Category Archives: microsoft

Our iPhone and Pre app wins top prize at Microsoft sponsored Event.

Posted on by under bizspark, iphone, microsoft, palm pre, seattle startup weekend

After a 54 hour coding marathon fueled mainly by pizza, caffeine, new friendships, and the enthusiasm of starting something new, our app Learn that Name won the top prize for the best app at Microsoft sponsored Startup Weekend in Redmond.

Of the many great memories from the event, the clear cut winner for me was the conclusion of the event – the presentation of the top prize. To the best of my memory the presentation went something along the lines of the following.

  • Clint Nelson (Organizer of startup weekend) – “Thanks to everyone … etc. etc.”
  • Clint -“14 of 15 teams used the Microsoft technology stack”
  • Clint –“Thanks to Microsoft, organizers, etc etc. ….”
  • General vibe in the room: YAY Microsoft!! yee of startup enablers! You rule!!!
  • Clint – “The winner of the Bizspark award given to the team winning most votes for best startup, and the one that used Microsoft platforms is …”
  • Clint – “Search Kick”
  • General vibe in room: YAY Search Kick!!! YAY Microsoft!!!!
  • Abhisheck Chitlangia (Learn that name team member) – “Wait a minute … But which team got most votes for best app?”
  • Clint – “ummm … Learn that name”
  • Me (giddy already about the impending irony) – “And which team was the one that DIDN’T use Microsoft?”
  • General feeling in room – “Huh? The team that won most votes didn’t get the award and the $5000?”
  • Clint (in a slight wisper) – “umm … Learn that name … awkward”
  • General feeling in room – Irony is setting in … the ONLY team that didn’t use the Microsoft platform was the one that won the best application … but they were essentially disqualified.
  • General feeling in room – More irony, etc etc, Learn that name team members now high fiving.

Priceless!

While the $5,000 of bizspark sponsorship would have been nice (if we’d used Microsoft technologies), the value in buzz generated from the irony as seen on techflash has already surpassed any $5,000 monetary value.

As a major footnote -
Microsoft, Bizspark, Clint, and all of the other organizers did an absolutely stellar job hosting the event. Huge props to them!! It was an amazing effort to aid the ENTIRE startup community not just those that used MS technology stack or not.
The $5000 was just the cherry on top of the overall support for startups that Microsoft provided. The award understandably could only be given to the team that used the Microsoft platform. Very smart way to drum up some interest especially in their new Azure platform.

Microsoft Xobni aquisition offer

Posted on by under aquisition, attassa, microsoft, xobni

While the value proposition offered between our product Attassa and that of Xobni is not identical, there is enough similarities between the 2 technologies and value, that they’ve always been on our radar. So watching their progress all the way from Y-Combinator to Bill Gates Demo, it always seemed clear to me that a Microsoft acquisition was a likely exit. So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when I read today that Microsoft is mulling over an offer.

I’m rather intrigued by the $20 million dollar speculated offer.

On one hand, Xobni has been overwhelmingly successful at proving that they can generate buzz. Watching Bill Gates Demo, was proof enough to me that they’ve nailed out their vision with great success. Considering this and the 4M first round of funding, I’m inclined to think that taking a $20M exit would be leaving a serious chunk of change on the table.

On the other hand, what Xobni has yet to prove out is a business model. Furthermore, they’ve yet to prove that their product provides real time or cost benefit to the end user … beyond an Outlook bell or whistle. If they’re concerned about either … a $20 might be humored.

I’d be shocked if they took anything close.

David – Attassa (That’s “Attassa” spelled backwards, and then spelled backwards again)