OurielOhayon

In NYC next week

While Israel will host many web/vc events next week (Journey, Yahoo Hack Days,...) i will be in NYC. This is not a good timing and would have preferred to be here. But there is something i would not miss for the whole world: ADTech which is the most important online advertising spot in the year.

Monetization is now, more than ever key to startups. I want to learn more about this market and its players. Traditional "web 2" events address more product and innovation than digital marketing.

I will be there also for a few meetings but if you are around shoot me an email

Technorati Tags: adtech nyc newyork advertising

Gaza/Sderot: A stunning web documentary, one tough reality

This summer i met the team behind Gaza/Sderot a gorgeous documentary packaged in a gorgeous web site made for the web only and distributed on the web only. This web document (i hesitate using the expression work of art) is produced the French/Geman TV channel Arte and is about showcasing everyday a 2min video on the parallel reality lived by Gaza and Sderot Citizens.

I covered yesterday the launch of the site on TechCrunch France and believe this kind of initiative should help better understand what is happening there. I am so tired of watching the foreign news talking so lightly what Israeli citizens (but also Gaza citizens) are living on a day to day basis.

The site is in 5 languages including hebrew and arab and just won a prestigious prize in europe

I strongly recommend you watch it



Technorati Tags: gazasderot web document israel gaza

Talking Web on Calcalist

Calcalist is one on the main economic newspaper off and online in Israel. Asaf Gilad invited me to initiate a new video talk show they are hosting and i participated with my friend Roy Klieger, ex ICQ Colleague and now VP product at Gizmoz.com for which we immediately accepted. The first part of this very first edition is now online (in hebrew)

We had a good time. We discussed several things including the upcoming crisis for the web and the Israeli high tech in general.



This is very raw, but for a first shot with nearly no rehearsal i think it could have been worse (can also be better)

I have to precise we recorded it about 3 weeks ago (hence the delay with the "eBay announcement") and that at the time it was unexpected that this timing would not be so good since Gizmoz announced some layoff yesterday (and more are coming unfortunately). But since i am doing most of the bad talk, only i could be blame for this pure coincidence. The period we are facing is tough. However one should bear in mind that in tough times good opportunities will happen and good startups will still be funded (we will announce a new investment soon)

There are other matters we are discussing and that will also be published online soon.

Thanks to Calcalist for the opportunity (below some backstage pics)

Technorati Tags: calcalist, israel, internet, podcast, gizmoz

Please stop using the expression "Silicon Wadi"

I never liked the expression Silicon Wadi, trying to qualify the equivalent of the Silicon Valley in Israel. Never liked either the expression "Silicon Alley" trying to qualify its equivalent in New York.

I don't like it for 2 reasons: #1 it sounds aweful/ridiculous. #2 i think we don't need/want be compared to what's happening thousands of miles from there. We have a strong specific DNA and we need our own identity, idiosyncratic charateristics, strenghs and weaknesses.

If we needed one, Marc Rocheman suggested a few funny alternatives: Silicon Kosher, Mazal Tech, Zion 2.0 and Holy Silicon (my favourite)

But my favourite one is: ISRAEL

Chopin's Mazurka in C sharp minor op63, num3

One the songs i can't get out of my mind lately. Short, simple and delicious

Elal lack of common sense

This is what you can see on the back of your gold elal club (Israeli airline company). The contact email is Gmail@Elal.co.il

Why the hell would a company give a contact mail with a prefix that has nothing to do with their company? I could understand they don t have a domain name or want a different one and would use an @gmail.com

But why the hell the opposite? This would not be the first time i see some clear lack of common sense with ElaL

Free Airport Wifi HotSpots worldwide

Reem has done a great job compiling all the free wifi hotspots in airports across the the world

Tel aviv is one of them and is one of my favourite airpots for that. Airport are still charging ridiculous amounts for an hour of wireless connection. Over time this will disappear as more and more travellers will have alternative options (data roaming plan, 3G laptop cards...) and wireless operators won't have the choice but changing their ridiculous pricing. But for now we are stuck. Like water in the bathroom, Wifi should be a free or very cheap commodity. There are no costs reasons what it is charged so high. One day this will change.

So if you travel this list should be useful. You can also check the Google results if you have time

Technorati Tags: airport wifi free

BootCamp Ventures at LGiLab. Call for startups

LGiLab (LightSpeed Gemini Internet Lab) is happy to host the next edition of BootCamp Ventures. I participated in the very first edition of this series of forum dedicated to support young startups and was very happy to suggest to host one of those some time. This will be now the case next 25th November for a session dedicated to the internet at Gemini offices in Herzliya.

On November 25th, you will have the opportunity to meet face to face with Israeli and American top investors- and have them review your companies business model and investor presentation.

How do you stand under pressure?

This is your opportunity to present to leading investors who have seen thousands of presentations- who will ask you the right questions and see how you respond.

Bootcamp Ventures has opened applications to startups that want to integrate the program and be selected for this forum. If you are interested you can register here. Look forward to seeing you there (attendance is very limited so please check with the organizers before)

PS: btw here are th featured Panelists

Yoni Cheifetz -(Lightspeed Venture partner in Israel and my partner in the Internet Lab)
Ori Israeli - Giza
Shlomit Harth - Gartner
A Successful Serial Internet Entrepreneur (to be confirmed soon)

Technorati Tags: bootcamp ventures israel internet startup

Impressive visual movie on the middle east conflict

I don t understand german. but this short film on the middle east conflict is really mind blowing from a visual point of view. Enjoy

knowledge (subtitled version) from Axel Rudolph on Vimeo.

Great tip for mac users, for file attachments

This is so good i am just reblogging it. Enjoy



When a website asks you to “Choose File” or “Browse” for a file that you need to attach or upload, you can click it and search for the file that you’re looking for…but if you already have the file handy on the Desktop or in a Finder Window, you can actually just drag and drop it right onto the button.

Technorati Tags: mac attachments file