GoodGuide uses Apple-style slides - and CEO Dara O’Rourke (not pictured) presents Steve-like
Winner prediction:
My favorite start-up was GoodGuide. I think the jury thinks alike and I assume it will win this years TechCrunch50. – We will know more in a couple of minutes…
My favorite start-ups of Day 3:
- Session 9 – Rich Media: VideoSurf
VideoSurf has a cool technology to search video visually. I doubt they would become big as a stand alone company, but their software should be a good candidate to be acquired by an existing video company. - Session 10 – Games : Atmosphir
Atmosphir is a classic jump’n’run game, but enhanced by the possibility for the users to create and share their own levels. It is similar to Little Big Planet for Playstation 3 and it does not look as polished as the Sony product, but it is at least a very interesting concept. - Session 11 – Vertical Social Networking: CauseCast
CauseCast is a social network to inspire people & companies to do good – e.g. help to cure cancer.
There is also real business behind it: Sean Parker made a true statement by saying that social concious projects are a big part of the American economy and “it seems this sector is just late to the party”. I agree that fund raising etc. are not yet big on the web – it seems there is a clear need to improve. - Session 12 – Research & Recommendation: GoodGuide
GoodGuide is a web site that shows you if certain products you use contain bad ingredients (e.g. lead) and which are the most healthy products for a certain need. They apply the same to environmental friendly etc.First of all, their presentation on stage was almost perfect: Superb speech, great charisma of their CEO Dara O’Rourke and everything else was excellent – almost at Steve Jobs level. Btw: Their slides were almost an identical copy of Apple-style: Big white words (only 2-5 per slide) on dark background, switching fast, perfectly synched to the speech of the CEO. But better copy the best than invent something new that is inferior. Watch the video of their presentation to get the idea.The judges asked a couple of questions reg. the risk that companies would manipulate ratings to appear better. They claim that most of it is based on scientific data.
As Sean Parker put it: “Classic data aggregation” and “I like that you are different” (e.g. not classic Web 2.0 crowd sourcing).
The jury was amazed and I was, too: They solve a big need for many consumers in the western world, they have amazing SEO potential and the capability to generate revenue from directing consumers to e-commerce sites that offer the products for sale.
If they manage to make their database big enough (60,000 products so far) and keep the cost to aggregate that information low enough, they will do very well.
In my opinion they will and should win TechCrunch50.
Note: Dara O’Rourke said that it is a “for benefit company that has a social mission” – therefore it might not be a great investment opportunity for a VC, but I still think they owe to win TechCrunch50
Tags: tc50, techcrunch50