It’s been a while since I’ve written about Cringely’s (NOT in Silicon Valley) Startup Tour, but that’s not because we weren’t working hard on the project. In fact the effort of cutting 400+ companies down to 24, then setting-up a tour to visit them all, has been far harder than lazy-old-me ever expected it to be. But here we are at last, ready to go. My next post and many after will be from the Tour while this one will be about the Tour.
Look at our pimped-out RV! Not content to be incognito as we’re broken-down on the side of the road, we decided to at least evoke sympathy by leaning into the whole experience and wrapping the RV in a huge vinyl billboard. This wrapping thing, while it took twice as long as I expected, was both fascinating and satisfying. I wish I’d done this (the wrapping) a couple years ago, if only to cover the garish mid-90’s graphics that swarm over our old Winnebago. It wasn’t inexpensive, but on a per-eyeball basis may be the cheapest advertising of all as we drive our 10,317 miles around America.
Our job this summer is to visit interesting tech startups, of course, but we’ll be doing more than that. We’ll also be meeting with readers as we wander the country. Look for an updated schedule here and also at http://startups.cringely.com to see when we’ll be near you. Then come out to visit us in a WalMart parking lot or maybe at the local startup and Mrs. Cringely will let you enjoy her muffins. The price of Mrs. Cringely’s muffins is a small unwrapped toy which my kids will be distributing at local hospitals and homeless shelters as we travel through.
There’s a lesson here (we hope) that not all kids get to ride around the country making TV shows.
An adventure like this one doesn’t happen without a lot of support. It has needed the support of readers to nominate and vote for companies. It has needed the Kauffman Foundation, which was there from the very beginning to help in every possible way. More recently we’ve picked-up Research In Motion, makers of Blackberry mobile phones, as our single corporate sponsor.
This Startup Tour will be an all-Blackberry adventure.
We’ll be posting videos from the road starting next week, but first I have to gas-up the bus.
Bon Voyage Bob! Awesome project and I can’t wait to hear the updates from the road.
Good luck with the tour, I hope we get to see the show outside the US.
Good travels Bob,
I hope that we passed muster and you’re coming to visit BizGreet in Austin. Look forward to maybe seeing you soon!
It’s always exciting when starting a new adventure.
Hope to see CareCloud as one of your stops!
I hope that you hit up an alternative energy company early on so that they can convert that boat into something more gas efficient because I have a funny feeling that it doesn’t get very good mileage.
If the picture is to be believed, there will be six people on board. Guessing about 7mpg for the bus so that’s 42 person-miles-per-gallon, about the same as a non-carpooling Prius.
Bob oh great seer,tech wizard, and Sir Know It All, what’s your take on this seedling? http://bariumtitanate.blogspot.com/2010/06/lockheed-martin-to-help-manufacture.html
There being no other seer with and saw, perhaps you could peek a boo at what could be the “NEXT BIG THING”
HELP BOB, HELP!
I wiould have gone with the Girls Gone Wild RV wrap 😉
Best of luck on the tour Bob. Hopefully you’ll be stopping near Philadelphia, PA so we can swap a toy for a muffin! (Great outreach idea by the way) I’ll be able to give you some of our new greeting cards as well!
Bob,
Good luck on your tour. Looking forward to reading about your adventures. One guy and two good-looking gals. My oh my.
Now that the 24 startups for your tour have been chosen, will the Startup Tour website reveal their names and their answers to your list of questions? Or will these things be kept a secret until the lucky 10 have been chosen?
Got a new iPhone 4, huh Bob?
Come on down to Austin!
Looking forward to those muffins…
Looking forward to seeing you in Chicago!!
-The OrigAudio Crew
>> It’s been a while since I’ve written about Cringely’s blahblahblah
It’s also been a while since you’ve written about NerdTV Season 2! Where do I send my money for the seed capital for *that* little gem? We’re still dying to know who this super-secret guest is.
Is that a Nerd TV logo I see on the RV?? I hope it is…
Bob, think of this supposedly long trip as just the first leg of a world tour. There are amazing start-ups around the world (the one I’ve founded included, of course).
Looking forward for your 2nd leg – the International one!
So how about a column on the wrapping process? For some of us, that’s at least as interesting as the startup tour. 😉
In any case, happy trails!
wow- thanks for the call! one of the most exciting one’s I’ve gotten in a while. Can’t wait to hear more — looks like the end of this week should be fun! Cheers
Actually I’m looking forward to your story from the road. I hope it is both informative an uplifting.
You, my friend, are an awesome human being. Great initiative you’ve got going here… 🙂
So the big question is, do the companies know you are headed their way or will you contact them while on the road?
Looks like Channing is about to pass mom up in height.
Have a very fun, successful, and safe trip.
We’ll be watching for you.
“10,317 miles around America” Wow! That’s quite a trek. I wish you and your family a great Summer doing that. Let us know what the kids thought!
With three young kids that is a lot of “are we there yet?” I hope Bob has a water park inside that thing.
It’s interesting that a Canadian company is sponsoring your tour across the US to find worthy startups. Good on them.
A Canadian Company has a stake in EEstor, Bob when you reach EEstor in Texas you will be welcomed by Dick Weir…. use my name he will understand.
Awesome!
I look forward to reading your posts and, more importantly, watching the documentary.
Have a great time!!
“i”
Great Work Bob!!!!!
Why dont you visit Australia??? As after december we are going to start our new business…..
Thanks
Pratim
Cannot wait for the show, have fun.
We can’t wait to welcome you all to StorageByTheBox.com when you arrive on Sunday. See you soon.
Hey Bob, do you think that since RIM is sponsoring your tour that you could at least make an effort to spell BlackBerry correctly?
Where’s your travel schedule posted?
Mmmmmmmmmm… muffins
Oh boy, good luck with the black heatsink you’ve installed on your Winnabego as you travel across the country this summer…
Unrelated note: I love the idea you’ve come up with to teach your kids compassion!
I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post
I really enjoyed visiting your blog, and it looks great. If you get a chance you should check my site as well. I hope you have a great day!
Purchase mp3 music online…
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Good : )
When are you coming to Austin, Texas! On Wednesday the Capital Factory Demo Day – an event full of all the local startups, entrepreneurs and investors. You don’t want to miss it!
https://www.capitalfactory.com/demo.html
Hello. Great job. This is a great story. Thanks!
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