Marketing for startup technology companies can be a tricky thing.

Startups are usually launched by people with a technology background and, not surprisingly, the dominant focus is on building the product and finding funding. Marketing is generally an afterthought in these early days. That creates a branding gap that can have serious consequences for East Coast startups.

We’re not alone in this.

Recently a smart post from Israeli Venture Capitalist Michael Eisenberg made the rounds. In the post, Eisenberg notes that Israel produces many strong technology companies but they often don’t

We sent out the Entrevestor survey this morning and are delighted to see responses rolling in from around the region. If you’ve received the survey, please take the time to fill it in in the next day or two.

If you’re a founder of a startup – locally owned with scalable, proprietary technology – and haven’t received the survey, please let us know and we’ll get you one.

This survey will assemble a body of information that will tell us how the startup community is growing and impacting the economy. It will also provide a baseline for future surveys so we can chart its growth over the

The marriage of cymbal manufacturer Sabian Inc. and drum equipment maker Billdidit Inc. will do more than increase the Cape Breton-based target’s distribution and customer acceptance. It will also help to develop a niche manufacturer in the Sydney area.

Sabian, based in Meductic, N.B., near Fredericton, said Monday it has paid an undisclosed amount for a majority stake in Billdidit, bringing the Sydney company’s unique range of drum gear into the Sabian catalogue.

While Sabian has operated for 30 years and has customers around the world, Billdidit started about five years ago to

After years of struggle, indie games developer Xona Games of Yarmouth finally feels it is in a position of strength in the global market.

Xona, the product of twins Jason and Matthew Doucette, was recently honoured with first place in the Rogers Big Idea Contest, which brings with it an award of $20,000.

More importantly, the company has been accepted into Microsoft’s elite ID@Xbox program. Inclusion in this could give the Doucette brothers greater security as they work at bringing their vision to market.

The Doucettes have learned over the years that game development is a precarious

Launch36, the Atlantic Canadian regional startup accelerator, is calling for applications for its fourth cohort, building on its mission of launching 36 companies in three years.

In particular, the accelerator operated by the regional technology association Propel ICT is hoping for its first participants from Newfoundland and Labrador.

[Meanwhile, Canadian Entrepreneurs in New England has announced that it is looking for participants for its 48 Hours in the Hub program.  The biennial two-day program brings Canadian startups to Boston for mentorship, strategic partner visits and

The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Central Nova, and Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, recently announced Government of Canada support for a project to enhance women’s participation in Nova Scotia’s digital economy. Status of Women Canada is providing $298,622 to Digital Nova Scotia to lead this 36-month project.

“We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada to help more women leaders in Nova Scotia participate in and lead our digital economy. We

It’s been two years since Jason Janes and Roger Power began Startup St. John’s as an opportunity for isolated entrepreneurs to network and gain mutual support. Meeting in borrowed boardrooms and local restaurants, those first get-togethers attracted around 40.

Today, over 200 members meet to find mentors, space and funding. For Janes, who self-identifies as “a typical IT geek who likes to

SageCrowd, a Halifax startup that develops online networks for personal improvement authors, announced Wednesday it has closed its first round of financing, valued at $850,000.

In a statement, the company said the investors were the Ogden Pond Group, the Halifax-based First Angel Network, and various angel investors. The Ogden Pond Group is a Halifax incubator and merchant bank in which sageCrowd Co-Founder and Chair Sean Sears is involved.

SageCrowd is an online learning network that will deepen the relationship between some of the world’s leading personal improvement authors and their

Maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t learn how much the shareholders pocketed when UserEvents Inc. of Fredericton was bought this week.

It would be nice to know how much Redwood City, Calif.-based LiveOps Inc. paid in the acquisition announced Monday. But without a number, we’re forced to examine the deal’s other aspects, and realize it will help to build stronger institutions, mentors and links with global tech companies.

LiveOps, which offers cloud-based products to improve customer service and call centres, would only say it paid an undisclosed amount for UserEvents.

It’s a natural

We’re overwhelmed by the response we’re getting when we notify people about the Entrevestor Survey, which we will send out to about 300 Atlantic Canadian startups one week from today – Thursday, February 6.

What’s really heartening is the response from entrepreneurs – the people who are being asked to fill out the form, which is just over two pages long. When I tweeted about it last week, I tried to thank the people who were retweeting it. But there were simply too many of them.

This week, I’ve been contacting everyone on the list to let them know the survey is coming. (We’ll finish