Techcrunch reporting at lightning speed. /s Kevin said it publicly ~1 month ago at his & Tim Ferriss' Random Show [1] [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPleJbpqbwc
Wait until they learn about the Racoon video.
Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
31–40 of 41 posts
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#32'2.6 million screen loads' wtf tech crunch?
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
almost, perhaps, but .. a company for high end watch aficionados? Maybe instead, he should consider a TV show where he interviews people on the streets of SF who think really bitter things about all tech people and all tech companies and use them as a filter for his next ideas. That is my honest, constructive criticism of a company aimed at high end watch aficionados.
It's not a watch aficionado company. It is, as I understand it, a company that just rapidly builds out app ideas. An app incubator, you could say.
One of his recently released apps is definitely for watch aficionados. High-end watches are a new interest/hobby that he picked up after he inherited a Rolex from his father. It's something that he enjoys and pursues with a passion.
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#34I like KR, but I wish I knew the true story from the Digg days til now. He needs to write an autobiography or something. I feel like there's a lot of subtext that I'm missing. We get to see the news of him joining Google, going part time, leaving but still "an advisor". These are all what the public sees. But what's the real story? I know there must be more to it.
His story is fascinating. Some of us grew up watching him on TechTV, then he catches magic in a bottle with Digg, has a chance to sell for hundreds of millions, tragically loses that chance as his company loses traction and the upstart competitor (Reddit) becomes the one hosting amas by actors and politicians. His story is almost Jobsian.
'Social companies' that completely disregard what their users want should fail imo. Digg v4 was a disaster, and the community let them know BEFORE it went live.
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#35Sorry for my naiveté but why does someone like Kevin Rose raise money at this point? Surely, he's cashed out enough that he could fund these sorts of projects on his own, at least at the seed stage. I would assume he has enough connections that he doesn't need to give up the equity for advice either. Can someone help me understand this? I often hear about people who I assume to be immensely successful raising seed rounds for their next projects and I'm often confused as to why. Wouldn't they want to keep as much equity as they can at this point?
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#36He's been working with this group for a while, he was talking about it a few months ago when I ran into him in Hayes Valley and drunkenly harassed him to say hi and talk to him about the startup I work for.
Highlight of the night, and was very gracious.
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not a watch aficionado company. It is, as I understand it, a company that just rapidly builds out app ideas. An app incubator, you could say.
One of his recently released apps is definitely for watch aficionados. High-end watches are a new interest/hobby that he picked up after he inherited a Rolex from his father. It's something that he enjoys and pursues with a passion.
And I totally respect that. I have nothing against well crafted timepieces, or even valuable things, maybe inherently.
I'm just saying, of the two ideas his "incubator" has done so far, that stood out as being particularly out of touch.
I think he's capable of more. I suspect he thinks so, I'm not saying he's limited to this sort of idea.
Maybe he's leaving Google to focus on coming up with better ideas than a fancy watch thing. ;)
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#38Earlier quoted context omitted.
One of his recently released apps is definitely for watch aficionados. High-end watches are a new interest/hobby that he picked up after he inherited a Rolex from his father. It's something that he enjoys and pursues with a passion.
And I totally respect that. I have nothing against well crafted timepieces, or even valuable things, maybe inherently. I'm just saying, of the two ideas his "incubator" has done so far, that stood out as being particularly out of touch. I think he's capable of more. I suspect he thinks so, I'm not saying he's limited to this sort of idea. Maybe he's leaving Google to focus on coming up with better ideas than a fancy…
Yeah, I agree with you, this app isn't going to change the world. However, I think he's taking the right approach. He's at a point where he's earned his right/freedom to work on what he wants. If he so happens to find an opportunity for an underserved niche in something that he's genuinely passionate about, I'd argue that's definitely the approach to take. Go with that and see where it leads.
Everyone (prob including himself) is expecting him to put out a home run product now. He seems "due" for it. But if he comes out swinging for the fences, which I think he kinda did with Milk, there's a good chance that all parties will be disappointed because regardless of who you are, those home runs are really hard to come by, and even for someone like Kevin Rose, still very unlikely. I think if he follows these sorts of opportunities where his passion lies, he'll create a succession of hits that may eventually lead to his home run. Who knows, there's obviously no science to this, but that's the approach I would, and do, take.
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#39I like KR, but I wish I knew the true story from the Digg days til now. He needs to write an autobiography or something. I feel like there's a lot of subtext that I'm missing. We get to see the news of him joining Google, going part time, leaving but still "an advisor". These are all what the public sees. But what's the real story? I know there must be more to it.
What do you mean? He started a company (Milk) that was bought as an acquihire. He worked at Google Ventures while he vested (and it was probably a good job while he got married, etc), but after a few years wanted to get back out there and build. He spent a few months transitioning out of GV (he had invested in a lot of companies; he couldn't just walk away), and now he's working full time on North. I'm sure there's a…
What you've outlined is what's on his bio, which is interesting sure. But I am willing to bet that there is a much more interesting backstory to this. Nothing bad per se, but perhaps he will one day tell a story of how Silicon Valley burned him a couple of times and left him pessimistic about how much one can really disrupt entire industries.
He is basically trying to find a little niche to mine for a small win, not change the world. That's so fascinating to me.
Re: Kevin Rose Leaves Google Ventures
#40I remember when I was in middle school and used to watch his show "The Broken". I wonder how many people on HN have heard of it.
I found episode 3 on youtube. I think there are only 4 or 5 episodes, but they are hilarious and informative. He even interviewed Kevin Mitnick in this episode. This was really before he was famous. I think he started Revision 3 after that, and then went on to start Digg.