It’s time for another DemoCamp

Seriously… isn’t it though?

It’s time to show off what the peeps in Ottawa have been working on!  We’re going to try something different this time and host it at the Mercury Grove / Network Hippo office which may include a lot more standing room, BUT will also include some (free) beer and (hopefully) a post-democamp meetup / party that will enable us all to connect better and figure out ways to work together.

Here are the details:

• WHEN: November 4th, 2010, 6PM
• WHERE: Mercury Grove / Network Hippo HQ (738A Bank St)
• SIGNUP (limited): http://guestlistapp.com/events/34239

For more information, and to signup to pitch, check out the official DemoCamp website.

Seriously, you should really come out to this event to see some cool new tech in Ottawa, meet some awesome people, and have a few pints…

More Barcamp Sessions…

Nick Desbarats – CEO of Choicebot was kind enough to contribute the following notes from Stephen Fanjoy’s Sweat Equity Network Session.

Stephen is interested in building what’s essentially a “dating” site for entrepreneurs looking to partner up on new ventures (i.e., who are prepared to work for equity). I know many of us have found ourselves with a great idea and no way to easily know who’s available and has the right skills to partner with at the time. I think this addresses a real need, and would do a lot to contribute to venture creation locally.

Stephen’s early in the planning stage at this point, and is looking for input from the Ottawa entrepreneur community. He’s also interested in talking with Web developers who would be willing to put in some time to set up the site (still not sure what the most appropriate underlying platform would be (wiki, dating system, social network, etc.))

There are all sorts of confidentiality, awareness-building and other issues to sort out in order for something like this to work. I encourage you to contact Steve with your ideas and suggestions: sfanjoy (at) gmail.com

Barcamp session: Exploiting the hype cycle

Nathan Rudyk, Market2World, Exploiting the hype cycle

- Product launch, make something seems much bigger
- What gets more attention? a little bird byitslef, or a little bird writing a beast (pictorial)
- Hype: pick the beast to ride on
- Hype cycle example one – Databeacon
- Journalists need ROI, not just a customer name that used your product
- Hype cycle example two – DomiKnow (pronounce: “domino”), solving the oil sands labour shortage, called on by national media about the beast (the oil sands)
- Hype cycle example three – Marketcircle: time mgmt app for macs, get their CEO to blog about the the Mac, took on Steve Ballmer’s FUD on Macs; got him lots of press; Marketcircle’s iPhoney
- Approach the bloggers and journalists differently

(posted by An-Min)

Barcamp session: Overlay.tv

Tyler Cope, Overlay.tv

- Allow users to add advertising
- Overlay: information on top of media
- Technology: rails, flex
- Revenue share with the user
- Has an associated facebook app
- Can have different overlays, like products, comments, etc.
- Wow, very cool and well though-out; very nice browser plugin integration
- Compatible with major video sources
- Works on the video stream only; won’t conflict with the video provider’s controls

(posted by An-Min)

Barcamp session: Eyeball Currency, Monetizing the SoNet UX

Mitch Brisebois, SensoryMetrics.com, Eyeball Currency, Monetizing the SoNet UX

- Latest Facebook valuation: $15b, users: 500M, eyeballs: $150(x2)
- Flickr: pro account charges money
- CarbonNYC: $5K to get in, popular & profitable
- Social networks craze: highly targeted social net sites are getting traction (e.g., a site for smelly sneakers, no kidding)
- Dogster: can organize dog walking & breeding events with your neighbours
- Geni for geneological tree
- Lavalife: a lot of innovations in social networking before it was popular; it’s profitable, but people are getting tired of being gauged
- eHarmony, consumating, engage, FastLife.ca (speed dating), Google base
- Indian dating site: culturally looking for a bride, your parentscan actually vett who you talk to
- Match.com, classic you gotta pay, going downhill
- Matchtag: no way to make money form this one
- Prescription4Love: for people with handicapped
- wannago: they’re making money
- PlentyOfFish: started by just wanted to do a technology, still most happy with his super-efficient database technology; he’s got lots of neat features to keep people on the site; e.g., show thumbanils of people who viewed my profile; no employees, no advertising costs; let his competitors advertise on his site
- wooMe: mashup speed-dating, IM, video
- Yahoo personals:one of their money makers before
- Customer maturity model: 1. Become visible, 2. Become trusted, 3. Become Indispensable
- Business case money: 1. Business Model, 2. Vertical, 3. Human condition

1. Sales, consulting, licensing, advertising, auction, barter, knowledge, pay per use, gambling
2. Technology, media, transportation, green, garbage, cloths, food, finance, real estate
3. Happy, lonely, guildty, honest, enthical, extravert, introvert, private, public

(posted by An-Min)

Live guest blogging at Barcamp…

If anyone is interested in doing some blogging tomorrow on Startup Ottawa let me know.  I can set you up with an account so that you can live blog about whatever presentation you are attending…

International DemoCamp at Barcamp

Peter Childs just announced that the “surprise presentations” at Barcamp Ottawa IV will be an International DemoCamp in conjunction with the Leeds UK BarCamp. Three companies from each city will demo their software and answer questions from an audience in both cities. How cool is that? See the wiki for information or to sign-up and demo. 

Barcamp Ottawa IV

Barcamp Ottawa IV is this weekend and it looks like it is going to be a huge success. Not only are there almost 100 people signed up on the wiki but the line up looks great as well.  One of the more interesting things about the line up are the “Surprise Sessions” in Room 1 starting at 9:30.  Peter gave me and idea as to what this could be and its definitely cool.   As always the biggest problem isn’t picking great presentation to go to its deciding which great presentations you are going to have to miss.  See you there.

As of right now here are the presenations that I’ll be checking out.

9:30 – The value of the community – Community building for web 2.0 sites – Luc Levesque

10:15 – Building applications in FaceBook – Alec Saunders

11:00 – Surprise Session Part 3 – Mystery presenter

11:15 – Collaboration and the Virtual Workplace – Scott Annan

12:00 – Overlay.TV – Tyler Cope

1:45 – TheCodeFactory  – Ian Graham

2:30 – Videos for Marketing – Craig Fitzpatrick  & Aydin Mirzaee (I will be sitting with Matt Roberts)

3:30 -  Where does the blogosphere fit in a PR strategy? – Francis Moran, Jill Pyle

Sign up here

See you there…

BarCamp Ottawa IV

 Peter Childs just emailed me the details of BarCamp Ottawa 4.  It is going to be taking place at bitHeads on November 17th between 9am and 5pm.     

People can sign up here.  The scheduled stream is Social Media but there is still lots of opportunity to add sessions.  The site can accommodate only 120 people so sign up early if you plan to attend.  


Lastly, I should mention that the event is sponsored by the Ottawa Angel Alliance, Market2World, inMedia and of course bitHeads.    Special thanks should also go to Peter for doing a lot of the organizing of  this great event.

An invitation to Barcamp Montreal 3

 Barcamp Montreal 3 is happening this November 3rd at 9am at the Society for Arts and Technology (SAT), 1195 Boul. St. Laurent.  More than a few of my Montreal friends have extended invitations to members of the Startup Ottawa community to come down to Habs Land for the big event.   If you’re interested in going, I’m sure that there will likely be a small crew of regulars from Ottawa who will head off and may be able to provide rides.