Partner Article

Thinking Digital: The secrets of success

ONE of the world’s most influential internet business leaders opened the book on the secrets of his success to the region’s technology enthusiasts.

Joichi Ito, CEO of Creative Commons and founder and CEO of Neoteny - a venture capital firm focused on personal communications and enabling technologies – was Thinking Digital’s first speaker.

The online leader has created numerous Internet companies including PSINet Japan, Digital Garage and Infoseek Japan.

He was also listed by Vanity Fair as a member of “The Next Establishment” in 2007, and named by Businessweek as one of the 25 Most Influential People on the Web in 2008.

Speaking at The Sage Gateshead about the secrets of becoming a successful venture capitalist, he said: “Good venture capitalism focuses on the successful guys. Allow failure and don’t obsess with it, if you’ve got a good entrepreneur then tell them to cut their losses.

“We have a tendency to have an addiction to authority. We are looking for someone with authority to tell us the answer, to tell us what to do.

“As we think about this diverse, unpredictable world, question authority, think for yourself. Take action and don’t worry about the downside risk, but minimize it by thinking quickly.”

In 1997 Mr Ito was ranked in Time as a member of the CyberElite. In 2000 he was ranked among the “50 Stars of Asia” by Business Week and commended by the Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications for supporting the advancement of IT. In 2001 the World Economic Forum chose him as one of the 100 “Global Leaders of Tomorrow” for 2002.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .