by Brian Solis
Shot at Tim Ferriss’ Worlds Collide party
The New York Times is running a story about a startup that promises to help venture capitalists choose their next investments more wisely.
YouNoodle.com is officially open in public beta and is a startup predictor that applies artificial intelligence, formulaic models, and social capital and networks to determine a company’s viability and value in five years.
Of course the concept isn’t new, but their approach brings into play the advances made in predictive market technology recently.
YouNoodle was founded by Oxford University students Kirill Makharinsky and Bob Goodson. Financial backers include Paypal co-founders Max Levchin and Peter Thiel, and the Founders Fund, a venture capital firm.
The company plans to give away a toned-down version of its predictor but will charge investors for the newer and more powerful version of the software.
Of course NYT reporter Matt Richtel asked if the startup used its product to determine its own destiny.
Their response, ““So far, we haven’t run ourselves through it,” Mr. Goodson said, adding that the results could prove baffling. “If it says we’ll fail, and it’s right, that’s something of a paradox.”
More at TechCrunch.
Connect with me on Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce, Plaxo, or Facebook.
