VentureBeat Celebrates Like It’s 2008

by Brian Solis on May 4, 2008

words and pictures by Brian Solis

I have the utmost respect and admiration for Matt Marshall, founder of VentureBeat. I’ve been an avid reader of his work going back to his days at the San Jose Mercury News writing for SiliconBeat.

On September 1st 2006, Marshall launched VentureBeat, which I covered originally here.

Matt’s media empire is growing strategically and the team threw a party to celebrate its expansion into the Digital Media realm.

Hosted at the very stylish Ambassador in San Francisco, VentureBeat’s affair might have been misdiagnosed as a sign of the bubble in full swing. It was packed with industry players, a-listers, and visionaries and they also dressed for the occasion. I, however, observed something other than a bubble flashback. I saw the continued emergence and fortification of a social economy that is more sustainable than a misguided Web 2.0 bullet train on the fast track to fame and fortune.

The intentions are still clear, build something of value without giving it away. Connecting the right people, with the right idea, has everything to do with achieving these goals. Celebrating when someone is on the right track only fortifies the inspiration that lies within each of us.

That’s what this is all about.

Matt Marshall and company are on the right path. And, the team is top caliber and headed for bigger things. Congratulations to your much deserved success Matt, Chris, Anthony, MG, Dean, Eric, David, and Jacob.

Now with that said, let’s have some of the pictures I captured that evening tell the rest of the story.