Maryland Professor Documents Dot-Com Ventures

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The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that David Kirsch, a University of Maryland Professor, has created an electronic archive, documenting the rise and fall of Internet-related ventures over the period 1996 through 2002. The archive, which was started thanks to grants from the Alfred P. Sloan foundation and the Library of Congress, so far lists basic information for 2,400 dot-com companies, with about half of these entries fleshed out with business plans. The archive also offers “Top Ten Lessons from the Dot-Com Meltdown.”

“Future for Investors” remains bright if Developing Economies Prosper

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Speaking to University of Pennsylvania alumni yesterday about his new publication “Future for Investors”, Wharton Professor Jeremy Siegel explained the importance to the United States that the economies of China, India and other developing coutnries continue to prosper. In 1950, there were seven workers for every retiree in the United States; by 2050, there is projected to be less than two U.S. workers for every retiree. For Americans to be able to retire at 65 or less, the Indian and Chinese economies must continue to prosper, so they can provide goods in exchange for U.S. monetary assets. U.S. equities have provided a historical real return of 6.5 to 7%. Professor Siegel projects that even with the surge of retirements between now and 2050, US stocks should still provide a 5.5 to 6% annual real return.

Four Venture Capitalists on Evaluating Opportunities

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Here is a very insightful article from HBS Working Knowledge on what venture capitalists look for when evaluating opportunities.