materials, colours and embellishments – including Swarovski gems – that can only signal shoe heaven for those of us who just cannot resist. With seven basic style choices – including courts, sandals, gladiator heels and round toe platforms – users can design a shoe for any occasion, even for their wedding day.
Bridal Shoes (all pictures from upperstreet Facebook page)
The site already gives a written teaser for what is to come. ‘The Rise of The Killer Heel’ talks about ‘delicate pieces’ and ‘foot confection’ which only strengthens the notion that women and shoes are like children in a sweet shop. It goes beyond providing a platform for simply designing shoes, however, presenting fashion trends and celebrity inspiration: Read more
The Clinton Global Initiative is Empowering Girls and Women Through Information and Communication Technologies
![Laptops for children in Africa cc: Flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby]](http://thenextwomen.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/laptop_flickr-LilKristen-Elsby.jpg "laptop_flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby]")
Laptops for children in Africa cc: Flickr Lil[Kristen Elsby
Since 2005, CGI has:
- Brought together more than 100 current and former heads of state, 10 of the last 16 Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organisations and prominent members of the media.
- Made more than 1,400 commitments valued at $46 billion
- Improved the lives of more than 200 million people in more than 170 countries
- More than three million people have better access to information technology
- More than $600 million has been invested in or loaned to small and medium-sized enterprises
- Almost three million micro-entrepreneurs have been empowered through microfinance
The 2010 CGI ation areas include: Empowering Girls and Women; Strengthening Market-Based Solutions; Enhancing Access to Modern Technology and Harnessing Human Potential. Of the 12 new initiatives/commitments in place to empower girls and women, 4 focus on the advantages of information and communication technology:
Plan USA and its Partners
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Commit over the next three years to:
- Train 140 adolescent girls from Ghana in media production and journalism skills, Read more
Startup Interview: Sonia Hully of The First Exclusive Dating Site, Love Definitely
If you have a read through the archive of our posts over the last year, you will find many articles related to online dating. From mysinglefriend, where friends compile profiles; to the original online dating site, Match, to dating for the rich and beautiful on Seventy-Thirty and toyboys on toyboywarehouse, and even finding a founding business partner through FounderDating, you wouldn’t believe there were any variations left. Yet here, Sonia Hully, founder of Love Definitely talks about producing the first exclusive dating site, getting her website built and her plans for the coming year.
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How did you come up with the idea of your start-up?
About a year ago, I was looking for a new venture.
Having worked in capital markets for 7 years, 3 years in the film industry followed by a bit of property development, I developed a taste for new challenges and working for myself. Two years ago I tried online dating myself and realised there were no sites for eligible bachelors. That’s how my idea took place. It took me about two months to find the right developers and programmer to build my site. I didn’t want to build something from a template as I wanted a differentiated site with a feeling of quality. Six months later, in June 2009, Love Definitely was launched.
How did you form your team?
I am lucky to be well connected from my previous jobs. Apart from two shareholders, a few interns and me it is a one woman show at the moment. I take regular advice from my friends entrepreneurs, lawyers etc… and I am actually starting to build an advisory board. The site, PR and other usual administrative duties are outsourced. I have also just negotiated a deal with McCann Erickson, a leading advertising agency, to manage my account. They will be developing my campaign for 2010. It is very exciting.
How did you fund it, with how much money, and what is the business model?
I have done quite well over the past few years, I was working in property development and decided to leave in 2008 before the crash. I founded most of the company myself with the help of two friends who also advise me on the financial side of the business. Since starting we have invested £55 000 into the business and launched an invite only membership section of the site called the Lounge.
The income is coming from registration fees even though it was free until very recently. It is £20 per month, £40 for 3 months and £60 for 6 months. I don’t believe in having advertising on a site especially a high end site. I always find it confusing when you have too many adverts on a page. I like the site to be simple and elegant.
As I was mentioning I have also a newer membership called the Lounge, by invitation only. This one will be more expensive eventually but at the moment it is free for the people invited.
What differentiates you from other players in your sector?
The idea is to be exclusive, elegant and fun for the eligible single. There can still be a stigma about online dating and that is where I am hoping to break the ice.
I also realised that many of us find it difficult to write about ourselves, really enjoy meeting friends of friends, but lack time and prefer like-minded crowds to mass gatherings.
In that respect I decided to involve a friend to help users register and write their profile. If you wish, he can even set you up for a blind date which is innovative in the world of online dating and makes it really fun. The Lounge, which is the premium membership section of our site, is by invitation only and has a calendar of events organised by the members themselves or by Love Definitely and other exclusive event organisations.
What was your biggest challenge during the development process and how can other start-ups learn from that?
I still consider the business as being in the development stage. Read more
MOTIVATING Mum to Launch Nationwide Mentoring Initiative for Businessmums
It was only last month that we featured an interview with Iveta Tancheva of Mums Like You – a venture geared towards mothers – highlighting the massive draw the internet has for women. In the same vein, a mentoring scheme to support businessmums across the UK is to be launched on March 15, 2010 by Allison Price, founder of Motivating Mum. This exciting new initiative will enable mums already in business, as well as those wanting to start up, to obtain affordable support and advice to help them achieve their dreams.
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Launched three years ago, Motivating Mum was set up by Allison Price, professional life coach, mumpreneur and mother of one, for mums who needed help with the everyday challenges they faced. It now helps mumpreneurs across the UK succeed in achieving their business dreams through the provision of support and advice.
Increasing Numberss of Mumpreneurs
An increasing number of mothers are setting up their own businesses, however many of them lack knowledge and/or experience and face difficult challenges right from the start. The Motivating Mum mentoring service will connect mums needing professional guidance to mums who are experts in their field. It will cover all areas of business from law and accountancy to marketing and PR, in addition to getting ideas off the ground.
The Who’s Who of Business-mums
High profile business-mums already signed up as mentors for the launch include Laura Tenison, MD at JoJo Maman Bebe, Rachel Jones, inventor of Totseat and Wendy Shand, founder of Tots to Travel.
When talking about the launch, founder Alli Price said: Read more
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