Umair Haque / Bubblegeneration

Monday, April 03, 2006

Wikio and Europe vs 2.0

Wikio about to launch - a simple combination of many now ancient 2.0 ideas (syndication, voting, etc).

One thing I really dislike about 2.0 in Europe is that...it's just like 2.0 in the States, minus 18 months or so.

Perhaps I'm being too critical, but I find this less than compelling. Chappaz is the Kelkoo guy and the EIR at Index. He has the resources to do something much cooler than this kind of simple imitations. If I had his resources, you can bet I would be doing something cooler (and far more disruptive) than simply rehashing old ideas in this space.

And Index has been responsible for some of the more visionary investments in the 2.0 space, long before the Valley even caught the bug - and that's why they've done so well relative to their peers for the last couple of years. So I'm doubly mystified that there seems to be such a me-too flavour to this play.

My take: this is yesterday's news; though it may realize a nice exit, you should focus on the things that will create tomorrow's new value (branding 2.0/peer produced ads/cultural disruption...much more on this stuff to come).

And - is it just me, or does Wikio actually have nothing to do with wikis? Uhh...

-- umair // 4:20 PM // 6 comments

Comments:

Come on Umair, it is actually a nice implementation of a number of good ideas inspired from the Web 2.0 services you mention.
I don't think that any US service I have seen actually does this.

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Jeff Clavier // 8:21 PM

i completely agree Umair. I was bowled over to see the approach by the 2.0 spoken word this morning on this.

Makes me wonder that some of those who 'promote' these new concepts actually do it free and clear of any ulterior motive.

I can't see the draw or retainer effect here. what weapons are being used to battle your well covered 'scacity paradox'?

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marks ramblings // 9:00 PM

I should have mentioned that you are right in pointing out a real tendancy at building local me-two versions of US services. But I would contend that Wikio is not in that camp.

Mark> If you are hosing me with a conflict of interest, I have nothing to do with Wikio or Pierre Chappaz.

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Jeff Clavier // 11:47 PM

Hey Jeff,

I'm sure you are right it will be a nice implementation of some cool ideas. But that's what I see guys like the Newroo crew doing.

My point is simply that Chappaz is the EIR at Index (I think) - I expected something a bit...more.

Mark,

I agree with your comment. That said, Jeff is definitely not in the "promoters of 2.0" camp :)

Thanks for the comments guys.

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umair // 1:59 AM

Jeff -

did not intend to 'hose' you at all.
was merely pointing out that for the user population at large (of which i am most certainly one) the value prop can and does become cluttered.

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marks ramblings // 3:55 AM

I'm not sure why you lump Europe as 'Web 2.0 minus 18 months'. It's not as if we wait for a steamship to bring the latest web news and then copy it. I don't think there is an iota of time lag between the US and Europe (or China or Australia for that matter). Of course, our capital markets may lag, our media may lag, our bloggers may lag - but these are cultural localisations.
Most of the -18month me-too startups come out of the US, probably due to too much money chasing the space.

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Ivan Pope // 11:24 AM