Nivi · May 22nd, 2008
O’Reilly‘s venture capital fund, OATV, is holding a Startup Camp this summer. Bryce Roberts, a partner at OATV, asked us to spread the word and we’re happy to do it.
You need to apply to get in and 6-8 startups will be selected. They’re looking for companies that “have the potential to change the world for the better.” (Their application asks for a deck but we think they should ask for a high concept pitch and elevator pitch first.)
If I know O’Reilly, Startup Camp won’t involve long, boring lectures. Instead, participants will teach each other in sessions led by startup veterans like Evan Williams.
The selected startups will also be invited to Foo Camp, which is, in my opinion, one of the best technology conferences in the world.
I think Startup Camp will also generate good dealflow for OATV—and there’s nothing wrong with that. O’Reilly has been planting seeds in Silicon Valley with conferences like Foo Camp for years and years. They know that you have to give value before you get value.
Topics Conferences
O’Reilly published the list of companies accepted to their startup camp on friday: http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2008/06/startup-camp-companies-selecte.html
Considering that they were apparently swamped with applications, and that Tim O’Reilly spends his life identifying the “alpha-geeks”, the crop of startups that were selected to attend O’Reilly’s Startup camp are worth watching for the innovations they’re likely to bring.
Although this article suggests that they only chose people who already made good with O’Reilly:
http://valleywag.com/5018821/tim-oreilly-takes-care-of-his-own-with-prized-startup-camp-invites