Thursday, March 30 11:05 AM - 12:20 PM Track IV: Desktop Browser & Search As Application Platform: Gateway to Information and Entertainment We are now entering the world that is has been coined Web 2.0. To understand that phrase and that universe, think of your current universe of web access and put it on steroids. In this new and evolving world of interactivity, the user is being enabled by a superpowered network, superpowered web servers and routers, superpowered access point, and superpowered access device (eg. Computer or handheld device) In other words, in the Web 2.0 future, the user will be able to interact with the information in ways not easily understood in a prior world. Applications will be written for the server or for the website that the user is visiting. In fact, a website or remote server, may well be able to replace all the services of your current desktop computer, applications and all. In this session, we will begin to explore the world of the Browser and network as the application platform. This session is about the evolution of a new gateway to information. Matthew de Ganon, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Application Software, The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCI). Tom St John, CTO, Searchformedia Mike Lanza, CEO, Click TV Thomas McInerney, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Guba.com Larry Marcus, General Partner, Walden VC Brian Hanley, VP Business Development AOL Time Warner Joyce Schwarz, JCOM Emerging Entertainment Marketing, Moderator Matthew de Ganon, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Application Software, The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCI): Matthew de Ganon is vice president and general manager of consumer application software at The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCI). For TWCi, Matthew is charged with leading the company's rapidly expanding efforts in the consumer applications space, with a focus on desktop software. Matthew oversees development and execution of product and new business strategies; works with TWCi's robust ad sales and database marketing teams to develop innovative advertising products; and creates extensive relationships and other creative distribution channels for user acquisition. Since 1992, Matthew has advised corporations on the strategic use of online technology, including Morgan Stanley, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Hewlett Packard, NCR, LEXIS-NEXIS, Prudential Securities, ABB, Sony and WorldCom. His experience with such clients led him to architect W3 Organizational Modeling, a model for performance optimization and profitability improvement of online operations. From 1994 to its successful sale in 2001, Matthew's abilities helped propel the evolution of K2 Digital, one of the early Internet business strategy companies. Under Matthew's leadership as president and later CEO, K2 was named to AdWeek's Top 25 Interactive Agencies and Crain's "New York's Top 15 Players" and attracted many Fortune 1000 clients. Matthew was then recruited to become president for desktop application developer Arcavista Corporation, best known for its work with RCA and American Idol. At Arcavista, Matthew helped to transform the company, its products and it’s branding, responsible for the development of the company's vision, flagship Communicator Platform product, and its general operations. Matthew was recognized as one of "New York's 100 Top Internet industry Executives" by Silicon Alley Reporter, and dubbed an "Internet Economy Architect" by The Industry Standard. He began his career at NBC, Universal Studio's Motion Pictures Group and also worked as an agent in Los Angeles. He later became vice president of new media of SCS, a software developer serving clients such as Marvel Entertainment. Tom St John, CTO, Searchformedia: Tom is a seasoned product development and marketing executive with a successful track record in Internet technology, consumer software, and Internet marketing. Prior to being a founder of Searchformedia, Tom was most recently President of Bytec Consulting Inc., a software development firm specializing in Internet-based consumer products. Bytec was sold to a private group of investors in the fall of 2004. Prior to Bytec, Tom was Vice President of Marketing for Rocketinfo Inc. a leading international supplier of RSS, real-time news and business information software to corporations, governments and professional service firms. At Rocketinfo, Tom was responsible for the development and marketing of all consumer products including a public news, RSS and blog search engine as well as the Rocketinfo Desktop search tool. He has a business degree from McGill University and a computer science degree from the Institute of Computer Studies. Mike Lanza, CEO of Click TV: Click TV is Mike's fifth startup company. In addition to his software and Internet background from his previous four companies, Mike finds inspiration for Click TV from his experience as an amateur documentary videographer. Prior to Click TV, Mike founded and served as CEO of 1View Network, a provider of technology for the consolidation of personal financial information. He sold 1View to Digital Insight, the leading provider of online banking services. Before 1View, Mike founded and served as CEO of Avolent Corporation, a provider of software for sending bills over the Internet and for receiving payment for bills over the Net. Mike holds an MBA from Stanford University, as well as an MA an BA in Economics from Stanford. Thomas McInerney is the co-founder and CEO of GUBA®. Mr. McInerney began his professional career as an engineer/scientist for Apple Computer's Worldwide Research and Development Group in Cupertino, CA. While there, he helped to develop Apple's early Intranet in 1996. He left Apple to join Sony, where he was involved in designing the first VAIO laptop computer. An early believer in the promise of the World Wide Web, Mr. McInerney left Sony at the end of 1997 to become an entrepreneur and co-founded GUBA in January of 1998. Under his leadership, GUBA became profitable in less than a year after it was founded and has grown at a 67% compound annual growth rate over the late 8 years. He holds a degree in Computer Science from Arizona State University. Larry Marcus, General Partner, Walden VC: Larry is a General Partner at WaldenVC, a San Francisco, based cross stage venture firm founded in 1974 and focused on investments in digital media, ecommerce and technology enabled services. Larry has 18 years of consumer technology and media experience and is currently a Director of MeeVee, Pandora and the JazzSchool (Berkeley, CA) and on the advisory board of IBDNetwork. He joined WaldenVC from Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown where he was Director of New Media, Broadband, and Enhanced TV equity research and prior to that, Robertson Stephens & Company, both in San Francisco, CA. Over his research career, Larry followed companies in interactive entertainment, consumer and business software, cable infrastructure, new media, and the Internet, leading numerous IPOs and follow-on offerings for companies such as CBS MarketWatch, Terayon, Women.com, Edmark, Maxis, Wink, and Softnet. His coverage also included Intuit, Electronic Arts, Sierra On-line, Broderbund, CNET, Activision, Learning Company, Softkey, Acclaim, RealNetworks, Excite@Home, General Instrument, Scientific Atlanta, Gemstar, and OpenTV. He was an early backer of Netflix and Virage. Before working in research, Larry served as a consultant for Digidesign and Maxis, ran a computer store, and worked as a media planner at Jordan, McGrath, Case and Taylor Advertising. Larry received both his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration degrees from the University of California at Berkeley. Joyce A. Schwarz is an author/speaker/consultant and one of the leaders in the emerging entertainment and media arena. She heads JCOM, a new product launch and branding consulting firm located in Marina Del Rey, California. Joyce has created marketing and advertising campaigns for more than 100 consumer and B2B technologies and products ranging from emusic.com to projects for Philips, France Telecom & AT&T. She combines more than 20 years experience in advertising and marketing for international ad agencies such as Foote Cone & Belding with a masters degree in film from USC and extensive production experience in film, television, video and interactive. She wrote "Reinventing Hollywood" for the NAB in 1992 and then co-wrote "Multimedia: Gateway to the Next Millennium" in 1993, "How to Break Into the New Hollywood" in 1995. Her latest book is "Cutting the Cord: Guide to Going Wireless" Que Publishing, June 2002. Schwarz is well known as a business writer and colu! mnist for more than 150 articles in such publications as: Business 2.0, Conferenza, Digitrends.net, 'Christian Science Monitor", 'Sales and Marketing' (SAM), LA Times and more. She was the chair and organizer for the first Paris, France Internet/ITV conference from 1995-1997, Digital Day LA , 1993-1996 and is a popular keynote speaker at such conferences as the Invention Convention and the San Diego Computer Fair. She specializes in developing partnerships and alliances for emerging entertainment and new technologies.