Over the past few weeks, the future of the open internet has come into sharp focus, as the FCC’s 2010 open internet rules were struck down in court, and then plans for new rules from the FCC came into public view. Amidst fears that the internet is f**ked, debate has raged about what this all means for internet users, entrepreneurs and investors. Today, we are joining a group of about fifty over 100 VCs and angel investors to voice our concern to the FCC as they consider how to proceed -- specifically, regarding the impact that we expect a retreat from open internet rules to have on internet innovation. It’s undeniably clear that the Internet has been an insanely fertile platform for innovation and investment over the past ten years. It’s less well understood that during that time, internet access providers have operated under a de-facto state of open internet policy (dating from
Over the past few weeks, the future of the open internet has come into sharp focus, as the FCC’s 2010 open internet rules were struck down in court, and then plans for new rules from the FCC came into public view. Amidst fears that the internet is f**ked, debate has raged about what this all means for internet users, entrepreneurs and investors. Today, we are joining a group of about fifty over 100 VCs and angel investors to voice our concern to the FCC as they consider how to proceed -- specifically, regarding the impact that we expect a retreat from open internet rules to have on internet innovation. It’s undeniably clear that the Internet has been an insanely fertile platform for innovation and investment over the past ten years. It’s less well understood that during that time, internet access providers have operated under a de-facto state of open internet policy (dating from
this 2005 FCC memo
), even before the 2010 formalized open internet rules were announced. This open market environment has made it possible for tiny startups to build global platforms. For example, it allowed Foursquare to get to 100,000 users on $25,000 dollars and Tumblr to reach millions before they hired their 10th employee. They were able to compete on equal terms with the largest incumbents, and gain the love of users purely on the merits of their service. And we’ve seen how the shift in the mobile landscape from a carrier-controlled market to an app platform market, with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, has blown open the mobile market for innovation and investment. We’ve also seen how, as mobile app platforms exert more control and restrict access to the market,
. So today’s letter states our hope that the FCC will weigh all available options when considering how to maintain the most competitive, vibrant market possible for internet applications.
(also embedded below). We pulled this together quickly over the past 24 hours, and weren’t able to directly reach as many VCs and other investors as we would have liked, so will gladly welcome additional signatories throughout the day today before we formally file this with the FCC tonight. Email nick [at] usv [dot] com if you’d like to join. This debate is just picking up, and it will be critical for everyone who cares about innovation on the internet to wrap their heads around this issue, and engage on it, as the FCC runs its rulemaking process through the summer and fall.
Today I turn 35. 30 was certainly a milestone, but somehow 35 feels more solidly different than 30 did (or maybe I’m just 5 years in to being used to 30-level grownup-ness). Closer to 50 than to 20. Gives me shivers thinking about it that way. For a while now, it’s seemed that every coming year, with its associated challenges and opportunities, has been more interesting and more rewarding (though not necessarily easier) than the previous one. I hope that continues. And as much as it feels weird to be entering middle-ish age, it is also solidly amazing to be spending time with my family as my kids become little people (they are 2.5 and 4.5 now), and to be continuing to explore new frontiers at work. It’s also odd to be entering an era where I can start to actually remember my parents at that same age. Not quite yet — my dad was 41 and my mom 36 when I was born — but getting close. There is something crazy about that. On this day that’s supposed to be about me, I will just say thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far, who has helped make life possible (mom and dad!), interesting, challenging :-), and fun. Here’s to more.
The sole is starting to peel of from my snow boots, so I'm in the market for some shoe goo or Gorilla Glue. I'd really like to get it today because the flapping sole is getting annoying. As I was thinking about this just now, I realized that I don't know how to shop anymore. In other words, I don't have the faintest idea how to buy shoe goo, today, in a real place. I guess 10 years ago I might have googled for shoe stores or department stores, and then called them, but I can't possibly imagine doing that now. My (and I know I'm not alone) go-to now is to order on Amazon and forget about it for a day or two. That is really easy and works for almost anything. But it's not the same as getting it today. And I'd really prefer to buy from a person in a place if I can. For example, I needed a watch battery for a garage door opener. Rather than try to figure out where to buy that in the real world, I ordered it on amazon and waited. That seems silly for such a tiny thing, that is actually available in lots of places. What i would really like is a shopping interface like amazon, but that just points me to local merchants. Someone I can walk to on my way to the subway. You are probably saying: but google shopping already does this! And you are right, sort of. They do offer a "find in stock nearby" option -- but the problem is that it's only got big box stores and dedicated e-commerce sites. My guess is that there is a bottle of Gorilla Glue closer to me than the nearest Home Depot. The folks at TalkTo are one group that's approaching this problem -- by surfacing answers to the"is this in stock" type questions via a phone-to-web interface, and publishing them online. It would be great if this, or something like it, works, and I can learn to shop locally again.
this 2005 FCC memo
), even before the 2010 formalized open internet rules were announced. This open market environment has made it possible for tiny startups to build global platforms. For example, it allowed Foursquare to get to 100,000 users on $25,000 dollars and Tumblr to reach millions before they hired their 10th employee. They were able to compete on equal terms with the largest incumbents, and gain the love of users purely on the merits of their service. And we’ve seen how the shift in the mobile landscape from a carrier-controlled market to an app platform market, with the launch of the iPhone in 2007, has blown open the mobile market for innovation and investment. We’ve also seen how, as mobile app platforms exert more control and restrict access to the market,
. So today’s letter states our hope that the FCC will weigh all available options when considering how to maintain the most competitive, vibrant market possible for internet applications.
(also embedded below). We pulled this together quickly over the past 24 hours, and weren’t able to directly reach as many VCs and other investors as we would have liked, so will gladly welcome additional signatories throughout the day today before we formally file this with the FCC tonight. Email nick [at] usv [dot] com if you’d like to join. This debate is just picking up, and it will be critical for everyone who cares about innovation on the internet to wrap their heads around this issue, and engage on it, as the FCC runs its rulemaking process through the summer and fall.
Today I turn 35. 30 was certainly a milestone, but somehow 35 feels more solidly different than 30 did (or maybe I’m just 5 years in to being used to 30-level grownup-ness). Closer to 50 than to 20. Gives me shivers thinking about it that way. For a while now, it’s seemed that every coming year, with its associated challenges and opportunities, has been more interesting and more rewarding (though not necessarily easier) than the previous one. I hope that continues. And as much as it feels weird to be entering middle-ish age, it is also solidly amazing to be spending time with my family as my kids become little people (they are 2.5 and 4.5 now), and to be continuing to explore new frontiers at work. It’s also odd to be entering an era where I can start to actually remember my parents at that same age. Not quite yet — my dad was 41 and my mom 36 when I was born — but getting close. There is something crazy about that. On this day that’s supposed to be about me, I will just say thank you to everyone who has helped me get this far, who has helped make life possible (mom and dad!), interesting, challenging :-), and fun. Here’s to more.
The sole is starting to peel of from my snow boots, so I'm in the market for some shoe goo or Gorilla Glue. I'd really like to get it today because the flapping sole is getting annoying. As I was thinking about this just now, I realized that I don't know how to shop anymore. In other words, I don't have the faintest idea how to buy shoe goo, today, in a real place. I guess 10 years ago I might have googled for shoe stores or department stores, and then called them, but I can't possibly imagine doing that now. My (and I know I'm not alone) go-to now is to order on Amazon and forget about it for a day or two. That is really easy and works for almost anything. But it's not the same as getting it today. And I'd really prefer to buy from a person in a place if I can. For example, I needed a watch battery for a garage door opener. Rather than try to figure out where to buy that in the real world, I ordered it on amazon and waited. That seems silly for such a tiny thing, that is actually available in lots of places. What i would really like is a shopping interface like amazon, but that just points me to local merchants. Someone I can walk to on my way to the subway. You are probably saying: but google shopping already does this! And you are right, sort of. They do offer a "find in stock nearby" option -- but the problem is that it's only got big box stores and dedicated e-commerce sites. My guess is that there is a bottle of Gorilla Glue closer to me than the nearest Home Depot. The folks at TalkTo are one group that's approaching this problem -- by surfacing answers to the"is this in stock" type questions via a phone-to-web interface, and publishing them online. It would be great if this, or something like it, works, and I can learn to shop locally again.
