Blog
Welcome to the Boston University Venture Accelerator Blog! Here we can update everyone on what we are doing on a day-to-day basis. In addition, BUVA will post general details on new ventures so you can get in contact with them.
User-Generated Content Is Here to Stay
by Azeem Khan The way media are transmitted has changed dramatically over the last 10 years. User-generated content (UGC) has completely changed the landscape of social interaction, media outreach, consumer understanding, and everything in between. Today, UGC is media generated by the consumer instead of the traditional journalists and reporters. This is a movement defying and redefining traditional norms at the same time. Current events are largely publicized on Twitter and Facebook by the average person, and not by a photojournalist hired by a news organization. In the past, these large news corporations dominated the headlines -- literally -- and owned the monopoly on public media. Yet with the advent of smartphones and spread of social media, everything has changed. The entire industry has been replaced; smartphones have supplanted how information is collected, packaged, edited, and conveyed for mass distribution. UGC allows for raw and unfiltered movement of content at lightening... More
Funding a Startup
By Azeem Khan At one point every entrepreneur decides how to finance their startup, and each one has different demands so the route varies. With Supshot we're at the point now where we're looking to start fundraising so I've been researching the topic First, you must decide how much you need to raise. Most startups go through several rounds of funding, which is completely normal so don't just keep higher numbers in mind. For each round you want to take just enough money to get the company to the next step. Startups usually don't get this step right, as many are underfunded, and some are overfunded. It would be helpful to founders to understand the funding process better for a host of reasons, but first they need to know where they can raise. We should start by talking about the main sources of startup funding available. Friends and Family Many startups get their first sums of... More
The Top Five Things I’ve Learned in Two Months as an Entrepreneur
by Azeem Khan Two months ago I was applying to medical schools, working at a great biotech company and had every intention to stay on that track. Fast forward two months; I've written off medical school, quit my job, and am a co-founder on an app called Supshot. It's been an interesting ride so far where I've learned a bunch, and am learning more every single day. There has been a bunch of surprises so far though, many of which I truly didn't expect. Some of them were things I expected, but I was still caught off guard by them in some ways. Here are the top five things I've learned in the last few months: 1. A start-up will take over your life. The relationship between founders and the company is very intense. A startup isn't like having a job or being a student because it doesn't stop. It's not an idea that can... More
Big Data and The Future of Advertising
By Josh Green The use of Big Data is nothing new in the field of advertising. Recently though it has come to the forefront as advertising has taken a turn to the hyper-personal. With ads displayed on browsers and social media, specifically tailored for each user, it has come to point that ad agencies are struggling to compete with the likes of Goggle, Facebook and Twitter, with whom they where once partners. The competition has become intense, while putting pressure on ad agencies, it has also opened up room for advertisers to try better alternatives that can increase ROI and decrease advertising costs. The recent merger between the Omnicom and Publicis groups to form the worlds largest advertising group is a sign of the times. It is no secret that big data is a partial influencer in this merger. Traditional Advertising such as print and TV are becoming less important as tablets and smartphones are becoming the choice technology for today’s consumers. Merging... More