Hi, and welcome to the Media Lab!
Why the Media Lab?
We think it’s pretty clear that ongoing industry volatility - and stagnating value creation from startups and incumbents alike - demonstrates that the media industry lacks valid and accurate economic insights and concepts that can help drive powerful new strategies and business models.
Even today’s most successful media revolutionaries - social networks, like Facebook and Myspace - are finding it difficult to explode the bounds of value creation with meaningful business models and strategies.
At the same time, even in those rare instances where the media industry develops groundbreaking new ideas, it’s also held back by steep pioneering costs: currently, the only way to experiment with new business models, revenue streams, and strategies is through acquisition or investment, where the stakes begin at $5-10m and rise fast. As a simple example, to test the validity of a new pay-per-call revenue stream, eBay acquired Skype for billions - with disastrous results.
We hope the Lab can help address these challenges, and help make everyone better off.
How?
The Lab is an incubator for ideas.
As a thinktank, we’re going to discuss the future of media strategies, business models, and innovation both here on the blog and by publishing articles and papers.
But we’re going to help incubate those ideas across a network of partners, made up of corporations, investors, and startups. We’ve already kicked off the network - what do all the members have in common? A shared interest in revolutionizing media to explode value creation. The goal of the network is to address the challenge of innovation in today’s mediascape: to seed and run experiments, helping everyone learn big by failing small - bringing next-gen strategies and business models to life.
If you’d like to read more about our ideas, stay tuned.
If you’d like to join the network, please drop us a line to set up an introductory chat.
17 Comments
1 Ethan Bauley wrote:
I’m dropping a line
http://www.ethanbauley.com/post/31009598
Hopefully this will center some of the discussion that’s been simmering over at Bubblegen this week.
Best,
Ethan
2 John McKechnie wrote:
Umair Haque
iCog is a media concept waiting to go. It looks like a smart coin, though is made from new polymers and has embedded a micro circuit, pre programmed or programmable with whatever content the consumer desires. Contactless, secure, fast ‘light’ data in/out. Not a memory device per se, though lots of memory onboard. An intelligent link to the digital world. Interactive, to take advantage of the built in content intelligently. Multiprocessor design techniques using advance heterogenous design and manufacture tools. The content is up to the digital content source or even the user to construct.
A ’sent’ brand device using polymers to function interact and create unique display geography within iCog.
You won’t be able to put it down.
The idea is to circumvent the status quo and converge between current digital consumer products like the pc, mobile phone, iPod and tv easily and with complete consumer choice of action. Our first priority and product is a projected collaboration between MiCode and Neil Poulton Design in Paris. Digital magazines and newspapers downloaded from the Net online and copied across to a custom Media Player for offline use, away from home or the office. A mobile application bypassing the mobile phone.
Not every new application or service needs to be constantly in touch via the mobile networks.
Off the ground, via offline publishing onto huge potential in life sciences, distance education, movies and music, local search & shopping, enterprise and reach-out.
iCog is the personal assistant of the future. Indeed, you could say it will be the new multimedia ‘currency.’
Pretty good at dreaming the future but it now needs a steady hand to chart the overall design approach. Would you like to learn more please ?
We have to put together the seed stage including, prototypes and first business models. Venture capital possible in US & UK with perhaps 50% or more EU grant assistance in Cornwall. We seek the inclusion of a knowledgeable consultancy in this specific first digital publications area.
Best regards
John McKechnie
Micro Code
Trevega Farmhouse
Trevega
ST IVES
Cornwall UK
TR26 3BL
44 1 736 797897
jgm@micode.plus.com
3 Jonathan Dean wrote:
Hi,
I have attended a few of the “Next Wednesdays” that Umair has hosted in London (if it helps place me, we discussed http://www.megastudy.net at some length).
I am leaving London in a month to go back to SF and will be doing a startup. I think the idea is strongly in keeping with Umair’s views on markets, networks and communities being the dominating business models moving forward. I would like to meet with you to go over the concept, get your take on it and, if you like it, talk about possibly getting your help with funding.
Kind regards,
Jonathan.
4 ian wrote:
Hello,
I have an idea..”A revolution in the rich gifting the poor the means to enter world markets “..
I intend to launch in the autuumn in Mian Channu Pakistan by opening a world research center
for startup-poor.com
The resarch will be based on the white paper we are writing and the need to revolutionize education ..basing it more on “eco enterprise education.”
I seek advise and encouragement..do you supply this ?
Thank you ian amor
5 James Jones wrote:
Will the complete global research report on climate change be made available? I joined the Webcast today and downloaded the Webcast Summary Charts, but am very interested in the full report.
6 Peter Miles wrote:
I would appreciate a chance to have an introductory chat about what you are doing and talk about what we are building here at Subtv.
Cheers,
Peter - 07785 952502 / 020 7881 2533
7 ejiro wrote:
this looks like an exciting initiative. hopefully, it will be the coming together of people with some knowledge and imagination to move beyond web 2.0 to monetisation. An introductory chat would be worthwhile
8 Emil Sotirov wrote:
Hi Umair,
I’d be happy to be part of the network.
We are working on something called JuiceTorrent - still in a semi-stealth mode. There are just a few bits about it on peoplenetworks.com.
9 Emil Sotirov wrote:
I am re-posting my interest in being part of the network (not sure if my post from yesterday made it in a technical sense).
I am with People Networks whihc will introduce soon JuiceTorrent - a new service that will change the way creative content relates to (or relies on) utility advertising.
10 Tom H wrote:
Hey we think we are moving the ball quickly down the Open Innovation field. You’d be impressed with the F500 clients we have that feel the same way and are working very closely with us to energize this revolution. Reach out would be great to stir your imaginations.
http://discussionleader.hbsp.com/haque/ excellent post btw
11 Tyler Willis wrote:
This is a great idea, I’d love to learn more about it!
Looking forward to hearing more!
12 Emil Sotirov wrote:
Umair… last time I tried to post here, there seemed to be a technical problem.
So, here we go again - I am interested in joining the network.
Emil
People Networks (www.peoplenetworks.com)
13 troy wrote:
Umair,
My name is troy young… i am the cmo at videoegg.
love to connect and chat about a few things. lmk the best way to set up a time to talk.
14 Fadi wrote:
We are trying to create a new digital media platform for the Arab world, linking conventional media and content with the latest global technologies. I would love to have an introductory chat with you and discuss this further, possibly with opportunities for partnerships.
Fadi - 00971553234123
15 Fadi wrote:
I would love to have an introductory chat.
16 Arvind Lodaya wrote:
Hello from India. The perspectives seen here echo ours, around which we are planning a symposium in 2009 to reinvent the social enterprise - working title “NGO 2.0″. If you are interested or would like to get involved, please get in touch with me arvind(at)srishti.ac.in.
17 Cathy Sunshine wrote:
Over the past 20 years I’ve designed and applied a new org design that breaks through the bottlenecks retarding business flexibility and growth. It’s simple but not easy and institutionalizes changes in behavior that refocus whole organizations so they get immediate lift. It’s new management methodology that’s already been proven to work virtually every time it’s applied. I’ve applied for patent on it. Do you provide access to financing? what other support is available that can help capitalize its growth?