A number of years ago I was doing a video interview with the CIO for a large, well-known retail company. Overall he sounded like he loved his job. It just wasn’t exactly the job he wanted. “I originally came in with a CTO role,” he said. “Now I’m the CIO. I guess (that role) kind […]
Tag: startups
Box CIO Paul Chapman opens up about the evolution of IT, working with line of business execs and more
By all means, you can try cold-calling Box CIO Paul Chapman or sending him a hopeful e-mail. You can invite him to your event, webinar or roundtable. You could reach out on social media or other channels and see if he’ll download your white paper. None of these standard marketing tactics, however, will work as […]
American Express TV spot captures a hard-to-visualize key to entrepreneurial success
Even if a business stands to make big money in the long run, it may need help along the way, a point the latest TV spot from American Express makes as it tells the story of firm that brings another essential resource to those who can’t do without it. In “From Idea To Impact,” the […]
Editor’s Note: These are the B2B growth metrics that matter now
Erika Baker may have surprised attendees at #movethedial this week when, during her closing keynote speech, she said she wasn’t going to talk about diversity and inclusion. After all, this was an event designed to help more women achieve leadership positions in tech companies. Baker, the senior engineering manager at Patreon, is well-known as a […]
3 Tips to unleash the creative entrepreneurs in your community
If you are wondering how to take on the challenges of a shifting global economy, investing in creative industries entrepreneurs tackles economic, civic, and social challenges and is found in every community in every corner of the globe. From Boston to Bangladesh, creative entrepreneurs are building companies at the cutting edge of digital fabrication, augmented […]
RBC Reach accelerator program offers commercialization opportunities to B2B startups in its first cohort
The Royal Bank of Canada will be starting with a focus on B2B startups with an accelerator program called RBC Reach that will offer $100,000 in funding to entrepreneurs from around the world. RBC Reach, which is accepting applications until the end of the month, is being launched in partnership with Highline BETA, a company […]
The stakes are high to build a startup sector that becomes a pillar of the future
Watching two heavyweights in the Canadian startup sector wage war in the media should not go unnoticed, as there are major implications for the sector in general, especially in a newly uncertain and volatile provincial political environment. On one side is a MaRS-led contingent that is startup-focused, largely apolitical, (despite promoting a we’re- not-Trump-based new […]
#B2BNNChat Recap: 9 things all entrepreneurs should know about forging their own path
We spend a lot of time on B2B News Network profiling companies, whether it’s large enterprises serving other corporations or startups that offer new and innovative ways to bring value to the table. Read enough of these stories and it’s almost impossible not to consider setting off on an entrepreneurial venture of your own. Our founder, […]
Why virtual culture may work better than the ‘playpens for adults’ we call an office
The first few months after you launch a startup are stressful, to say the least. You’re searching for your first customers, trying to figure out how the hell hiring works, and thinking fondly of a time when eight hours of sleep was no big deal. You move at lightspeed for those first few months, and […]
Blockchain and the Internet of Things: Evolution or Revolution?
Even if blockchain technology still must overcome some challenges there is a clear change in attitudes and initiatives regarding the technology behind cryptocurrencies. Moreover, the use cases and spending patterns become clearer and show how blockchain is not just converging with the Internet of Things (IoT) but also with the foundations of a digital economy […]
Outlaw fights back at the incomprehensible legalese that plagues business contracts
It should have been a celebratory time for Evan Schneyer. His travel-oriented startup, Wanderfly, was being sold to Tripadvisor after about five weeks’ worth of discussion. Then, when it came time to sign on the dotted line, the contract challenges emerged that gave birth to his new venture, Outlaw. “It was like a glorified job […]
Tech reset: Why startups need to take responsibility in the communities they serve
The following is the text of a speech delivered by Jen Evans, CEO of B2B News Network and SqueezeCMM, at a TechToronto event on Monday, Jan. 15. I’ll start by saying if you’re looking for B2B content marketing performance solutions, talk to me — SqueezeCMM and B2B News Network, my two startups, can help. HPE, […]
Inside The Mind Of . . . Tamara Littleton
Tamara Littleton is the CEO and Founder of UK-based The Social Element and Polpeo. An instrumental player in the launch of the BBC’s digital offering, Tamara recognized the potential of social media engagement for brands, and then launched The Social Element in 2002, before the explosion of social media. She started with a £10,000 ($17,300 CDN) […]
Sales and marketing tools dominate the $1.02B being invested in ‘SaaS North’
The needs of senior executives in marketing and sales roles are driving investments of more than $1.02 billion in software-as-a-service startups across Canada, according to a study conducted by B2B accelerator L-Spark. “State of SaaS 2017” will be formally presented as part of SaaS North, the second annual event of its kind organized by L-Spark […]
Former AngelList exec explains what startups could teach enterprises about AI
There are plenty of people betting big on how technologies like artificial intelligence will change consumers’ lives, but Ash Fontana is strictly putting his money on line-of-business applications. Fontana, managing director at Silicon Valley VC firm Zetta Venture Partners, was in Toronto last week as part of the CDO Summit. The former head of fundraising projects at […]
TMX Group global marketing campaign puts the future in closeup
Self-driving cars, delivery drones, robot hands and fields full of solar panels are all starring in a video that marks a rebrand from TMX Group that highlights the importance of public equity to entrepreneurs. The one-minute clip, dubbed “The Future Is Yours To See,” made its debut last week and almost completely fills the TMX […]
5 eCommerce Lessons Learned From 2 Failed Startups
Opening a shop is easy but keeping it open is hard. If you’re an entrepreneur you can relate to my situation. I was about to lose all hope. My second venture failed massively. Sometimes, failure gives us a new perspective. And that is what got me going on my third venture. I sat down in […]
A Short Guide to Outsourcing for Startups
Ask your grandparents if they can imagine a successful business with no employees sitting in the office. I bet they say no. The things that used to be a crazy dream a decade ago are now entering our everyday lives. Nowadays more and more companies, both large and small, tend to hire remote workers and […]
L-Spark looks for next-gen SaaS startups with more than ‘vanity metrics’
The next generation of software-as-a-service startups need to go beyond “vanity metrics” and demonstrate plans for sustainable growth if they want to gain the trust of B2B customers, according to the managing director of an accelerator whose application process closes Friday. L-Spark, which has launched 29 startups since 2015 and is about to select 10 […]
x.ai: Dennis Mortensen, Founder
Dennis Mortensen is the CEO and Founder of x.ai, whose artificial intelligence driven personal assistant lets people schedule meetings using plain English and nothing more than a CC to amy@x.ai. He’s a pioneer and expert in the analytics, optimization and big data space and has been since its inception – he is also a fully-fledged […]