enStratus On A Roll
enStratus (previous CloudAve coverage), the Minneapolis based company focussing on cloud governance, has raised $3.5 Million according to this MarketBrief from SEC filing. Enstratus Networks, Inc reported today in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission it had raised $3.5M of a $4M private offering. Companies file this special form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange [...]
Platforms: Of Governance and Taxes
I like analogies. This week, Brad Burnham of Union Square Ventures wrote a thoughtful post based on an analogy between software powered platforms and governments. Bob Warfield of the SmoothSpan Blog did a follow-up post claiming that application developers should seek platforms that act like Switzerland; something Warfield has apparently been saying since 2007. The [...]
Avoiding Innovation Chaos inside Companies
Great news…you’ve established your innovation platform to solicit ideas, and gosh, did you get them! Hundreds of ideas. Wow! Now what? It just doesn’t make sense to go into an innovation initiative with only half a plan. As in, a plan to market to employees and get the ideas, but not have nailed down what [...]
Managing your Board; Give ‘em a job!
In a post last week, I addressed the notion that everyone needs someone to report to. After all, you can’t report to yourself. The reporting relationship between a CEO and a Board is critical for a Company’s success. That relationship must be based on trust, candor, and transparency. While that hierarchical reporting relationship is necessary and [...]
Domain, Business or Tech-Specific knowledge – Which Trumps?
A few months ago I took part in a session that was pushing independent governance for hi-tech, hi-growth businesses. Speaking at the event was a very experienced board member with a bunch of independent directorships to his name. I asked a question around domain knowledge and his reply was interesting; I know business, I don’t [...]
