Tracking Startups – Part Two

Keeping track of all our investigations into Web 2.0 gets to be a little daunting, but here is part two of our little visitation on 2007's early startups. In part one we spotted one really rising star amongst the several startups, while a large number were found in a basic "road kill" posture. Perhaps this update will illuminate a better ratio of success on the rocky road to success on Web 2.0!

The following Web 2.0 startups are not listed in any particular order, and a brief description of their position relative to their original release will be obvious. I provide this key for evaluation: Road Kill – Web 2.0 and every startup has essentially run over and past. In the headlights – Time to move! Left, right, forward or back before you are road kill. Cooking – The site is headed in the direction of being consumed, maybe in massive quantities. Dinner -  Filet Mignon time, just listen to the moans of culinary joy.

The sites below represent some of the best and most unfortunate Web 2.0 startups since the New Year. Being a road kill victim does not necessarily mean a site is totally dead, but someone will have to start cooking soon and the resultant dinner may not be fillet.

• Xone8 – A free social networking and international dating site. (Feb. 16) – Road Kill – Xone8 has some more people, but hardly a one takes the time to make a decent profile even. There is no shortage of pretty girls, but somehow I doubt they are all lonely.
• Mojiti - One of the premier video sharing and annotation sites. (Jan. 29) – Cooking – Mojiti was probably the premier site of this type when we reviewed it in January. Mojiti's recent addition of more advanced capabilities has positioned them very well in this niche.
• Graffiti – A set of video branding, tagging and tagging widgets? (Feb. 11) – Headlights – Graffiti was touted as a new way to communicate via online video. The service also was supposed to allow ads and branding to individual businesses, but the site has changed little since February. If they are waiting to make a move it has better be good.
• Ventbox - A community for venting in a rather low tech blog? (Feb. 7) – Headlights – Ventbox has added some tools and whistles, but essentially it is just a place for young people to be silly. If half the Digg community would migrate there to be pissed off the site might get out of the oncoming headlights. Hey, kill two birds with one stone! The last comment on the blog was a month ago.
• Eyejot – This site combines the best in email and video chat. (Feb. 6) – Cooking – Eyejot is a very useful service, but has some stiff competition. We liked the service from the beginning and if they can get a better following and some added features, then dinner may be served.
• Joost – Web TV sporting original content and quality content. (Jan.18) – Almost Dinner – The Web's most anticipated startup continues to improve itself from within its Beta testing metamorphic capsule. Essentially, there is no way this startup will become road kill. Recent upgrades and constantly brilliant development strategies have provided the very best online TV viewing in a startup. From their financial backing to the smallest detail Joost has evolved with every single challenge. Only a massive traditional media investment into a similar Web TV experience could burn the rabbit!

The failure of any startup is really sad because of the resources and creativity that is wasted. The process of striving and learning from mistakes is a valuable one. I think that emulation of entities like Joost and some others would ultimately lead to fewer "road kills" and even those caught in the headlights. It is a little bit presumptuous to announce the imminent success of Joost, but really the company has already achieved a great deal.

On a positive note, there are only half as many failures in part two of this review process. In all sincerity, I hope that I am wrong about some of these sites. Maybe some of them are just playing opossum!