Hello everyone:
just an update on our progress this afternoon after another impromptu
planning meeting. Aiko, Al, and I had a conference call with Rafe
Needleman, the panel moderator, to revisit our previous decision of having
an automotive OEM player serve as our primary speaker versus a startup. Ken
also provided great feedback to us both prior to and immediately following
our call w/Rafe.
Following are decisions we reached today.
1. We are going to have Rafe speak to and qualify the CEO of another
telematics startup based in San Diego called Sensoria. If he gives them the
thumbs up, we will then invite Sensoria to participate as the lead
presenter, provided they can pony up the CEO/founder/President.
2. If Sensoria is chosen, we will move the automotive OEM to the panelist
level. If however things fall through, we will move forward to have an
automotive OEM serve as the primary presenter.
3. While we have a few outstanding emails for possible invitations out to
some specific companies (Atheros, Nokia, Eriksson) we will have to carefully
handle these on a case-by-case basis to see if any of them come through. In
the case of BeVocal, who I approached early on, perhaps they can serve as a
back up to one of the startups in the event that one of them drops out. Our
thinking is that they are all longshots in any event.
Here is the line up that we have decided to go with.
Rafe Needleman, journalist, catch-of-the-day, (moderator)
Sensoria (presenting company--TBD)
Befar Razavi, Java Telematics Group (panelist)
Jane McFarlane, New Business Development Group, GM's Onstar Group (panelist)
Steve Wollenber, VP Marketing, MobileAria (panelist)
TBD, DaimlerChrysler/Mercedes,(panelist)
Following are tentative areas that we'd like to discuss with our panel
during the forum.
-The challenge of varying standards
-Owning the user interface. (Carmakers want to own this but will they
succeed?)
-Dealing with the varying innovation cycles between the automobile lifecycle
and the technology/hardware lifecycle)
-How does an entrepreneur navigate the relationship with an automobile
company and its related brands?
Note, Rafe wants to meet up with us again in the near future so we can flesh
out the areas of discussion that we want to examine and put before the
panelists. How about scheduling something for next Wednesday 4/10 or
Thursday 4/11 in Palo Alto? Please advise by this Friday!
Thank you!
carmen
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