This week, on the 2nd of June, start-ups that have as a mission software development can participate in the second BizSpark Camp at Bucharest Hubb.

The meeting will hold as a main topic the theme: “Why am I using the Cloud?” Besides discussions on the technical area, a part of the event will be dedicated to managing and growing a business based on creating software.  Why are such events useful? Because, apart from expanding your know-how and making sure that your business plan in accepted and celebrated by those who listen to you, you have the possibility of creating a story. What do I mean by this? Exact that, a business story Meeting the right people at the right time can have the best impact for your business in the long run and can and for sure it will make a difference when the clock is ticking against you. Just imagine the simple case of writing an email: wouldn’t it be great to start with: “It was wonderful meeting you…” then “My name is….and I am the CEO of…”

If you wish to know more of the event’s agenda and find out what people that have the same development passion as you have to say, you can find out more on: http://www.startups.ro/stiri/bizspark-camp-ii-eveniment-pentru-start-up-urile-din-tehnologie. Looking forward to meeting you there.

Dears, we have received some AWESOME news – a business accelerator meeting on the 7th of June at Bucharest Hub. Why is this awesome? Well, because we say so And apart from this because it is a start-up accelerator.

What is a Start-up Accelerator? Is it that particular entity that have a precise goal: to maximize your chances of business growth. Brilliant business ideas are generated daily by promising entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, so many times bubbles can burst and business sometimes fail. What we should bare in mind from the get go is that a great idea is not enough to ensure success. There are many factors and processes that contribute to the profitability of a start-up. In order to grow out of the box and become noticeable on the market, a stat-up does not only need to execute, but to benefit from substantial fonds in order to assure its resources. Moreover, another stepping stone is the opportunity of  benefiting from guidance from other successful business people.

So, if you’re in the business world and desire to interact with great people, you can participate on the 7th of June at the “Accelerate your business” meeting. The event will be moderated by Michael Mafteianu, Co-working & Accelerators aficionado, who will tell us about his experiences with several accelerators in the U.S. and Europe. More information can be found on: http://www.meetup.com/BucharestHubb/events/17567510/

Happy business accelerator everyone!

Images speak more than words and most likely we don’t really have the time anymore to spend reading infinite long articles. Yes, the subject can be the coolest one that there is, but unfortunately the tic-tac sound of all the things we have to deliver speaks up.

Focus.com published an amazingly cool info-graph and I thought of sharing it with everyone – How a business is born. Well, this is how they say “Good Morning!” in the start-up world.

Guys, the people of Appcend are looking for a new colleague. Cool, isn’t it? And it’s a nice job, believe me – the Community Advocate part

I met Sebi , Andrei and Gabriel a few days ago and I was impressed – loved their attitude and what they had accomplished. For those of you that don’t know, Appcend is a powerful and versatile “do it yourself” mobile solution out there. Building fully featured and custom applications is a killer deal. What I love most is that the Appcend platform easily fits the needs of non-technical individuals, skilled developers or large enterprises – believe me, I tried it out myself. And, this is not ’cause we’re friends, but getting started is free and simple.

Since everything is going from great to uber-awesome, the guys are looking for a new member to their team, a person which will be in charge of Communication. What does this mean? Well, actually, the person will have the task to make the start-up more visible on a national and European level. Not an easy thing, I tell you. A couple of words of the job description can be found below:

- to channel media attention (press, bloggers, to “sell wisely the image the company has” )

- to generate an online community of clients

- to add and generate content on Social Media channels – Twitter, Facebook, blogs and all the rest

- any other task which the Communication Specialist will find necessary

What I loved most when talking to Sebi is how they see their Communication Specialist - the person that knows what needs to be done and let’s me know just when the new feature is coming next. Now, this is what I call an online marketing and PR challenge for you out there. If you guys are interested, please let me know on alexandra [dot] dumitru [at] wembrio [dot] com and I will make sure the guys receive your CVs.

Henry Ford once said that “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” And, indeed, even in 2011 he is so perfectly correct. We look at how many ideas are out there, but what do we have to offer our customer apart from “just another service to use”?

The best way in which we can say that our business has made it in 2011 is by assuring that your customer has a clear understanding of your service and complete satisfaction. Start-ups seem to challenge themselves on features, characteristics, versatility; but more than once they seem to forget to also appeal to the emotional side of the customer. We’re not saying that this will win the customer over, but it can surely be a another approach from all the rest.

While browsing through the web, I found an interesting article which I thought of sharing with you: “Which would be the start-ups to offer a valuable promise this year?” And here would be a cool list to go through, just a couple of my favorites:

1.Pearltrees

I was very lucky to meet Pearltrees founders at LeWeb last year, and what an experience this was. Pearltrees focuses on organizing groups of links to content incredibly easy. Each link is a ‘Pearl’ and can be connected to other related content, thus to create ‘trees’. What assures inter-connectivity among users, is the fact that it is easy to explore the trees and pearls created by others, and to drag individual links or whole trees into your own creations.

2.LikeOurselves

This is a London based start-up which caught my eye, just like anything English that is. The idea behind this mobile and Web app is that it helps you find strangers with similar interests when you’re out and about in public. Users can select the type of people they would like to meet based on categories such as ‘Students’, ‘Hobbies’ and ‘Spontaneous date’. The search is made much more easier with a series of tags for each category which can help narrow down potential matches. For everyone looking to meet new people, then this is the perfect match.

3. Datasift

Another English start-up which promises greatly. Why I love this service? Because it offers brands what they first need to know when interacting with the digital field (return on investment): a deep analysis of Twitter and other social media data.Not so many seem to get its meaning, nor its direct benefits. Nevertheless, the app is great as it offers possibilities of searches such as: “Business men in Europe with over 1.000 followers who have mentioned offering 1 million in venture funds” .

4. Geomium

I know, I have a London flavor to my day today. The London-based company’s CEO Michael Ferguson describes Geomium as “A platform created to help improve your social life”. The service, which launched in September, lets you see where your friends are on the iPhone app’s map along with information about local attractions, restaurants and the like.

To this list, you know what I would love to see? A Romanian Start-up which is mentioned on a European level. If we were to look to our market, which would be the business that you would vote and why?

20th of June is coming close. And 3rd of June as well

This year, the third edition of VentureConnect takes place on 20th of June, at Hotel Intercontinental, Bucuresti. For online entrepreneurs which have not heard of VentureConnect until now, let me briefly say a couple of words. VentureConnect is the platform which aims at facilitating the direct interaction between entrepreneurs and investors. In other words, if you have started your own on-line, tech business and need substantial funding, then this is the perfect place to receive it.

What I found nice about this project is that it reflects the quality of the business plans presented. With every edition, organizers make sure that the participants who take the floor benefit from a private training on how to deliver a pitch presentation and how to use the event as such for networking and great interest. This is why the event is quite valuable: it enriches your networking potential and your general business know-how.

How can you participate?

If you’re an entrepreneur that has already started his business and needs a substantial investment of more than 250.000 Euro then you can directly apply to VentureConnect, fill in the application form found on the website and send the project by 3rd of June at projects@ventureconnect.ro by 3rd of June.

If you’re keen on on-line and tech, but don’t have a business of your own, you can still come to VentureConnect as an attendee. Of course, the entire atmosphere will be valuable, the networking and the abilities to meet people as well.

If this sounds nice to you and you’ve got no plans for 20th of June, then you should be going, especially since you’re passionate about online or have a business of your own. Don’t worry,there will be no charge for the entrance. You can find more info on: www.ventureconnect.ro

UberVU. If you are a Social Media geek or if you wish to see which is your ROI through Social Media, then you are most probably familiar with UberVU. And if you’re an entrepreneur and developing a tech start-up, then Vladimir is a tech-management-social media-model.

We are very happy to let you know that UberVU is looking for new colleagues. How did we know? Cause we are tracking Facebook, of course. You can apply on: http://www.ubervu.com/jobs.

And enjoy the actual interview.

1. We heard on Facebook you are looking for new colleagues? Can you let us know more?

Sure can. We are looking for 2 talented developers to join our amazing Bucharest team. One backend developer (http://www.ubervu.com/jobs/) in charge of all the API, database and all the fun stuff that’s happening under uberVU’s hood. And one front-end developer that will make the interface come to life.

We are also looking for 3 inters for 3 interesting summer projects. You can find us on “Stagii pe Bune”.

2. Which is the profile of the ideal person to work in the online market, and most of all to come aboard UberVu?

He or she needs to be very talented in the art of creating code. Preferably Python but they can learn the language if they are accustomed to something else. He or she needs to be a good team-player and very skilled learner. We are working in fast pacing industry so new skills are required everyday. And less stiffness the better.

3. You are an entrepreneur. What does someone that starts out fresh need to apply first in his business?

Patience. Things will take way longer than you think.

4. Your a sight for sore eyes, but also very hard to get to. Which are the main differences you notice between Romania and US or Europe?

People work harder US. That’s the first thing. Second is that being an entrepreneur or joining a start-up in the west is applauded by your teammates, you teachers and so on.

5. Which is the hardest decision you had to take from a manager’s position – accepting an offer, finding an innovative way to be one step ahead the competition? Better yet, can you give us a clear example of how you came to overcome the difficult situation?

I think you need to accept that the people around you are smarter than you are so when the going gets though you need to listen to them and support them. This helped us go through some though times.

But, in general, I think the hardest decisions are when you need to let people go or when you are losing a big important contract but you need to be happy and cheerful so that you do not to depress the troops.

6. How does a regular working day look like? And the weekend?

In Romania we start around 11 AM. In London around 9. In London I usually have meeting in the morning. I am taking breakfast with someone or just meeting people for a quick coffee. I am answering emails for a few hours. Then do some “real work” like discussing features or major problems. In the evenings I have a lot of calls with the US.

My colleagues work up until 7-8 than usually go into endless Xbox tournaments. Weekends are not that different for me. Some people come to the office during to weekend to plan for the next week. get a pizza or just play some more games.

7. Most people that look at your business profile, say you are indeed one lucky guy and business man. How would you define your Social Media and business profile? And, for a more personal comparison, did you actually find in the business field 691 friends?

I am not so active as I used to be. But I think I met thousands of people in the last 4 years.

8. Which is the motivation that keeps you going day and night?

Creating something meaningful. Or in other words; “building some cool shit”

9. As an entrepreneur, which is the success or happening which are most pleased or happy with?

Getting emails from happy customers is what makes my day.

10. A closing statement for our readers.

Come join our team. You’ll have a lot of fun and learn a ton.

Oxygen Accelerator (oxygenaccelerator.com), an investment programe with intensive mentoring and training for technology start-ups, launches today and is open to receive applications from individuals or groups worldwide with an innovative tech-focused product. The 13-week intensive boot camp will be based at Birmingham’s Science Park Aston (BSPA) from 1st September 2011, and will provide selected groups with the necessary environment and equipment to be able to super-charge their business’ products and ideas as marketable in the real world.

The Oxygen Accelerator program is working in partnership with the BSPA and will select 10 teams from the applications to offer them evergreen funding of up to £20,000, a loan repayable once sufficient investment has been received or the business reaches a stage of profitability where it can afford to repay it.  These teams will then be asked to move to Birmingham for the duration of the 13 week programme to live and breathe their products during an intensive boot camp at the Birmingham Science Park Aston, a high-tech facility perfect for inspiring entrepreneurs and to bring direction to their products.

Applicants will have access to a pool of state-of-the-art resources and also receive guidance from fellow successful tech entrepreneurs, business mentors and financial and legal support, which is imperative for any business during its formative stages.  It’s about having the right advice or connections at the right time. Crucially at the end of the 13 weeks they will also present their products to venture capitalists and angel investors, as the program culminates with an ‘Investor Day’.

Serial entrepreneur and the brainchild of the Oxygen Accelerator, Mark Hales, developed the program after reviewing the lack of business tools available for people who are keen to develop their ideas into concrete business plans with commercial sense for growth and investment.

Criteria for applying for Oxygen Accelerator is simple: founders of the company will be asked a series of questions relating to existing milestones, investment to date and revenue generation – basics that are usually part of a business plan.  Accompanied with this should be a short video of the founding members as to why they should be selected to be part of the Top 10, which will give judges a good impression of what they are like as individuals.  Judges will be looking for strength in idea, how much they think they’ll benefit from the program, presentation and thinking as well as team dynamics.

Applications are open now and close on June 30th 2011. Click here for more information on how to submit your proposal, or how to become a mentor and/or investor: http://oxygenaccelerator.com

I don’t know if you guys are as exited as I am when I hear or have the chance of seeing Gary. And, yes, I was lucky enough to see him life at LeWeb 2010. And his 20 minutes in the conference, changed the entire show all together. He had the closing statement, and for me it is was live lesson of enthusiasm, entrepreneurship and how to get 200 people to engage with you. No one left the room, though the show was ending, and I wanted to go on, and on, and on for as long as possible. Yes, but that is just me – a keen communicator.

I always stay connected to TechCrunch, and when I listed to Gary’s interview, I wanted to share with you guys as well. His advice: “Guys, get ready to answer all your content / questions / answers. If you don’t, then you are not ready.”  So, if you have the time, don’t miss it – it is an actual EXPERIENCE.

In the first part of the interview will give us a few details on how he wrote his book – The Thank You Economy. In essence, for your business to succeed, you need to understand what goes around you in Social media and most of all to apply a general human, understanding touch to the process:

In the second part of the interview, Vaynerchuk discusses the origins Winelibrary.tv, what Ze Frank had to do with it, how he became Internet famous, and where he invests his money:

If you are a business man and a genuine entrepreneur, than SEEPEA should not be missed out on. Why? Because it will offer you the possibility to share, learn and network with true professionals and inspiring figures.

Which are the questions the organizers ask us:

Interested to find out more about world’s most famous entrepreneurial hot spot, the epicenter of venture capital in the world, the rock bed of Stanford University and of some of the most important technology companies in the world? Are you interested in private equity or venture capital, in entrepreneurship or innovation, in top education or in technology ?

If you find yourself in this category, then you should confirm your attendance to the event. Building Bridges Between Silicon Valley and South Eastern Europe, Financing and Growing Successful Companies” is focused on showing its attendees which are the ingredients which made Silicon Valley the only place on Earth, and not trying to figure out how to become Silicon Valley. The event is set to take place on 20th of May, at Hotel Intercontinental in Bucharest. The overall event agenda addresses:

• Entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley will discuss with local entrepreneurs having Silicon Valley experience like Florin Talpes, Radu Georgescu and Antonio Eram about the importance of  the ecosystem for starting and growing and business;
• Top bankers will comment with leading consultants the dos and don’ts for getting financing;
• Representatives of the private equity and venture capital funds and business angels will  share their experiences on funding and growing successful companies both in SEE and in Silicon Valley;
• Silicon Valley lawyers from top international law firms will bring from the trenches their views on what can make or break a deal when raising financing;
• Innovation experts will examine the strengths and weaknesses of innovation in SEE.

Some of the speakers include: Radu Georgescu (www.gecadnet.ro) , Antonio Eram, Vasile Iuga, Marius Ghenea (www.ghenea.ro) or Daniel Visoiu (www.ventureconnect.ro). More information of SEEPEA can be found on the event’s website.