I’ve been at the Web 2.0 Conference here in San Francisco this week. And it’s been incredible. Not only is it completely mobbed, but the energy is just intense. There are so many new companies, so much VC interest, and it really feels like the Web industry has suddenly woken up from a 10-year slumber. In fact, it feels like 1995 all over again. There’s a tangible sense that something Big and New is happening here — that Web 2.0 is really changing the game — and gaining momentum. And there are so many new funded startups here. But there is also a tangible difference between the Web business today and the biz in 1995: Today it’s much more rational. People have learned from what worked and didn’t work in the 90’s. The startups are all run by experienced teams, and they’ve got a clear understanding of what they’re doing. There’s also a decade of case studies to draw on for how this business really works: the revenue models that actually work and how to implement them, the best-practices for funding, building and executing Web business models, and the relevant metrics for measuring progress and success. The entrepreneurs and the VCs are more seasoned now and there is a clear sense that everyone is really thinking carefully about every move. That said, there is also a growing excitement around AJAX, social apps, and the potential of Web 2.0 to enable a whole new generation of software and services. And my startup, Radar Networks, is sitting right in the sweet-spot of all this new activity and energy. It’s a great time to be starting an Internet venture!
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