Trish Costello

Listen to Fred Wilson’s take on the disruption of the VC industry that will come about by individuals combining their money to fund start-ups.  Portfolia, launching in August, is just such a micro-investment platform.  It lets consumers become shareholders as they back teams and products they believe in –then engage their networks to make them successful.   Companies gain both money and markets as their backers focus their social networks and combined buying power to capture the markets.  We know how to do this!

Charitable crowdfunding site, Fundly, has raised more than $305 million since its launch, mostly from millennials.  This is the emerging face of philanthropy.

Food and family technology becoming bigger part of the start-up world.

I love this article by the male CTO in a mostly women-led and women-focused company.  Brilliantly articulates what women leaders bring to the table in a light-hearted way.  I especially like this section, "Yes, every person in our company has a healthy ego.  But no, their egos (miraculously) don’t appear to block their listening capabilities."    

Gen Y continues to jump into the start-up world, by both design and necessity.  The results may pay dividends for generations.  Research shows that the younger a person gets into entrepreneurship the more likely is their success over time.  Makes sense from Gladwell’s 10,000 hours needed for mastery.  And young people have little too lose without many of the responsibilities that come as life goes on.