Humaniq Global Challenge 2017

Humaniq opened an international competition of blockchain projects to improve the lives of the world’s unbanked people by integrating them into the global financial system. Winners of Humaniq Global Challenge will refine their ideas on an all-expenses-paid trip to Kenya, then receive support in launching an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) and an opportunity to join the Humaniq accelerator.

They welcome entrepreneurs, blockchain projects developers, programmers, marketing specialists, and economists to enter the competition in teams or individually. Read more...

Global Times Interview

Future Competition

Exeq.io Launches in App Store

Founders Space Alumni Exeq.io launches today!

Exeq is the app for better spending, bringing fun to finance and budgeting. Exeq links to your bank and makes checking your bank account way less stressful.

The Exeq Feed
See your spending in one easy to follow feed that’s more than just numbers. Exeq works with all bank accounts and credit cards. Read more...

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I just read the book WHEN BREATH BECOMES AIR by Paul Kalanithi. It’s the true story of a brilliant neurosurgeon who discovers he has lung cancer. He was only 35 years old. He wrote down his experiences and thoughts as he looked death straight in the eyes.

You can’t live without dying, and Paul takes you as close to death as you can come in a book. It’s a profoundly deep story that both engages and enlightens. It’s not depressing. It’s a brave, bold attempt to make sense of a life cut short and dreams lost.

Discontent and its Civilizations by Moshin Hamid

DISCONTENT AND ITS CIVILIZATIONS is a series of essays and diary entries by the writer Moshin Hamid that describe his life and growth a novelist, philosopher and parent.

What makes Hamid unique is his perspective as a creative, open-minded Pakistani artist and writer. He has a brilliant mind, and his thoughts give you insight into what it’s like to be Pakistani in the modern world, where Islamic fundamentalism and Western ideals clash and often turn violent. Read more...

Meet Taipei Startup Festival 2017

In Meet Taipei, you will see all kinds of ideas and imagination of future life, such as “Smart Hardware & IoT”, “ AI & Big Data”, and “Future life” We sincerely invite you to see the energy of innovation and the audacity of action through 250 startups and 10 cities in the world.

US Startups can also apply for a free booth here: https://www.accupass.com/event/1707040324101017085288

Entrepreneurship Star Contest in Silicon Valley on September 23, 2017

The 2017 Shenzhen Nanshan Innovation “Venture Star” Startup Competition is open for registration. This competition offers receive cash reward to the winners.

If you’re a startup with technology-enabled innovative products/services that can solve big real world problems, benefit a large population and like to get exposure to China, please apply to be an in-person contestant.

You can find more details here.

Fortune Favors the Brave

STARTUP ADVICE: The one thing every entrepreneur must be is bold. You cannot hesitate. You cannot give in to your fears. You must drive yourself forward, relentlessly, no matter what the cost. Even if it means risking everything for which you have worked so hard. Even if it means losing your company and reputation. You must stretch yourself and seize the day. That is only way dreamers can make reality conform to their will.

Don’t Take Life Too Seriously

Don’t take life too seriously. Don’t worry about each decision you make. In life, you never know if you are making the right decision. Life is too complex, and there are too many variables. Sometimes it’s better to go with your heart and see what happens.

Many of the greatest opportunities in my life came out of nowhere. They came when I was just having fun. Coming to China was one of those decisions. If I had thought too much about it, I wouldn’t have come. Or I would have come but not invested the time to grow my business. Read more...

“2017 Chuangxiang China” Silicon Valley Tech & Investment Summit

“2017 Chuangxiang China” Silicon Valley Technology & Investment Summit is a global investment, innovation and entrepreneurship summit, which aims to strengthen international science and technology cooperation, accelerate the economic transformation, and provide strong supports for the emerging technologies and innovative projects.

It is held on Oct 15 at the heart of Silicon Valley. It is hosted by Anhui Development and Reform Commission, Anhui Association for Science and Technology, and Anhui Provincial Investment Group Holdings Co.,Ltd. Read more...

Killer Stress

Stress is a killer for entrepreneurs. If you are feeling stress, a good strategy is to think deeply about the cause. Then make a list of actions you can take to address the underlying issues. What can you do to solve the problem.

If there is nothing you can do, you need to train yourself to stop thinking about it. You should have a list of things that make you truly happy in your life, and whenever you feel stressed, sit back and think of those things. It actually works.

Think Like a General

General MacArthur

General Douglas MacArthur was one of the world’s most innovative generals. He defeated the Japanese by his island hopping strategy. In battle, he would do the unexpected, showing up where the enemy least expected him.

Here three of his most famous saying. I think they apply to startups too:

1) You are remembered for the rules you break.
2) In war there is no substitute for victory.
3) Old soldiers (entrepreneurs) never die; they just fade away.

Bioprinting to the Classroom

SE3D is a Founders Space startup that designs and builds desktop bioprinters for education and research. Check out their Indiegogo campaign!

My Life in San Francisco

Top Ten things this past week…

1) Work, work, work, fun, fun, fun, run, run, run! Playing Bocce ball with my friends. Brian Goggin is a local artist and wildman. He’s a killer on the Bocce Ball court.

2) My former business partner is Adam Zbar. His startup, Sun Basket, just hit $200M in revenue. We celebrated at his wife’s birthday party with drinks, music and hugs. Read more...

Unicorn Universities

Here are the Unicorn Universities!

I love these charts, but you have to be careful. This study is flawed. It does not tell you about the quality of the education. It tends to be skewed towards tech and MBA heavy universities. And it favors larger schools.

A small university simply won’t have as many graduates, so it won’t be listed, which doesn’t make sense. Small universities simply don’t have as many tech and MBA graduates. As a result, this chart has a built-in bias against small universities, where the quality of education of often higher. Read more...

2017 SVIEF-Star Startup Competition

Apply to pitch your startup at the SVIEF Startup Competition 2017 on September 29 in Silicon Valley and win cross-border investment and expand influence for your startup company!

As one of the largest innovation and technology forums held in the U.S. and China, SVIEF has successfully made an influence in both the Silicon Valley and the mainland China in the past 6 years. The Startup Competition is part of the SVIEF Expo with 150 exhibitors and over 7,000 attendees. SVIEF will be having investors coming from all over the world to hear the startup pitches. Read more...

Extreme Tech Challenge 2018

With a mission to empower entrepreneurs, the Extreme Tech Challenge offers incredible opportunities, visibility and resources to contestants at every level of competition, so contestants can take their company to the next level. The contest occurs in key stages, with each round bringing contestants critical exposure to a singular audience and community of tech and business stakeholders.

They’ve extended the deadline for the application to August 31, 2017, so there’s still some time! Please look for more information here.

Sex, Lies & Pseudo Science: Why Google Must Fight Back

Google’s firing of James Damore is big news in Silicon Valley. Damore was an engineer at Google when he wrote a 10-page memo claiming that women are not ideal for some engineering and management positions because of biological reasons. He said Google was wrong in trying to increase the number of female engineers and managers. Read more...

A Lesson from Uber’s Ugly Side

Benchmark, one Silicon Valley’s top venture capital firms, is suing Uber’s founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick, claiming fraud and other transgressions.

As evidenced by the recent spate of stories, Kalanick was grossly irresponsible and tended towards cutthroat business tactics. My belief is that what goes around comes around. Kalanick acted unethically, and now he’s paying the price.

I always tell startup founders not to cross the line. It’s good to be aggressive. It’s good to push the limits. But don’t do anything illegal or unethical. That’s crossing the line.

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