Google Gadget Ventures = Ubiquity + Recruiting
Google Gadget Ventures (announced today) is a clever move by Google for two reasons: ubiquity and recruiting. The reason Google makes so much money is not because they have the best search. It's because they're ubiquitous. Think Google AdSense for Search, AdSense for Content and AdSense for Domains. Google is making money "off" of the core Google platform. Recognizing that widgets are a big part of the future, Google Gadget Ventures will help them "be" everywhere:
Tags (not made by gadgets but by TagBuildr and not TagMuse nor TagTrends which also aren't gadgets or widgets): google, gadget ventures, gadgets, widgets
Good news for Google Gadget developers. We've just launched Google Gadget Ventures, a new pilot program for distributing grants and seed investments to gadget developers and gadget-related businesses. We're excited about the opportunity this will give developers to build even richer, more useful gadgets and get recognized for doing it.Developers should read the fine print, however:
6. Does Google's seed investment in a Google Gadget give it equity solely in the gadget or the entire company that produced it?That's the other piece, here. Recruiting. Both in terms of people and companies, Google Gadget Ventures is a way for Google to recruit. Clever. Devious? Depends on your point of view, I suppose.
Google's investments will be in companies, and the equity for that investment will be equity in these companies.
Tags (not made by gadgets but by TagBuildr and not TagMuse nor TagTrends which also aren't gadgets or widgets): google, gadget ventures, gadgets, widgets
posted by Richard at 12:25 AM
4 Comments:
Dude, you are DA MAN when it comes to Google's fine print. Where would we be without you? (Seriously.)
I guess you'd still be paying for that garbage traffic. ;-)
"Google's investments will be in companies, and the equity for that investment will be equity in these companies."
So, if you make anything money from the widget, Google will own that which you made? Thats how it reads to me. lol.
Yeah, Kyle. Sounds like Google is doing more than just giving grants. I don't think they should use the term "grants" to describe this program. That makes it sound like they're giving away money, almost on a philanthropic basis.
They also use the term "seed investments" and that seems more appropriate. For developers working at a startup that's looking to get acquired by a company like Google, then this would be a good program to apply for.
It'll be interesting to see what companies, if any, Google invests in as a result of the gadget ventures program.
Post a Comment
<< Home