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Filtrbox - Got information overload?

July 3, 2008

Filtrbox, one of the TechStars companies from 2007 which provides a time-saving cure for information overload, has left private beta behind and is now available to everyone. Early feedback seems quite positive both from individuals and from sources such as Network World, which called the user interface “so good it should immediately be given an award.”

Filtrbox monitors both traditional and new media content sources based on “filtrs” which you define. These are simply definitions of keywords and concepts that you want to track any time they’re mentioned. Users can consume the result content via RSS, email, and/or in the beautiful new Filtrbox dashboard. One thing I love about Filtrbox is that it doesn’t try to change your content consumption habits. This makes it easy to integrate the results into my normal tools. In my case, I like to receive some of my most critical Filtrs with results that have a high FiltrRank (their unique scoring algorithm) in my email inbox each morning. I consume the rest via RSS and occasionally check the dashboard to look at trends, sources, and other detailed analytics.

I’ve heard Filtrbox described as “Google alerts on steroids.” It’s not a bad description.

I’ve been using Filtrbox for about 9 months now as part of the private beta. Man, has it evolved nicely - it’s now a tool that many of us have come to depend upon daily. Fundamentally, Filtrbox has changed the way I think about and consume content. I now think about “blogs” as something I catch up on once or twice a week and Filtrbox as my source of time sensitive news regardless of source. Subsequently, Filtrbox is now part of my daily system and my blog subscriptions are something I find myself looking at more occasionally.

Filtrbox feeds can be created and consumed in a highly distributed way as well. For example, Filtrbox is powering vips.alltop.com, which is a unique page on Alltop that is based on persistent search. I’ve also used Filtrbox in combination with Newsgator to power the TechStars news page, so that mentions of our companies or mentors are automatically picked up.

You can hear Ari Newman (founder and CEO) discussing the service on Mashable. There’s also a good review there.

Individuals who want to monitor up to 5 filtrs can use Filtrbox for free. Pro accounts are $20/month and include up to 25 filtrs and more history. Team accounts are $100/month and allow teams of users to define, manage, and share common filtrs.

Filtrbox has some great screencasts if you want to learn more about some of the key features of the service. But if you just need the latest and most relevant news in a timely and flexible fashion, go ahead and give Filtrbox a try and let us know what you think in the comments.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

90% of Colorado VC dollars in Q1 flow into Boulder Valley

April 23, 2008

According to a MoneyTree Survey (via BCBR), “eighteen companies in the Boulder Valley received venture capital funding totaling $266.8 million during first quarter 2008.” This doesn’t include angel investment - we’re just talking about reported VC investment.

Outside of Boulder Valley, just eight more Colorado companies were funded in Q1 meaning that nearly 70% (18 of 26) of the statewide deals were done in the Boulder area. Looking at the dollars, a staggering 90% ($266.8M of $297.7M) went to the Boulder area deals. The nearly $300M invested by VCs in Colorado was reported as the highest level since 2001. Much of that was driven by a single $130M renewable energy investment.

By my quick count, about $35M was invested last quarter in a wide range of web and software companies such as HiveLive ($5.6M), Tendril Networks ($12M), Filtrbox ($500k), Collective Intellect ($6.6M), and Mark Sawyer’s post @Last/Sketchup/Google effort Vico Software ($3M).

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

Umbria acquired

April 2, 2008

Umbria (new media intelligence and sentiment analysis) announced today that it has been acquired by JD Power for an undisclosed amount.

The 40 person Umbria team should continue to operate from Boulder, according to Tech Rockies. Other Colorado companies in a related space include Collective Intellect and Filtrbox.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

Good times at TECH Cocktail Boulder 1

March 7, 2008

2317421520_79b9d0510c.jpgThanks to Eric Olson and Frank Gruber, as well as DEMO, Lijit and Threadless for throwing TECH Cocktail last night here in Boulder.

I think there were about 200 people who came out from the local tech community and SocialThing, Filtrbox, Survey Gizmo, and Newsgator were there showing off their (soft) wares.

Go and check out the official recap post on the TECH Cocktail site, and while you’re there you can read about how to attend the DEMO conference and get $800 off. Warning: That’s still like $2,000 to go, buddy.

I’ve been a long time reader of Frank’s blog Somewhat Frank, and it was nice to finally meet him in person. This morning (not too early, mind you) he and Eric showed up at TechStars and noticed that we had a poster on one of our walls featuring a post from his blog. He said that made his whole day.

Frank and Eric said TECH Cocktail will be back. Let’s hope so - thanks again guys.

Lots more great pics of the event are here.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

Todd Vernon is also liveblogging VCIR

February 27, 2008

If you don’t give a crap about VCIR, at least you only have to deal with these posts all in one day. At least you’re not me, currently sitting through a pitch on semi-conductors in a language that I don’t recognize at all.

I just noticed that Todd Vernon is also live-blogging VCIR, and making fun of me at the same time.

Here are Todd’s thoughts on some presenting companies from this morning: HiveLive, Control4*, Filtrbox, WBS Connect*, and Zayo Group*. The companies with asterisks are ones that I did not cover - there are two tracks here so I’m glad Todd is getting to see and cover some different stuff.

I’ll be sure to post an embarrassing photo of Todd here later in the day.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

Filtrbox to deliver affordable business grade content monitoring and filtering

February 27, 2008

filtrboxlogo.jpgBoulder-based Filtrbox, a TechStars company which just had a coming out party of sorts here today at VCIR, is nearing launch of their content monitoring service. I’ve been using the early product since early on at TechStars and getting critical content updates each morning in my inbox. I’ve sort of come to depend on it, and it saves me a bleary-eyed morning trip to my RSS reader to check my most critical sources. Instead of looking at it source by source, Filtrbox allows me to simply get my most important daily dose of information with no effort. Think of it as sophisticated persistent search, paired down, and delivering only the most relevant content. It’s one level up in sophistication from a simple keyword monitoring tool like Google alerts.

Filtrbox scours both mainstream and new media sites. It’s just as capable of finding an article in the Wall Street Journal or on the smallest of blogs. Because of some neat quick-start technology, users can easily configure filters which define the topics of interest, and Filtrbox uses a proprietary ranking system known as FiltrRank to try to find only the most relevant content. You help influence the FiltRank by providing feedback (both implicit and explicit) on the articles that the system finds. Additionally, filter definitions can then be easily shared with your co-workers or other interested partners.

According to the Filtrbox web site, “The company’s mission is to significantly ease the pain and reduce the complexity of tracking mainstream news, blogs and other online content sources for new mentions of your company, your competitors, your industry or even your friends by providing an easy-to-use, yet sophisticated productivity tool.”

Filtrbox has many delivery options beyond simple email and RSS. It also includes a “dashboard” (seen below) that helps you spot trends, manage, and drill down into the articles that the system presents.

filtrboxdash.png

Today, Filtrbox announced the completion of seed funding from several investors including FlyWheel Ventures and True Ventures, as well as some angel investors. Disclosure: I am also an investor in Filtrbox, both via TechStars and Colorado Startups, LLC.

While Filtrbox is a subscription based service, the VCIR panel asked about the future product roadmap relating to the metadata which Filtrbox collects. Certainly a long term business model for Filtrbox could be around mining and monetizing the metadata, but while Ari acknowledged this potential path he responded by saying that today they’re simply focused on delivering a great tool to their users.

Filtrbox is still in private beta, but plans to widen their beta in the coming weeks. The CEO and founder, Ari Newman, has extended an invitation to 25 Colorado Startups readers to try the service very soon. If you’d like an invitation to the upcoming open beta in a few weeks, just drop me a note and I’ll pass it along to Ari.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |  

VCIR presenting companies announced

February 5, 2008

The presenting companies at next months Venture Capital in the Rockies were announced publicly today for the first time. They are:

Albeo Technologies, Inc.

Albeo Technologies develops and sells patented solid-state lighting (SSL) systems for industrial and commercial businesses. The products improve profits for customers by reducing energy, maintenance, materials, recycling, and cooling costs. Albeo products are designed to replace the billions of lighting systems found in buildings in every city around the world.

Altela, Inc.

Altela serves customers in need of creating clean, pure water from highly salinated and contaminated water sources. Altela’s products desalinate and decontaminate highly challenged water sources without the energy intensive equipment, high temperatures, and high pressures of other water desalination technologies such as reverse osmosis.

AVA Solar, Inc.

AVA Solar has commercialized an advanced process for manufacturing cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic modules. AVA Solar has perfected a robust, industrial-scale, continuous process for producing solar PV modules at an industry-leading cost per watt.

Control4

Control4 is the platform for the “Digital Home’. Control4’s hardware and software allow all the systems of the home to work together to create a truly “smart” home while leveraging the products consumers already own. Control4 home automation software allows almost any home appliance from a Surround Sound Receiver, to a refrigerator, to a TV to become the “heartbeat” for the home. Control4 hardware fills in the gaps to make automation possible for every consumer today.

DAZ Productions, Inc.

DAZ strives to bring 3D art directly to the masses by delivering the highest quality digital 3D content and software at the most affordance prices. With a continuing effort at creating realism and diversity in every figure DAZ makes, and a commitment to providing excellent service and support, DAZ works to inspire 3D fans to “Unleash the Artist Within”. DAZ also offers premier 3D software programs such as Bryce 5 (a 3D environment package), Mimi Pro (a 3D lip-sync program), and DAZ Studio (a 3D proposing application) all at rock-bottom prices.

FamilyLink.com

FamilyLink.com uses technology to connect families to their history and to each other. The goal is to become the leading genealogy company in the world, and to build the largest social network for families.

FiltrBox

FiltrBox is focused on distilling the chaos of online content into relevant, actionable intelligence for knowledge workers. The innovative content monitoring service allows users to define and customize “topic filtrs” that find new articles from both mainstream and blog sources that are directly relevant to the users’ business world or personal interests.

FormatDynamics

Format Dynamics makes print advertising work for the online world, delivering media solutions that advertisers want and web publishers need. The company creates new ad inventory by optimizing how web pages print and extending onscreen advertisements into print, enabling new revenue opportunities.

Go Fast Sports & Beverage Company

Go Fast created a leading premium energy drink and well recognized lifestyle brand.. Go Fast Energy drink contains a balance of high quality, energy-enhancing ingredients, and provides consumers with a longer, smoother, more sustained energy boost, without the “jittery crash,” of many other energy drinks.

ISONAS Security Systems, Inc.

ISONAS designs, builds and distributes the first control panel-free, computer network-based security Access Control system. ISONAS Security Systems’ hardware and software Access Control products provide the most advanced physical access security for buildings and workplaces across a wide range of industrial applications. ISONAS’ products connect directly to the building’s TCP/IP network, eliminating dependence on old fashioned, hard wired panel-based systems.

Newmerix

Newmerix provides a comprehensive software suite designed to manage strategic, lifecycle change across enterprise applications. The Newmerix Automate! Suite gives senior management of enterprise IT organizations control and visibility at every stage of the application lifecycle. Newmerix delivers Configuration Management, Change Management and Release Management which streamline IT processes and ensuring business success.

Socialthing, Inc.

Socialthing! consolidates popular social websites into one interface. Socialthing! is a digital life manager that puts what you do online into one place. It allows users to see everything that’s going on with your friends in all the sites they use and to post stuff to multiple places at once.

Tendril Networks

Tendril builds an Energy Management System (EMS) that facilitates a dialogue between Utilities and their consumers on how best to manage energy consumption. Tendril’s EMS is an open standards based platform comprising Utility load management software, in home devices such as thermostats and smart outlets and a web-based consumer energy portal.

WBS Connect

WBS Connect is a leading international provider of high bandwidth Internet Protocal (IP)-based telecommunications services to the rapidly growing IP network services market. The Company has created a very cost efficient, private broadband network and a sales distribution structure that allows it to provide a comprehensive suite of products and services in North America and Europe.

Yieldex

Yieldex is providing unique technology for in-depth, accurate, and fast analysis of online ad inventory and availability, providing ad sales and operations personnel with the visibility needed to identify, quantify, and recover the lost revenues that result from inefficient use of available inventory.

Zayo Group

Zayo acquires and operates fiber optic based telecommunication carriers. Zayo has gained new and broader sets of service offerings that appeal to different customer verticals each with diverse telecom needs.

Zonder

Zonder provides a highly-scalable on line inventory management and distribution platform that enables consumers to instantly find and book vacation homes, cabins, condos and villas across the Caribbean, Central and North America, through a variety of channels. Zonder consolidates inventory from thousands of professional property management companies into a searchable database with real-time availability.

VCIR is open to the public (registration fee required) and is February 26 - 28, 2008.

Written by David Cohen · Filed Under Blog, Startups |