• Josh Zelman

    AOL Tech Video Producer

    Josh Zelman is a Video Producer for AOL Tech. Prior to joining AOL he was a producer for CNN/HLN where he produced thousands of live studio technology segments for primetime programming. He was sent on assignment to cover such high profile events as Fortune’s Global Economic Forum, the Consumer Electronics Show and the Electronic Entertainment Expo.

    Josh graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Political Science.

    April 27th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Send The Trend’s Gugnani & Chris Dixon Discuss M&A

    In episode II of Divya Gugnani’s Founder Stories interview with host Chris Dixon, the two dive into M&A, a topic that both founders know well. Dixon’s company Hunch, was recently acquired by eBay and Gugnani’s company, Send The Trend was recently acquired by QVC.

    On being acquired, Gugnani tells Dixon that she was approached much earlier than she had anticipated and it was a “really intimidating and scary” experience. She adds, “there were really two directions; do I go down this route and potentially distract myself from the base business that is growing … or do I just keep focusing on my business and have that kind of bravado that you know what, it is going to be worth so much more later?” → Read More

    April 26th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Send The Trend’s Gugnani On Seizing An Idea, Surviving A Crash & Being Acquired By QVC

    Divya Gugnani is the co-founder of Send the Trend, a New York based startup that was recently acquired by QVC, just a year-and-a half after launching in 2010.

    Gugnani, whose founding team includes Project Runway winner Christian Siriano, describes Send the Trend as “an online destination that offers curated and customized woman’s fashion accessories and beauty.” Items are priced at $29.95, and every month users have the option to purchase everything from earrings to bracelets specifically tailored to their taste. → Read More

    March 31st, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Kayak.com’s Paul English: On Hiring Athletes, Design Simplicity & Angel Investing [TCTV]

    In part II of his Founder Stories interview with host Chris Dixon, Kayak.com’s co-founder Paul English discusses why job applicants will be hard pressed to find job postings on Kayak.com, relays the lessons he learned from Kayak’s mobile app and tells Dixon the traits founding teams need to possess in order to impress him as an angel investor. → Read More

    March 30th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Kayak’s Paul English Discusses Big Wins & Important Strategic Alliances [TCTV]

    Having recently posted its 2011 revenue numbers, Kayak.com’s co-founder, Paul English stopped by TCTV to tape an episode of Founder Stories with host Chris Dixon.

    In part I of this conversation, English describes serendipitously meeting co-founder Steve Hafner (who previously co-founded Orbitz), speaks to the importance of striking the right business partnerships and offers insights into how Kayak tests its products. → Read More

    March 2nd, 2012

    (Founder Stories) RunKeeper: Striving To Becoming The Facebook For Health

    Having launched Runkeeper in 2008 with the help of “moonlighting engineers” before closing a $10 million Series B round in late 2011, RunKeeper’s co-founder, Jason Jacobs speaks from experience when describing the whiplash entrepreneurs face when stepping out on their own.

    In episode II of his Founder Stories conversation with host Chris Dixon, Jacobs characterizes the adventure this way. “The day you leave your job and the hourglass starts turning upside down in your savings that is a really scary, awful, stressful, exhilarating, tremendously exciting feeling. And then that basically doesn’t stop.” → Read More

    March 1st, 2012

    (Founder Stories) RunKeeper: Jacobs’ Strategy For Raising Capital

    Jason Jacobs is the co-founder and CEO of RunKeeper, one of the initial 200 apps sold in the iPhone app store. The app allows users to record their jogging distances and times, and in partnership with other fitness focused apps/devices, manage a host of additional health related activity, such as weight loss and strength training.

    Having recently raised a $10 million Series B round, the Boston based Jacobs dropped by our New York studio to tell Chris Dixon, how it all began. → Read More

    February 24th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Warby Parker: “Less Than 1% Of Eyeglasses Were Sold Online”

    In episode II of Chris Dixon’s Founder Stories interview with Warby Parker’s co-founders, David Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal, the trio discuss topics spanning Warby Parker’s social responsibility efforts to the state of e-commerce.

    Speaking to setting up shop in Manhattan, Gilboa (who previously lived in San Francisco) says, “I was sort of brainwashed into thinking that if you wanted to launch a startup, particularly anything Internet based, you had to do it in the Bay area.” His views have since changed. → Read More

    February 22nd, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Warby Parker: “Why Should A Pair Of Glasses Cost More Than An iPhone?”

    If you’ve ever shopped for a pair of prescription glasses, you’ve probably seen first hand how expensive a set can be. Warby Parker’s co-founders are right there with you.

    Both fed-up and puzzled over paying hundreds of dollars for a product that’s been around for hundreds of years, the Warby Parker team is shaking up the eyewear industry by selling prescription glasses online, at a price tag of just $95 a pair.

    Two of Warby Parker’s co-founders, David Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal recently stopped by TCTV to give Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon the backstory on how the company got started. → Read More

    January 29th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Jeff Clavier: On Getting Your Product In Front Of A VC (And Keeping It There)

    Because every VC’s inbox is overflowing with pitches, and because VC’s don’t take meetings with just anyone, SoftTech VC’s Jeff Clavier, (who just raised $55 million for his third fund) offers advice to founders who hope to cut through the clutter, schedule a meeting, and score some financing from prominent investors. → Read More

    January 28th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) SoftTech VC’s Clavier: How To Avoid The Series A Crunch

    At the top of this Founder Stories episode featuring SoftTech VC’s Jeff ClavierChris Dixon mentions much has been written about the “Series A Crunch.” It’s the occurrence of seed stage companies hitting the end of their initial funding cycle at roughly the same time and having to compete for big checks from a limited supply of VC. There’s just not enough money or VC interest to keep all entrepreneurs afloat for another round. → Read More

    January 27th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) Jeff Clavier On How Big VCs Can Hurt Seed Rounds

    Jeff Clavier just finished raising $55 million for his third SoftTech VC fund and after closing it out, stopped by TechCrunch to tape Founder Stories with host Chris Dixon. The two discuss signaling risk, which is basically when a major VC invests in a startup during a seed round and doesn’t follow up with more funding.  → Read More

    January 26th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) SoftTech VC’s Clavier: An Investor’s Role Isn’t To Give Orders

    SoftTech VC’sJeff Clavier has edged his way from a true Silicon Valley outsider (born and raised in France) to the ultimate insider. Since moving to the valley a decade ago, Clavier has launched three funds and invested in more than 100 companies, the likes of which include Mint, FitBit, and Fab.

    Not bad for a guy who claims to have jumped “into venture by accident.”

    Having just raised $55 million for his third fund, which will invest on average “$400,000″ per startup, Clavier sat down with Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon to discuss how he built his business. → Read More

    January 22nd, 2012

    TCTV Debate: What SOPA & PIPA 2.0 Should Look Like

    On Friday The House withdrew the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) from being put to a vote and the Senate postponed voting on its version of the bill, the Protect IP Act (PIPA). As the debate continues over the best way to shield copyrighted material from being pirated, we invited David Sohn, General Counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology and Viacom’s General Counsel, Michael Fricklas to discuss language that should be included in any future SOPA/PIPA legislation. → Read More

    January 21st, 2012

    SOPA Debate Part II: Viacom & CDT Square Off Over “Due Process”

    Before SOPA was pulled from the House yesterday, opponents of the bill argued (among other things) that sites accused of making copyrighted material available could be shut down without being given full, adverserial, due process. Was this an accurate assessment? Viacom’s General Counsel and EVP Michael Fricklas and David Sohn, General Counsel and Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology defend their respective positions in part II of TCTV’s SOPA/PIPA debate.
    → Read More

    January 9th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) ZocDoc’s Massoumi On Hitting The Heart Of Health Care Needs

    You need a doctor and you need a doctor who takes your insurance. Instead of having to fumble through antiquated lists complied by your provider, ZocDoc seeks to expedite the process of locating care by displaying physicians in your area who are available for immediate and long-term appointments.

    In part II of Cyrus Massoumi’s Founder Stories interview with Chris Dixon, Massoumi tells Dixon why he thinks ZocDoc found a following and offers advice to other entrepreneurs. → Read More

    January 7th, 2012

    (Founder Stories) ZocDoc’s Massoumi: A Bad Flight & Terrible Customer Service Created ZocDoc

    In 2007 Cyrus Massoumi ruptured his eardrum on a flight to New York and turned his distasteful experience of trying to track down a physician into ZocDoc – a service that enables customers to quickly book appointments with doctors and dentists online. In a relatively short time, his streamlined offering has attracted considerable interest from both consumers and investors. Supported by doctors who pay a fee to be listed on the site, ZocDoc is now available in more than a dozen United States markets, claims 200+ employees and has tallied $95 million in funding.

    In this episode of Founder Stories, ZocDoc’s CEO and co-founder Cyrus Massoumi tells host, Chris Dixon how ZocDoc came together. → Read More

    December 22nd, 2011

    (Founder Stories) TripAdvisor’s Kaufer Discusses The Logic Behind Running “404-Tests”

    After notching a spot on the NASDAQ, TripAdvisor’s Stephen Kaufer carved out a few minutes for Founder Stories, with host, Chris Dixon. In episode II of this interview, the two discuss their mutual disdain for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Kaufer offers advice to founders.

    Highlighting a piece of advice, Kaufer tells Dixon a good way for “a consumer facing, web-based business” to capture what “your visitors really want” is to run a live test with a non-working link. Calling these “404-tests” he says “before you build the darn thing … see how many people click it.” → Read More

    December 21st, 2011

    (Founder Stories) TripAdvisor’s Kaufer: Crucial Early Decisions Paved The Way For An IPO

    Earlier today, TripAdvisor added its name to the list of companies publicly trading on the NASDAQ. After doing so, TripAdvisor’s co-founder Stephen Kaufer stopped by TechCrunch for a Founder Stories interview with host, Chris Dixon.

    TripAdvisor offers user-generated reviews of everything from hotels to restaurants and claims “50 million monthly unique visitors and 20 million members.” Healthy numbers now, but dial back a decade and TripAdvisor was gasping for air. Kaufer says 18-months in “we had no clients, we had no revenue and we were running out of money.”
    → Read More

    December 21st, 2011

    (Founder Stories) Charity: Water’s Harrison Highlights Tactical Decisions

    In Scott Harrison’s final Founder Stories interview with host, Chris Dixon, Harrison offers some suggestions to other founders and discusses how people can donate to Charity: Water.

    Offering advice to others, Harrison says “I think one of the key and very simple things is get lawyers to help you file for your 501(c)(3).” While the upfront costs may seem prohibitive, he believes spending money to hire a professional is well worth the expense.

    Harrison also advises leaders to do themselves a favor and figure out how to clearly and simply communicate their message. He says people “can go on for 6 or 7 sentences, trying to expound on their mission statement, at the end you are like so what do you guys do again?” → Read More

    December 20th, 2011

    (Founder Stories) Charity: Water’s Harrison, “We Were Going To Run Out Of Money In Five Weeks”

    As the founder of Charity: Water, Scott Harrison has overseen substantial growth since launching his non-profit five years ago. He tells Founder Stories host, Chris Dixon that since 2006 Charity: Water has raised “about $50-million” and “helped 2-million people” gain access to clean water.

    However, just eighteen months in things were a bit rocky. Harrison says the organization was dangerously off-balance and was “going to run out of money in five weeks. → Read More

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    Copperfasten — Received €500k in Unattributed funding from Enterprise Ireland and Oyster Technology Investments
    5.27.2012
    Himax Technologies — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    5.27.2012
    Compliance11 — Acquired by Compliance11, Inc..
    11.15.2012
    Facebook — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:FB.
    5.18.2012
    Compliance11 — Acquired by Compliance11, Inc..
    11.15.2012
    Bolt | Peters — Acquired by Facebook for $50M.
    6.21.2012
    GlobalEnglish — Acquired by Pearson for $90M.
    5.25.2012
    Chick Approved — Acquired by Lockerz.
    5.25.2012
    PowerReviews — Acquired by Bazaarvoice for $151M.
    5.24.2012
    Copperfasten — Received €500k in Unattributed funding from Enterprise Ireland and Oyster Technology Investments
    5.27.2012
    Undo Software — Received Unattributed funding from Cambridge Angels group
    5.27.2012
    Soteira — Received $375k in Debt funding
    5.25.2012
    Spectra Analysis — Received $125k in Debt funding
    5.25.2012
    Exec — Received $3.3M in Seed funding
    5.25.2012
    5.27.2012
    Enterprise Ireland — Invested in Copperfasten.
    5.27.2012
    5.27.2012
    NextView Ventures — Invested in TurningArt.
    5.23.2012
    TELUS — Invested in SecureKey Technologies.
    5.25.2012
    Facebook — Went public with stock symbol NASDAQ:FB.
    5.18.2012
    Himax Technologies — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    Medivation — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    Copperfasten — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    Undo Software — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.28.2012
    Z Glass Design — Company added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
    Google Chromium — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
    cloudbank — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
    mywheebox — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
    Antifraud publications — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
    The Permissioner — Product added to CrunchBase
    5.26.2012
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