At another recent “summit” in San Francisco to celebrate Web 2.0, a casual poll of the attendees revealed something to me that might portend a future direction for IT.
As I milled about a conclave of attendees from venture capital, self-designated Web 2.0 companies, and media (Ken Auletta was even in attendance) there was a lot of smiling and people watching. There wasn’t much else to do.
The attendees expressed skepticism that there was anything new being said behind the well guarded doors of the conference’s main hall. There seemed to be fatigue with yet another IT event claiming to be a summit, especially about a topic that is getting a little long in the tooth.
There maybe is something to this after last Tuesday. As if by magic wand, or clicking of one’s heels, the world seems a much different place. Assumptions are being challenged and priorities reexamined. Let’s call it for what it is: the Obama effect.
Is what we have today the best the IT industry can do? How many more photo sharing, social networking and shopping sites do we need?
If the reputation that VCs enjoy – deserved or not– of being the smart thinking set is any indicator, then the smart money has already moved on. Take a look at serial entrepreneur and investor Vinod Khosla – he calls his stable of companies the “renewable portfolio”.
“Innovative bottom up methods will solve problems that now seem intractable- from energy to poverty to disease.”
- Vinod Khosla
Whether we acknowledge it now or later, it is clear that a new era has begun. The best and brightest will once
again think about making an impact for the good of the world.
It has already started. I saw a presentation given by Dara O'Rourke about a company he started. It was born from his curiosity about what the sunscreen he was applying on his young daughter contained. He found out and to his horror, it wasn't good. Now you and I can benefit from his shock: www.goodguide.com. (It is interesting to note that Mr. O'Rourke was the hand's down audience favorite. What did the VC panel of "judges" think? That's another matter.)
Another presentation that caught our imagination was www.sungevity.com, a company bringing solar energy to the home.
There are many tough problems waiting to be solved that need our attention. Let’s get started, shall we?
