Happy to announce that the new 9 Blue Labs submission and mentor signup site is complete. Please visit our new site by clicking here.
Always had an idea but needed some help creating it? We can help.
Do you have an interest in building companies from the ground up using your skills and learning more? Sign up to be a mentor on our site.
Huge thanks to Adam Belz for running a article in today’s Des Moines Register about 9 Blue Labs! You can read it here
Stay tuned for August 1st launch when we will begin accepting submissions into 9 Blue Labs.
James
There has been a lot of excitement in the Angel/VC community over the last few months regarding AngelList. This excitement is with regards to breaking down barriers of entry for entrepreneurs who have built a business that is worth funding.
Those barriers to entry happen to be introductions to money. One of the most difficult things to access as an entrepreneur.
In a recent blog post on VentureHacks Naval Ravikant describes what the anatomy of a (un)fundable start-up looks like.
1) Traction
2) Team
3) Product
4) Social Proof
5) Pitch/Presentation
A very key component to this presentation is the following:
“‘Investors are trying to find the exceptional outcomes, so they are looking for something exceptional about the company. Instead of trying to do everything well (traction, team, product, social proof, pitch, etc.), do one thing exceptionally. As a startup you have to be exceptional in at least one regard.’
The frothy venture capital market and angel markets bring opportunities for a lot of money that has been sitting on the sidelines. I happen to believe that this market is SO much different than the market of 2000. Technology has changed. Smartphones are just now beginning to change our lives. However; greed, valuations, early stage employee cash outs and now secondary market trading is here to stay..we are certainly living in a unprecedented time.
Several months ago I began talking with local Des Moines entrepreneur and developer (now CTO of Eliason Media), Levi Rosol about how the community of developers is reacting to the new start-up. “The days of guys working at Wells Fargo in cubes until 5pm, going home and sitting around and then coming back the next day at 8 are over”.
That’s right. Those days are over. More and more employees of companies are looking to create in their free-time. But there needs to be a better way of bringing ideas and talent together. Just like AngelList brings a #1-5 above in front of money guys, we need a #1-5 of building a start-up. From the ground. Reducing the barrier to entry for entrepreneurs (some who might be 1st timers)
Those barriers to entry happen to be people, structure and the organization of these ideas. One of the most difficult things to achieve when you have a legitimate idea; where do I start?
Just like Naval says “Investors are trying to find the exceptional outcomes, so they are looking for something exceptional about the company.” Developers and entrepreneurs are no different. Developers and entrepreneurs are trying to find the exceptional companies, ideas and teams that they can be a part of.
9 Blue Labs will be launching very soon. Simply put;
We have 20+ people ranging from entrepreneurs, front end and back end developers (rails, php, .Net), graphic designers, product managers, CFO’s, marketing executives, business development executives- all waiting to build and create.
At 9 Blue Labs we bring together exceptional ideas with exceptional talent.
Stay tuned.
