Saturday, April 29, 2000

Uptown Downtown, some exposure




Once again NYNMA held its Venture Downtown uptown (well, actually in Midtown) at the New York Hilton. Despite the disparity, desperate and not-so-desperate digital do-ers endeavored there in droves. They were breakfasted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, where the gallant Thomas Hyland, partner and chair with the New Media group at PricewaterhouseCoopers, was meeting with early networkers. Among the eager presenters hoping to be one of the lucky few to get beaucoup funding, were The Feed Room, Sessions.edu and Vindigo. Alice O'Rourke and the entire NYNMA staff once again deserve rounds of applause and hearty thanks for producing such a significant event for the attendees, the presenters, the sponsors and the industry as a whole.

I want my eToy!



The TOYWAR may be over, but the eToy soldiers descended on New York for their exhibition opening at the Postmasters Gallery on April 29. eToy, a group of experimental artists and programmers, have become quite well known on the media front for their resistance and net-savvy tactics against eToys.com, which attempted to (1) buy them out (for reportedly $500,000), (2) force them to take down their site and (3) shut them down. Etoys.com finally backed down, and the court dismissed the case in February 2000. The eToy exhibit included a walk-in viewing booth where guests could interactive with the history and TOYWAR story. On my way to interview Mono, of  eToy.management (all dressed in black jumpsuits with orange vests), Douglas Rushkoff said, "This is the place to be!" It certainly was for the several dozen artists who came out of support and curiosity. Mono explained that they were issuing some more stock certificates -- 2-by-2 feet, high-quality, digital prints mounted on aluminum -- to supporters who invested more than $3,000. Plastic cups of seltzer water quenched the thirst of the artists, as they listened to DJ Spooky spin his vinyl.

Friday, April 28, 2000

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 4/28/00


SHAKERS & STIRRERS
Send your announcements to: shakers@TheCyberScene.com
Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and who's shakin'!
* For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/ss/newyork/index.shtml

Klein Joins Softbank
Model Lands at 4networld.com
Goldberg Wins Award

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
* For the whole story, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com

Venture Vortex and Entreworld Announce Content Partnership
R/GA Designs Nasdaq Marketsite Kiosks
Integration Made Easy
Citrano and the Brain
Plugging into Power
Rural Residents Unsatisfied with Local Content
PhotoPoint Goes to the Movies
BrightStreet.com Gets New Digs
UVentures.com Relocates

CYBER SCENE SOCIAL NOTES ~ 4/28/00



In an attempt to help facilitate better networking for new media professionals and "Scenesters," here are some points that will be added during the weeks. They will be archived at:
http://www.liv4now.com/cgi-bin/hosted/cyberscene_cgi/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true

* In these rainy days, its better to leave your drippy umbrella by the door when stopping by a client's office, rather than leave a trail of raindrops throughout their space.

TCS Intro ~ 4/28/00


Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene (tm) ~ April 28, 2000

WELCOME!                                                    

This week

A bit of a Sequoia

Jumping into funding

Desperately Seeking Cocktails

Scholarly women in theater and technology
Happy New Year
Cool Site of the Year Awards
Breaking Into Broadband

Regular Features
Cyber Scene Social Notes
Shakers and Stirrers
Bits and Bytes

 

CORPORATE PARTNERS

APERIAN -- Connectivity/Hosting
http://www.aperian.com
SPARKLIST -- Mailing list services
NANDO MEDIA -- Script services
http://www.nandomedia.com

Speaking engagement
Tuesday, May 16th, Digital Hollywood Conference: "Internet Media & Women = E-Content + E-Commerce" 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM. Puck Building.

CyberSceneTV www.cyberscenetv.com
Our full London show is live and all there and in full motion for your lovely, bright, eager eyes to see! We'd love your feedback too!

CocktailsWithCourtney.com
We're goin' to Cali in celebration of Spring, how fabulous SF is and The Webby's!
May 9 -- San Francisco – Sponsored by IBM, News Network
May 25 -- Spring Black-Tie benefit. Central Park's Boathouse. Sponsorships still available!

Thursday, April 27, 2000

Cool Site of the Year Awards

With over 40 press people, 4 camera crews including Fox News, CafeDigital, akimbaTV (Japan) and 800 people, the Cool Site of the Year awards party on April 27th at the Webster Hall was a resounding success by all accounts. Emcee'd this year by Penn Jillette, the ceremony was run more efficiently than last year and Mike Corso, president of the awards and site, told me he had more than a handful of VCs approach him as a result of the evening. He also announced the Cool Site of the Day Games--a $1 million benefit event for Habitat for Humanity, Teaching Tolerance and Common Cause. This weekend-long paintball competition in Chicago will be amongst 24 Internet firms (of 10-person teams). The $75,000 entry fee per team will cover the airfare, hotel, food and production costs so the teams can participate in the new state-of-the-art paintball park, complete with replicas of old towns and real running water!

Music at this night's party was by NYC Swing and Abbie Gardner, beer was provided by Happy Hours, Thoma Winery provided the wine and a bounty of delicious food was served by Mark Fahrer Catering. Among the 800 guests were folks from infrastructure companies, ad agencies, guests of the sponsors about.com, netcreations, yahoo and promotions.com, and the 50 nominees and their guests. And the winner for the Year: Boxerjam http://www.boxerjam.com/. Check out the site to see all the category winners too!

Happy New Year


Pink, turquoise, yellow and green. These were the colors of part of the stunning costumes four women wore in a celebratory dance for the Thai New Year. Held in UBS's stunning space in the SwissTower on April 27th, about 50 private and corporate clients, guests and friends were honored to partake in this special evening. UBS is a global integrated financial services group and the leading bank in Switzerland with offices around the world. Their private chef in New York is Thai, thus prompting the four-course extravaganza complete with a ceremonial dance between each course. Duck, papaya, shrimp and chicken were the headliners for the various dishes and the conversations were as equally varied. I was seated at the table with my host, Markus Willi, executive director of UBS and his wife Margot, Robert LoCascio, president and CEO of LivePerson and Christopher McQuilkin, president and CEO of National Discount Brokers and his wife. I also got to meet Titus Weinheimer of Dorsey & Whitney LLP and Rolf Dobelli (COO, Partner) and Dr. Stephen Hostettler (Founder & Chairman) of GetAbstract.com. It was such a lovely dinner such in a lovely setting, we're now planning a future Courtney event there (hmmmm, maybe we'll launch our breakfast series there…)

Scholarly women in theater and technology


Gathering a sophisticated set of men and women, the Women in New Media organized a benefit cocktail party and theater performance for their young women's college scholarship fund on April 27. Sponsored by iXL and Jupiter Communications the cocktail reception was at the pretty champagne bar Flute. I chatted with iXLer Diana Butler Gersten, who introduced me to John Mouney (VP of field marketing, SF) and Richard Erickson (the new GM of the New York office). Miriam Eaves, VP strategic partnerships of Consumer Financial Network was telling me that Cathi Raffaeli, President and COO of CFN raised over $130 million dollars, surpassing amounts raised by other visible women in the Alley by many millions! Yvette De Bow, board member & chair, community services committee, explained the idea and plans for this fund. Their first of these annual events will raise enough money for five $5,000 scholarships for women entering college in the Fall of 2001. WIN hopes that through this program and website that they will raise continuous awareness for women and assist in closing the digital divide. Through the site, donations can be made in an ongoing basis and they hope to expand their offering to the tri-state region next year. Before dashing off I chatted with Cara Famillet, who is now working in business development with Bloomberg in the new media department, Louis Ferro of Galileo Projects, Sean Leous of PLR PR and Ruth Stevens of IPNetwork.com.

Wednesday, April 26, 2000

Desperately Seeking Cocktails


April showers may bring May flowers but they didn’t keep the crowds away at this month's Cocktails with Courtney, sponsored exclusively by XSeeksY.com. (www.xseeksy.com) Held in the interesting former bank vaults of JP Morgan's bank, the Vaults at Vine, almost 400 people came to learn about this relationship resource destination. We had decorated VCs like brother-sister dynamic duo Hal and Gloria Vogel, wizened attorneys like David Leffler and Danielle Cyr and seasoned media like Chris Allbritton from the Daily News, Elizabeth Brown of ABC News and Charles Molineaux from CNN attend. Even Harper's Bazaar's Melissa Ceria came by with her photographer Sasha Buvvubov and her husband, Arthur Ceria, creative director of Agency.com, popped down the street for a quick Hello.

I introduced myself to Brian Stengel, managing director of eColony, and learned a bit about his company. Melanie Hughes, director HR partners of Doubleclick and Yolanda Wardowski of Ernst & Young were near one of the gloriously colorful paintings we previewed by artist Kim Park--a nice addition to the stark, dark, cold vaults! (www.kimpark.com) Kim was busy chatting it up with other guests interested in the paintings in the security boxes room. Some people busied themselves with finding secret keys in the security boxes, which would lead them to one of XSeeksY's several prizes. Some people happily sat on the comfy chairs to play with the romantic magnetic poetry on the cocktail tables. And others sent virtual kisses to each other from XSeeksY's website.

Aimee Kessler Evans of MarketingSherpa.com, J.D. Miller of AssureNet, David Murrow of IAN and Matthew Keddy and Michael Cole of Ezuz.com were among the guests in attendance. John Bader introduced me to Emmanuel Pfeffer, visiting from Paris. Man-about-town Bernardo Joselevich brought along Sam Hamadeh co-founder, Vault.com. Jennifer Frommer, VP New Technology, Sony Music and Jeff Schock of Paradise Music and Entertainment stopped by for a bit and folks from firms like XUMA, Searchbymedia.com, StreamSearch.com, MovieGram and EventMe! came for the fun event. And while they've been receiving good press before their opening, the venue really didn't live up to the standards they touted despite the significant money and efforts that went into this party. All new restaurants have kinks to work out, but I was equally disappointed by the inconsistencies and reversals in arrangements while planning this event with the management. Problems with the venue aside, the party was a smashing success with many happy people leaving at the end of the night and excitement for next month's black tie!

Tuesday, April 25, 2000

Jumping into funding

The same night, a short walk uptown from the Seaport is a world (well, neighborhood) that's a throwback from Chinatown in the 50's. Laundry strung across the balconies stiffened in the brisk April wind and I couldn't imagine the dingy brownstones with restaurant wholesalers below having a lot of high-speed access. If you go as far north as the Manhattan Bridge you'll see a Blue Awing with White Letters, which is as much the name of da joint as it is a description of where you're going. Inside this former chop shop (or body shop) were rows of banquettes and clear acrylic table-cubes with white Styrofoam inside. Blue lighting and three video games were projections to full-wall dimensions. Upstairs in a red-lit room is where guests could sit and play, still being serviced by a waitress who rode an electric lift to get drink orders and fill them at the bar below. Tips spiraled around in an acrylic air chamber.
The first person I saw was David Corales of HereandNow.net, who was telling me how Jumpcut handled all their production needs for some of their recent work. He also relayed how big DragBall.com has gotten and that Oberlin College students really get into the festivities with classes on how to dress in drag and everything! He introduced me to Shirley Petchprapa, who did the web design for HereAndNow and also works at MTVi as a designer. Seated quietly across from us was Ernabel Demillo of Fox 5 News and a friend.
Then Marc Scarpa, CEO of Jumpcut, and his posse arrived, doling out small pieces of candy, redeemable as drink tokens. The cause celebre? A major investment infusion came through of course! I spent some quality time with Shawn Gold (of Raremedium fame and now with WhatsHotNow.com) and Mark Tribe of Rhizome.org fame. Dennis Adamo (Vision.com) was there amidst the ambient lounge surroundings. Melissa Blau (Constellation Ventures) and Stephen Krupa (Psilos) redeemed their pieces of candy for some margaritas. Tim Nye and John Morisano of Sunshine Amalgamedia spoke in hushed tones about bandwidth issues while Jean-Francois Formela of Atlas Ventures boasted of his firm's aspirations. I spoke briefly with Belgian Antoine Debouverie of EVS Broadcast Equipment who assured me he'll find some muscles from Brussles to contribute to my newsletter! Oolala! Huddled in one corner was Michael Diamante and some friends. Cecilia Pagkalinawan of Boutique Y3K was playing the role of gracious hostess, as was Marc, who introduced me to Ray Stewart, director of technology for Jumpcut and video game extraordinaire! The games were in full-action now and the hip-hop-lounge music was filling the vast room as people mingled and mused, congratulating Marc and the Jumpcut crew on their recent success.

A bit of a Sequoia


The Ambrose and Peking buoyed gently under the looming Wall Street buildings, twinkling with lit floors of late-night workers. Just three floors up at the Sequoia restaurant on the nearby Pier 17 in the South Street Seaport, over 700 youngsters guzzled beers and devoured conversations for the Downtown Alliance's Bits, Bytes and Bar on April 25th. Among the account execs and nurses (Vivian Shevlin and Joanna Shlebor) who came, I saw Jack Marks of The Wall Street Reporter and Justin Zimmerman, a representative of the city of Yokohama. Anna Goldenshteyn of moving.com was gleefully telling her co-worker Aaron Letscher about the various colors her hair had been (purple, blue, blond, multi-striped) and the various places she had piercings. Tables of co-workers from "dot-coms" laughed uproariously over Sam Adams' and sported glittery pinwheels as hair and shirt adornments. Lisa Novitt of the Downtown Alliance told me how the Sequoia was so helpful with accommodating her growing crowd and that they've taken over the entire up and down stairs bars. We spoke about crowd control and how this industry is growing so much that what starts as a small soiree can (and usually does) turn into a major event!

Friday, April 21, 2000

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 4/21/00


SHAKERS & STIRRERS
Send your announcements to: shakers@TheCyberScene.com
Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and who's shakin'!
* For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/ss/newyork/index.shtml

Snipes Joins Environmental Defense
Model Leaves Predict
Serlin joins two VC groups
Jan Zlotnick opens strategic "rethink tank"

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
* For the whole story, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com

Bluewave Formalises Vision
Cone Interactive Signs On StarMedia Network and InfoRocket.com
PC Week Becomes eWEEK
Centerseat and Y2G Create Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM
The TV show @ soapbox. April 21 - may 21
Girl Groove's Newest Issue is Waiting for You!
Qwest Signs 10-Year Lease
Predict It, Inc. Wants to Report
Digital Hollywood Welcomes Noted Speakers
StarCite Also Introduces Connect the Industry Program
Women Rule

BITS & BYTES FULL STORIES 
Bluewave Formalises Vision

As Europe's largest independent web creations company, Bluewave knows
how to deliver stunning web sites to its clients. Now it's going one step further
by forming Bluewave Vision, a consultancy dedicated to helping clients get
oriented in the electronic age and leverage online business opportunities.
Bluewave's development team will still provide the hands-on production
and implementation services that have helped its clients achieve world-class
web presence. Vision can deliver guidance in any form, from a single focus
meeting all the way through to the conceptual and creative development,
technical documentation, traffic analyses and monitoring and ongoing
enhancement ideas.



Cone Interactive Signs On StarMedia Network and InfoRocket.com

Cone, Inc.'s Interactive practice has hit the big time. By signing on
StarMedia Network and InfoRocket..com, the agency achieved
$1 million in additional billings through year-end 2000. The agency
will position StarMedia Network, the leading Internet media
company for Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking audiences worldwide,
with U.S. audiences and help build its brand identity. Cone will also
develop marketing communications strategy in support of business-to-
business and trade initiatives. For InfoRocket.com, Cone will initially
develop brand positioning and launch media relations activities to both
business and trade publications followed by the development and
implementation of consumer outreach activities in third quarter 2000.

PC Week Becomes eWEEK

Going the way of the "E," PC WEEK is changing its name to eWEEK.
Management says that PC WEEK was built on being the focal point
of the PC revolution. The next wave is something the publication works
with every day: the Internet. PC WEEK has always been a digital pioneer.
Compuserve forums, Interchange, a Mosaic-based web site before Netscape
was incorporated, audio and video webcasting and, most recently, online web
seminars and lab testing using the Internet itself as the test bench are its
heritage. Over the past 18 months, the company has aggressively developed
our circulation strategy to be focused on our subscribers involvement
with the Internet and eBusiness. It has restructured its news, analysis
and lab groups to become the preeminent information source for companies
undertaking e-commerce and Internet-based business initiatives.
This project is a stealth restructuring where the final, rather than the first,
step is a name change.



Centerseat and Y2G Create Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM

Get immersed in entertainment with Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM, a total
entertainment experience for Y2G visitors. Centerseat Inc. (www.centerseat.com),
the global digital media and commerce facilitation company, and Y2G.COM,
a cutting edge Internet portal founded by FUBU to target the trendsetting
African-American community, announced a partnership to create
Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM, a co-branded total immersion entertainment
experience created for Y2G visitors. At Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM, users
will view programs specifically selected for them from Centerseat's vast offering
of entertainment content, which includes over 100,000 hours of originally produced
material and acquired films and classic TV. Viewers will also have the opportunity
to buy products from and selected by Y2G while watching the entertainment.
Y2G-CENTERSEAT.COM will be accessible through Y2G's entertainment
portal (www.y2g.com). Centerseat will also partner with Y2G to produce
Y2G sponsored events and special programming--a unique partnership to bring
the FUBU-Y2G style to the Internet.


The TV show
-15 Independent Networks

@ soapbox
April 21 - may 21
(Hours: Sat & Sun, noon - 5, or by appointment)

Want to explore television in all its glory? Check out The TV Show, an exhibit of
 over 15 independent television networks. Experience full-body-channel surfing
as you peruse programs like "The Young and the Stupid", "Happiness", "Drinking
and Boating", "Up Yours," and more. The exhibit explores contemporary models
of desire through television - the machine itself, as well the mechanisms by which
it broadcasts our objects of desire. Edith and Archie's living room chairs are in the
Smithsonian to be preserved as part of the cultural legacy of this country. The
Watergate hearings became one of the most dramatic "shows" in the history of
television, and the ratings for the OJ trial are proof that the American
public embraces improvisational theater; and now the TV Show embraces the
debasing of the cultural discourse. It is a crazy social sculpture.


Girl Groove's Newest Issue is Waiting for You!

Girl Groove is the newest content affiliate of Chick Click, a
great collection of chick-specific sites. The Girl Groove also launched its
Discussion. You can reach it through the drop-down menu or click on the
link at the bottom of the Home Page. Check out Beau's great training program
in Did You Ride Today? The Metal Cowboy writes about Complications in
View from the Saddle. And, one of the top junior racers in the country, Kelly
Mandrell, is keeping her journal in Good Sports. If all that has whetted your
appetite, check out the great original recipe on Good Food.


Qwest Signs 10-Year Lease

 The AT&T building has added another communications tenant to its
roster. Denver-based Qwest Communications International has taken nearly
160,000 square feet in the landmark structure at 32 Avenue of the Americas.
A spokesperson at Rudin Management Co., the building's owner,
confirmed the deal was signed but would not discuss the particulars of the
contract. Sources close to the transaction, however, say the 10-year lease was
inked for $48 a square-foot. They are expected to move in sometime in July.
Qwest, which merged last year with U S West, already occupies a total
of 260,000 square feet in several locations throughout the city.
The company will join MCI WorldCom - which has signed to take 110,000
square feet in the building - and NorthEast Optic Network, which merged with
Con Ed last November. The largest tenant is still AT&T, which will retain 400,000 square
feet of the building's 1.15 million feet for the foreseeable future.


Predict It, Inc. Wants to Report

Predict It, Inc., has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
to become a reporting company as soon as SEC rules permit. The Internet
service documents and rewards users based on their prediction performance
in event categories such as sports and finance. This action is intended to
allow Predict It, Inc. to maintain its eligibility for quotation on the
National Association Securities Dealer OTC Bulletin Board. Predict It, Inc.
is a leading developer and distributor of technologies that enhance the usability
and increase the "stickiness" of destination websites. The innovative patent-pending
prediction exchange system objectively documents and rewards users ("analysts")
based on their prediction performance in event categories such as
sports and finance.

Digital Hollywood Welcomes Noted Speakers

Several Keynote speakers have been added to Digital Hollywood New York,
May 15-18, 2000 at the Puck Building. They include investigative reporter
extraordinaire, Carl Bernstein who is now Executive Vice President and Executive
Editor of Voter.com; Emmy Award Winning Producer of Law & Order, Dick Wolf;
and technology industry legend, John Sculley, CEO, Sculley Brothers and Gizmoz.com
and former CEO of Apple Computer and Pepsico. They will be join the already
amazing line-up of music and film star, Courtney Love, ABCNEWS.com News
Anchor Sam Donaldson with an introduction by Kenneth Hertz, Senior Music Partner,
Hansen, Jacobson. See the entire updated agenda of the most comprehensive conference
in the country at http://www.digitalhollywood.com


StarCite Also Introduces Connect the Industry Program

StarCite, Inc., innovators of the Internet's leading global business-to-business
E-Commerce meetings and events marketplace (http://www.starcite.com) plans
To build  free customized meeting and event planning Internet sites for corporations.
StarCite says that closes loop between buyers and sellers. These sites will provide
suppliers with the ability, for the first time, to view and respond to Request for
Proposals (RFPs] online and in real-time from the RFP Management section of
their custom site.


Women Rule

Women are on the top of the small business arena. According to the US office of
Economic Research, women-owned businesses represent about 1/3 of all
businesses in the United States, generating $3.1 trillion dollars in revenue
in 1998. Although women own a third of all businesses, they do not receive
equivalent amounts of either government or private capital investments. Ground
Floor Ventures can help change that. The fund was established as a high-tech
business incubator that closes the gender gap. It is leveling the playing field for
women in the software and internet-development space and providing equal
access to the resources they need to be successful. Ground Floor
Ventures (GFV) is located at the Monroe Center for the Arts, 720
Monroe Street, Hoboken, New Jersey. In addition to  high-speed
Internet access, the incubator will provide an orchestrated
series of technological, developmental and business support services
including seed capital and funding advisory services through alliances with
investment firms, accounting, bookkeeping and tax services; Internet,
connectivity and web development services; legal services; marketing,
advertising and branding expertise; business development and strategic
planning; and executive recruitment services.


CYBER SCENE SOCIAL NOTES ~ 4/21/00



In an attempt to help facilitate better networking for new media professionals and "Scenesters," here are some points that will be added during the weeks. They will be archived at:
http://www.liv4now.com/cgi-bin/hosted/cyberscene_cgi/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true

* Holiday greetings. Take time to remember your family and friends, and find time to relax for yourself. Private time is good etiquette for your sanity.

The Cyber Scene in Dallas ~ by Gregg Wetterman

Record Round of Funding
As most of you know by now IRS.gov set a record with their latest round of financing that they closed on Monday at midnight. While it is a record round of funding both industry insiders and analysts are unsure if it will be enough to support their debt structure. We are already hearing rumors that they plan another round early in 2001.

From the Deck
Tuesday night started with the TIE – NET meeting on the roof of the Green Room in Deep Ellum. Scient was the sponsor for this month’s festivity and they went all the way. You have to love events that are planned well enough that you run out of people before you run out of food and drinks. I give TIE NET and Scient this months two thumbs up award for best event. Brent Mellow a co-founder of FurnitureGuide.com gave me the scoop on their launching the next day.

Singing the Blues
After TIE-Net it was time to hit the Redblood Club, which is a couple of streets over in Deep Ellum. Brian McKinney VP of Biz Strategy / Interactivist at Rare Medium had invited me over to the open mic night that Rare Medium is hosting on Tuesday nights. Since I was late I missed the crowd but from what I did see it will be on my list of weekly events to make.

Texas Size Drinks
The weekly GeekMeet.com “High Tech Happy Hour” was at Frijoles in Los Colinas this week. They must have the largest drinks in the city. They serve drinks in what appear to be pitchers, although they call them mugs. It was a great evening to be on the Patio. Matt Melcher and Alicia Garriotte showed up wearing their new colors. They have been senior recruiters with a national placement firm, but on Friday they started eLoopInc.com and they specialize in the Dot Com space.

“Having The Time of My Life”

TCS Intro ~ 4/21/00


Courtney Pulitzer's Cyber Scene (tm) ~ April 21, 2000

WELCOME!                                                    

This week

Women of Influence

Minds of a feather flock together
Downtown hipsters

What's cooking?


The Cyber Scene in Dallas ~ by Gregg Wetterman

Regular Features
Cyber Scene Social Notes
Shakers and Stirrers
Bits and Bytes

 

CORPORATE PARTNERS

APERIAN -- Connectivity/Hosting
http://www.aperian.com
SPARKLIST -- Mailing list services
NANDO MEDIA -- Script services
http://www.nandomedia.com

CyberSceneTV www.cyberscenetv.com
Our full London show is live and all there and in full motion for your lovely, bright, eager eyes to see! We'd love your feedback too!

CocktailsWithCourtney.com
One week on, one week off. This week was quiet and next week will be crazy! We’re busy planning our upcoming Cocktails with Courtney events, so dust off your spats and spiffy up your wardrobe. We’ll be hosting the following soirees:

            April 26 – New York -- Sponsored exclusively by XseeksY.com
            May 9 -- San Franscisco – details TBA
May 25 -- Spring Black-Tie benefit. Central Park's Boathouse. Several Sponsorships still available!

Wednesday, April 19, 2000

"Breaking Into Broadband"


"Breaking Into Broadband" hosted by Alan Brody, Program Director, TECHmarketing -- a report from Mary Dawne Arden (http://www.ardenassociates.com/)

Alan Brody founded SABC, ibreakfast, SAVVE and eTV World and New York's first Macintosh Expo with a focus on technology marketing. Brody founded an interactive advertising conference CREAtech in 1993, which evolved into Hollyweb Live! & eTV World. At the April 19, SABC about the FUTURE of BROADBAND, Gerard Kunkel, VP Marketing, WorldGate, spoke on this topic. Kunkel is responsible for the development and deployment of WorldGate¹s unique Channel Hyperlinking business and technology and oversees the development of strategic partnerships with TV Networks, advertisers and content providers.

Here are some of his points he mentioned in his presentation: WorldGate Communications, Inc., a developer of interactive television, commercially deploys Internet access using advanced analog and digital cable television converters and existing cable infrastructure. Digital deployment features include Java, Java Script, picture-in-picture, audio and video streaming and printer support.

One of the most inspiring things WorldGate is doing is their WISHTV program to eliminate the "Digital Divide."  WorldGate has launched a nationwide initiative, The WISH TV(sm) Program, aimed at closing the "Digital Divide."  WISH TV  (WorldGate Internet School and Home TV) is a public service program supported by WorldGate, participating cable set-top manufacturers and cable operators.  WorldGate works with the local school systems to provide a full year of free in-home Internet access (using a cable converter and standard television set) to all students in a specified pre-high school grade.

Chairman and CEO Hal Krisbergh, a 19-year veteran of the cable industry, founded WorldGate in March 1995. He was previously president of General
Instrument's Communications Division, responsible for the cable and satellite equipment businesses. Traded on NASDAQ under the symbol WGAT. The Web site address is www.wgate.com.

Clifford J. Schorer, President & Co-CEO, Lucent's GeoVideo Network He is the co-chief executive officer of GeoVideo Networks, which he co-founded as a new business within Lucent Technologies New Ventures Group.

Cliff told an attentive audience: Broadband is moving at a high velocity and will transform our internet experience into a blend of seamless experiences combining the visual power of Digital picture with the vast Universe open to us through the World Wide Web! Very soon we will not know where one begins and the other ends.

Cliff is a member of the faculty of Columbia University Graduate School of Business where he teaches Launching New Ventures. In addition, he has taught at AT&T University where he developed a five-day program for commercializing technology.

What's cooking?


What do you get when you put two web artists in the kitchen? An entertaining and educational mix of code, java, scripts and wondrous web design. Annette Weintraub presented 'Sampling Broadway' (www.turbulence.org/Works/broadway/index.html), which mixes written and spoken narrative, images and animation, and puts it in the middle of an urban environment. It creates an array of virtual urban spaces, inspired by cross-sections of the city intersecting Broadway. Martin Wattenberg, a former colleague from my SmartMoney.com days, presented several of his projects, which can be found at www.bewitched.com. As the invitation said, "these Java-based pieces were guided in part by Sartre's description of Alexander Calder's mobiles as 'poised halfway between the servility of statuary and the independence of nature.' Unlike wood-and-wire mobiles, these applets obey their own surprising, nonphysical laws."  One, Starry Night, is an animated image of the famous painting, where you can create your own constellations. Martin is one of the more brilliant people I've ever had the pleasure of working with -- creative, technical and a great sense of humor. A lot has changed since I worked there with a handful of others; now they've got close to 100 employees and more developments on the way.

Tuesday, April 18, 2000

Downtown hipsters


Down TriBeCa's way was Daniel Holton-Roth's Broome Street Media's launch of Shortfest.com, the web's first curated short film site. It has amassed five curators and 25 films in its first month of operation. Loud and smoky, the downstairs front room of Obeca Li was filled with hipsters in thick-framed, blue-lens glasses, sporting cropped, spiky, moussed hair, thrift-store cords and tees, and cocktails in hand. By the bar I saw Justin Zimmerman, man about town representing the City of Yohokoma, and Steve Ellerton and Michele Courtney of Fort Point Partners. Jack Marks, that dapper dude on the beat of the Wall Street Reporter, introduced me to some friends. Making my way 'round the room, I chatted with Paul Nisser and Derek Chen, who's finishing up his studies at Columbia U. Syl Tang of Hipguide.com came over to tell me about some fun party plans she has in the works.

Minds of a feather flock together


Later that day…. Our West Coast new media minders, New Media magazine, hosted a soiree at the posh 704bway. I met almost the entire troupe: Richard Landry, who has the humorously-yet-apropos title of Freak-Out control officer -- aka President; Jane Irene Kelly Senior Editor, Business; Ingrid Bush, Managing Editor; and Stephanie Wiegold, VP, Marketing & Events. Jeremy Caplan, associate editor of Yahoo! Internet Life and I spoke of some of the recent changes at this burgeoning and long-running Ziff-Davis book. I've been working with YIL for a while as a contributing editor and spokesperson for shows like CNN and Regis & Kathie Lee. This month marks the beginning of my involvement as a community manager on their website. Check out the results of their recent Most Wired Colleges study, which grew in controversy as many top schools refused to participate.


I also met long-time reader Peter Clough, VP of bizdev for onProjet.com. We laughed about some of the journal entries I'd posted during the Alley to Valley Rally (Summer '97) (http://www.avr.org/teams/teamnow/). I bid adieu to Paul Kontonis, gathered my coat and headed down to TriBeCa.

Women of Influence

Bringing together a select group of high-net-worth women, Salomon Smith Barney, Citibank’s Private Bank and Women & Co. hosted a symposium for Women of Influence” on angel investing. Set in the Regency Hotel on Tuesday, April 18, women from banking groups, guests of speakers and other “monied” women came to feast on salmon fillets and hear the distinguished Marge Magner, head of Citibank North America and Primerica, speak. Kay Koplovitz, CEO of WorkingWomenNetwork, also offered her point of view on how women with money to invest can find appropriate angel groups. She also spoke about the structures of these groups and what to expect after making the leap into angel financing.

Miles Spencer, co-host of "Money Hunt," gave the audience some tips and anecdotes for pitching on his show and in general. You've got eight minutes to answer a firing line of questions. So, be prepared with your answers. Rounding out the remarks was Keith Abell, co-president of Greenwich Street Partners. He commented that based on the audience, one of his senior employees, Christine VanDer Muhl, should have spoken for him. But she was busy managing the European Mezzanine Funds. Lisa Caputo, president of Women & Co., and Lizzie Stern of Salomon Smith Barney thanked the guests for coming and hinted at future networking forums.

Friday, April 14, 2000

Bits & Bytes -and- Shakers & Stirrers 4/14/00


SHAKERS & STIRRERS
Send your announcements to: shakers@TheCyberScene.com
Check out the site for the latest in who's movin' and who's shakin'!
* For the whole scoop, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com/ss/newyork/index.shtml

West Goes Solo
Westrich Launches new "Start-Up"
eYada.com Expands Salesforce
Cursormate.com Lands a Crane

BITS & BYTES
Send your news to: news@TheCyberScene.com
* For the whole story, go to: http://www.thecyberscene.com

Virtual Offices Team Up
Networking Paris Style
Centerseat.com Rocks Online
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Get the Gist?
CondeNet Gets Style
ideaEDGE Ventures Hits the VC Scene