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Founder Interview: Life After our Start-up was acquired by The Huffington Post
Elena Haliczer - Founder of Adaptive Semantics
Adaptive Semantics is an online customer management system which can be customized for different publishers. This company based on Linguistic Algorythm was founded in November 2008 by Elena Haliczer and Jeff Revesz. The NextWomen interviews Elena Haliczer on creating innovation and founding the business, and its recent acquisition by The Huffington Post.
“The Huffington Post made our decision very easy. Not only was it an attractive offer that felt right at the time, it was also a tremendous opportunity to work for a company with a real track record for innovation.”
How did you come up with the idea of your start-up? And what is its USP?
In the early days of our company, Jeff Revesz, my co-founder, and I felt strongly that the market really made a lot of our decisions for us. When we first started talking about forming a company, there was a lot of chatter and frustration about the lack of any really effective comment moderation system for blogs. At the same time, there was a lot of interest around discovering the influencers within online communities. Jeff had already begun working on JuLiA (Just a Linguistic Algorithm) in his spare time, and we were looking out for a good application for the technology. We quickly realized we could use JuLiA as the basis for an automated comment moderation and expert discovery system and market it to publishers.
We use linguistic algorithms and text data analysis — which become more sophisticated over time — to help moderate comments by recognizing offensive language and patterns of behavior used to evade comment moderation.
While publishers often rely on filters to moderate comments, they don’t effectively catch all the content necessary as users learn to work around keyword filters. Given the volume of comments that many publishers receive and the growing importance of comments to publishers’ communities, relying on human moderators can become unmanageable. The linguistics algorithms of our technology get around these issues by sorting through extensive databases — a fast-growing list of hundreds of thousands of single words and keyword combinations — to eliminate abusive comments. Through data mining and statistical analysis, JuLiA improves the user experience by using analytics to recommend community experts and identify and eliminate abusive posts.
We focused our product on publishers from the very beginning, and at the time, there simply wasn’t anything like it out there. Sentiment analysis itself had not really entered into the public conversation. This changed over the course of 2009 as companies like Crimson Hexagon and Jodange came to the forefront. We had some especially good timing, because we were already out there with clients who had gotten good results with JuLiA. Sentiment analysis suddenly became this class of products that publishers understood and wanted.
Companies that were potentially our competitors actually made our sales a lot easier.
How did you form your team?
Jeff and I met at New York Internet Week in June, 2008. He was working at AIG, and I was working at Games for Change, a nonprofit focused on social issue games. We were both fishing for a potential co-founder, though at the time neither of us were completely sure what the product would be. The match felt right because he had a strong background in math and I had an equally strong background in marketing, but more than that, we were both developers, and both hungry for the startup life. Concrete ideas and a minimum viable product were developed over the course of 2008, and in November we officially founded Adaptive Semantics.
How did you fund it, with how much money, and what is the business model? Read more
Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs Discuss Leadership in Edinburgh
Fiona Murray - photo by Jonathan Littlejohn M.A.
Earlier this month The NextWomen was invited to the “New Approaches to Leadership for Aspiring Female Entrepreneurs” workshop by Informatic Ventures where female founders from Scotland and across Europe discussed entrepreneurship. The over 50 women attending proved nothing but leadership and innovation in each of their man-dominated fields of technology, yet took the opportunity to discuss new approaches with experts from the MIT Sloan School of Management and each other.
Women and Leadership - Questioning and Understanding Statistics
The one-day programme was led by professors Fiona Murray, Laura Barker Morse and Glenda Burkhart who showed amazing talent in triggering constructive group discussions – from behaviour profiles to case studies and group exercises, always trying to evaluate whether women’s leadership approaches could be generalised as such, and how they could be improved.
The agenda included very interesting discussions around the latest statistics from the Kauffman Foundation about Women in leadership roles. Why are there not more women in boards? Male environments versus executive talent pipelines. Do women not get invited to leadership roles or do they turn them down? Although most people in the room agreed to never have heard of women turning down offers to leadership and board roles. How can we accelerate women access to VC funding? Women often focus on realistic return forecasts on investment and don’t always look as appealing as their male counterparts. Are there enough female investors? Not statistically speaking, and that may impactwomen’s access to funding. Why do women founders tend to lead smaller teams? For various reasons, but is that really a problem or can it be an advantage?
Female Entrepreneurs in Europe get ready for High Growth Business
Sharon Vosmek, CEO Astia
An elite group of European female entrepreneurs are coming together this week in London to connect with experts, potential investors and other experienced entrepreneurs. All have the ambition to build high growth businesses and go for funding rounds in the coming months. The programme is designed by Astia, the premier accelerator of women-led companies based in Silicon Valley, which expanded to Europe last year.
We spoke with Sharon Vosmek, CEO of Astia.
Why an ‘investor readiness’ programme that targets female entrepreneurs?
Astia exists because still today women-led start-ups account for only 10% of the UK venture-backed deals. We believe that the opportunity to increase this percentage exists. The programme itself is no different than what men would benefit from as well. It is simply, that we specifically target companies with women on the founding team because they are under represented in the market.
What is the biggest gain that companies get from this programme?
Astia clients gain access to a global network of investors, serial entrepreneurs, corporations, and value-ad service providers – men and women – who are committed to ensuring the success of the Astia clients. We focus on three fundamentals for the clients we serve 1) access to capital; 2) ensuring high growth; 3) development of the leadership of the women on the founding team.
Do you see these entrepreneurs change their behaviour during this week?
Astia entrepreneurs identify the Astia programme, network, and resources as transformational for their businesses and for themselves as business leaders. They arrive as exceptional entrepreneurs leading technology companies – they depart as exceptional entrepreneurs armed with an understanding of the current state of investment and a global network at the ready to help them address the challenges of growing a high growth business.
Are there any differences you see between US entrepreneurs (who follow the New York or Silicon Valley programme) and European entrepreneurs, who follow the London programme? Read more
Women are Trending in Brussels Tech Leadership Conference
Clo Willaerts, Woman in Tech
This is an article by Misae Richwoods, Event editor of The NextWomen and organizer of #140conf meetup in London
Brussels is the seat of Europe and as such it has some unusual dynamics, such as:
- The population is multi lingual with the Flemish and French divide being bridged by English.
- The national mobile operators charge for handsets instead of providing it free with a contract and unlimited mobile internet hasn’t happened here yet.
- At the same time there are world renowned global brands based here like Stella Artois.
- The architecture of the city marries the most delightful stone worked terraces of yesteryear with the stark modern lines of post-war reconstruction and the towering offices that deal with the endless red tape of globalisation.
Yes, Belgium is a more traditional country than the UK and yes, many things seem old fashion. Yet there was nothing backward thinking about the first #140conf meeting in Brussels which paneled an all female speaker line up!
An all female speaker line up at #140conf meetup in Brussels!
Having organised the #140conf meetup in London since last year, it was my pleasure to introduce the concept that real time media is a game changer for business and that we need to get a dialogue started about the changes it’s going to create so that we can use them as a force for good. Read more
A Unique Group of Mentors set to Advice the Next Generation of Female Internet Heroes
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Although women count for over 15% of UK entrepreneurs*, they represent less than 4% of start-ups with access to investment funding** in the country. This Gender inequality not only limits the growth of women-led SMEs, but it could also slow women’s enterprise in the post recession years. Following the Women’s Enterprise Task Force Report recommending to enhance the benefit from women networks, particularly in terms of business mentoring and coaching, a group of experienced men and women, all entrepreneurs or involved in SME enterprise, have decided to join forces and take action to trigger change.
Simone Brummelhuis, founder of The NextWomen, has today launched the NextWomen Mentoring Programme, in which over 20 outstanding male and female technology entrepreneurs from across the globe have committed to help the future of online enterprise.
“The Angel and VC investment game is still a very masculine environment. We believe that, with guidance from experienced players, many young female entrepreneurs can help change that, just as the past generations have helped change the corporate environment.” says Joana Picq, COO of The NextWomen.
The programme is unique in the way it manages the commitment to the relationship between the mentor and mentee. NextMentees, as they are called in the programme, commit to one of three different packages ranging in value, while NextMentors choose their NextMentees.
“To be a good mentor you must set your heart to it. I need to know my experience, connections and skills can really help my NextMentee launch or grow their start-up before I accept them.” Added NextMentor Sarah McVittie, co-founder of Texperts which was sold to kgb giant, 118118, at the end of 2008.
Launched to give female entrepreneurs ongoing support and advice, the programme has an impressive line-up of internet heavyweights including Michelle Dewberry, founder of Michelle Dewberry ltd and Chiconomise and winner of the second series of The Apprentice; Andrea Nacmias, former CFO of iBazar which was sold to eBay; Judy Piatkus who has set up and sold two publishing companies over the last thirty years including one of the UK’s top 25 publishing companies, Paitkus Books.
NextMentees will be able to gain insider knowledge and expertise on starting, growing and exiting a business, while they build confidence around the daily decisions they must make as business leaders.
The scheme is primarily aimed at female entrepreneurs, but is also open to men and other professionals seeking entrepreneurial advice and support from its NextMentors.
NextMentees can ask to be matched, or can apply to the NextMentor of their choice:
- Alicia Navarro – Founder and CEO of Skimlinks
- Andrea Nacmias – Director of Sunfive and the Cannonball Group
- Bindi Karia – VC/Emerging Business Lead for Microsoft UK
- Christina Vaughan – Founder and CEO of Image Source
- Emmanuel Noirhomme – Managing Director of Letsbuyit.com
- Jana Eggers – CEO of Spreadshirt
- Joana Picq – COO of The NextWomen
- Judy Piatkus – Founder of Piatkus Books
- Katarina Skoberne – Founder of openAd
- Lesley Eccles – Marketing Director and co-founder of Hubdub ltd
- Michelle Dewberry – Founder of Michelle Dewberry ltd and Chiconomise and winner of the second series of The Apprentice
- Natalie Turner – Founder and CEO of Entheo
- Paul Grant – Founder of The Funding Game workshop initiative
- Polly Gowers – Founder of Everyclick.com
- Sarah McVittie – Founder of Texperts
- Simone Brummelhuis – Founder and CEO of The NextWomen
- Stewart Townsend – Manager Sun Startup Essentials, UK, Ireland and Europe
- Tom Harrow – Co-founder of Findababysitter.com
- Ashley Ward -
- Collette Dunkley – Founder of XandY Communications
- Sophie Neary -
More information about individual NextMentors and the various packages can be found on the site and applications can be done by simply filling in The NextWomen Mentoring Programme survey.
For industry professionals interested in joining the scheme as a NextMentor, contact jo[at]thenextwomen.com
Press contact: Joana Picq – 07530057536 – Jo[at]thenextwomen.com
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 hard 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
The NextWomen Invite Female Entrepreneurs to Dine with Michelle Dewberry and Chiconomise
Continuing with their ever popular series of Kitchen Dinners, The NextWomen are excited to announce their newest feast – Dine with Chiconmise on Wednesday March 24th, 2010 in London. Join Michelle Dewberry in The NextWomen’s very own kitchen for an intimate dinner and learn more about the ‘act of living stylishly for less’ from the founding Chiconomist herself. Enjoy peer-to-peer networking with successful online female entrepreneurs, a three course meal, speed mentoring and a fascinating keynote.
BOOK NOW
For more details visit our kitchen dinner and upcoming events pages and watch the video from our hugely successful Big Kitchen Dinner and photos.
MICHELLE DEWBERRY
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Head Hunted by a Major Internet Service Provider
After leaving school in Hull aged 16 with no qualifications, Michelle Dewberry started her career with a modern apprenticeship in business. Alongside this, she studied IT in her spare time and quickly moved up the corporate ladder. Aged just 22, Michelle was head-hunted by a major Internet Service Provider to manage one of their biggest international projects. Following the successful delivery of this project, Dewberry established herself as a self employed consultant, managing multi-million pound projects spanning across Europe and Asia. She was just 23 years old.
Winner of The Apprentice
Aged 24, Michelle seized the opportunity to apply for the second series of BBC’s The Apprentice and beat over 15,000 people to become the first female and youngest winner of the show.
Founder of Michelle Dewberry ltd and Chiconomise 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
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
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