Dispatch from DEMO

This is the first post in the new Intelliversity Journal, serving technology entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. I am on-site today at the DEMOfall 08 Conference in San Diego, where the latest information technology and technologists are on display. What a great gathering it is this year. The press staff of DEMOfall 08 were kind enough to grant me access knowing we are an infant publication -- because of the fascinating nature of our mission:

To communicate the human side of the technology business so that investors can make an informed decision about WHO they are investing in, not just WHAT they are investing in.

I was fortunate today to interview Google's Director of Research Peter Norvig on the topic of how Google evaluates the character and leadership ability of a management team when considering an acquisition. I will report on this interview in depth in my next post.

I will also be interviewing venture capitalists Eric Tilenius, Chris Greendale and Krishna ("Kittu") Kolluri on the question of how they find out who they are really dealing with when they consider funding a young company. How do they find out if the founders are sufficiently driven, competitive, honest, flexible, capable of new innovation, open to coaching, and able to lead their teams through difficult times -- without relying just on references and track record? In fact, what ARE the character traits most important to the venture capitalist when considering a company to be funded?

Stay tuned for the results of these fascinating interviews.