April 30, 2008 | 12:00PM - 6:00PM (Lunch Included)

Fenwick & West | Mountain View, CA

 

At last, even Google is spooked. Whether you're on the bandwagon or on the fence, there's no doubt that social media's seismic effect has arrived. Facebook, a 3-year old company that has yet to master monetization, is being valued on par with Ford. From social networks to business networks, and conversational marketing to virtual worlds, this is the new Wild West of technology.


Analyzing business models, go-to-market strategies and exit options, the Dealmaker Forum is a half-day event designed to dispel the hype and uncover the specific moves required to win this game.

Schedule:

10:30am – 12:00pm – Private Speed-dating (click here for more info)

12:00pm – 1:00pm – Registration & Lunch

1:00pm – 2:00pm - New Super-Models of Social Media

• Which companies in the social media space have the most effective business models today and why?
• What's actually working and driving revenue? 
• Are ad-based models sustainable, and if not, what will the new "super-model" look like? 
• Will it be a hybrid of ad revenue and monetized services? 
• Will business models begin to resemble cable TV and premium cable options? 


Moderator: 

•Dave McClure, Startup Advisor & Angel Investor, 500 HATS 

Panelists:

• Nicolas Kardas, Sr. Product Manager, Windows Live Platform, MICROSOFT
• Jim Scheinman, EIR, CHARLES RIVER VENTURES
• Steve Jang, CMO & Head of Business Development, IMEEM    

• Mark Silva, Founder & Managing Director, REAL BRANDING

2:20pm – 3:20pm - Go to Market Strategy

• Once you've identified your business model, how will you grow your audience?
• Do partnerships help build a targeted audience?
• If gaining mass adoption is difficult even for the giants, what are your chances for market penetration?
• What are the key advantages that emerging companies have over the giants?
• With the debate of eyeballs vs. engagement, what should the focus of a startup be? At what point should they change their focus?

Moderator: 

Vineet Buch, Partner, BlueRun Ventures

Panelists:

• Charlene Li, VP & Principal Analyst, FORRESTER RESEARCH

• Jason Oberfest, VP Business Development, MYSPACE.COM
• Sergio Monsalve, Principal, NORWEST VENTURE PARTNERS
• Deborah Shultz, Strategist, DEBORAHSCHULTZ.COM

3:50pm – 4:50pm - What's the Future for Social Media Startups?

• Given that IPO's are not yet a viable option, should you flip or grow your company? How should you decide?
• What should you be doing today that can impact your exit options and success?
• If the Microsoft/Yahoo deal goes through, how will that affect the acquisitions landscape?
• If the market slows (we're not saying the "R" word), will valuations start to decline?


Moderator: 

• Sam Angus, Partner, FENWICK & WEST

Panelists:

• Jeff Clavier, Managing Partner, SOFTTECH VC

• Seth Goldstein, Co-founder & CEO, SOCIALMEDIA NETWORKS
• Michael Jensen, Director - Technology Group, CREDIT SUISSE

• Jason Shellen, Founder, THE SECRET AGENCY


5:00pm – 6:00pm – Reception and Cocktails



The 2007 event brought together participants from these‚ and many more‚ companies: Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Amazon, AOL/Userplane, Sun Microsystems, SAP, Intuit, HP, Palm, Bit Torrent, Salesforce.com, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Goldman Sachs, Photobucket, Sony, Netvibes, IBM, Orange Labs, First Round Capital, Moto Development Group, Zoho, Dow Jones, TSX Venture Exchange, Fenwick & West, Norwest Venture Partners and more.


To see agendas and speakers from past Dealmaker Forum events use this link.