October Tech Trends From Silicon Valley

A review some of the hot stories in Silicon Valley over the last month, with an Asian twist.

Over the next 10 years we will develop two things:• Connect the entire world. We need everybody to use the Internet. • Develop artificial intelligence. 10 years from now computers will

be better than humans at reading, listening, talking, and other things.

Link from VentureBeat

Magic Leap raises $542 million Series B to bring realistic augmented reality to life.

Link from GigaOm

Augmented Reality / Artificial Intelligence

What is interesting about Zuckerburg’s speech in China is not that he spoke in Chinese (though impressive), it’s his vision for Facebook. Continuing to connect the entire world to the internet and developing artificial intelligence: Two simple, yet enormous goals. Entrepreneurs need this kind of focus and depth of visionMagic Leap’s investment tells me two things: Firstly that augmented reality is serious business and secondly that Silicon Valley valuations are again getting out of control. As the bubble in Silicon Valley grows, opportunities for startups outside the bubble (such as in Asia) also grow.

Atom-scale brain sensors will show exactly how your mind worksLink from EnGadget

Fitbit's 'Superwatch' Is the Closest It Has Come to a Fitness SmartwatchLink from Mashable

Amazon launches $39 ‘Fire TV Stick’ to challenge Google’s ChromecastLink from VentureBeat

Nest Acquires Home Automation Hub Revolv, but Will Stop Selling ItLink from Re/Code

Startup unveils Internet-connected smart guns for copsLink from Arstechnica

Japanese Man Gets 2 Years in Prison for 3D Printing GunsLink from Mashable

H/W S/W Convergence, IoT, IoE

Hardware-Software and connected devices are still the rage! And the pace of development is still blistering. I feel that Korean and other Asian entrepreneurs in the hardware space need to be more aggressive in order to realize the potential they have to be industry leaders. Taiwan and Korea have manufacturing heritage, but the convergence with software seems a long way off still. I’d love to see things pick up in this area in Asia.

Google Just Released Hundreds of Cool Icons That You Can Use For Free

Link on Gizmodo

Silicon Valley Copying Asia?

So, icons are about the most low-tech developments of recent times but what is interesting to me is that certain ‘cultural’ aspects of consumption are crossing over into the west. For Google to be adopting graphics to allow people to communicate with each other more easily, perhaps following the Asian trend of ‘sticker chat’ is interesting.Perhaps there will be more striking Asian consumption trends adopted in the west in due course?

LINE Stickers Kakao Stickers

Uber expands meal delivery pilot to Hong KongLink from VentureBeat

Apple and Facebook are now paying for women employees to freeze their eggsLink from The Verge

The Biggest Failures of Successful People (and How They Got Back Up)Link from LifeHacker

Great Risk =Great Reward

So, icons are about the most low-tech developments of recent times but what is interesting to me is that certain ‘cultural’ aspects of consumption are crossing over into the west. For Google to be adopting graphics to allow people to communicate with each other more easily, perhaps following the Asian trend of ‘sticker chat’ is interesting.Perhaps there will be more striking Asian consumption trends adopted in the west in due course?

3 months at Y Combinator: What it’s like and how to get inLink from FrontApp

Stock Options 101

Link From The Startup Bible

Use online resources

I often hear Korean entrepreneurs talking about how they wish they were able to do this or that thing, such as get into Y Combinator, or TechStars. For many local founders this seems like an impossible dream. What I would say is that these things are possible, but you’ve got to be smart and dedicated to achieving it. Now Korean founders have successfully got into both accelerators. There are resources out there that are free, that can support you towards achieving your wildest dreams. Go out and find them!

@Nathan_mill@koreastartups

Nathan@besuccess.com

I write all about Korean startups and technology at www.betech.asia