PARC Innovations Update (2007 #2)

This is the archive entry for our e-mail newsletter, PARC Innovations Update. [subscribe]

• Spotlight: PARC opens doors to entrepreneurs
• In the Marketplace: SolFocus closes latest funding round; Powerset announces Powerset Labs; Inxight acquired by Business Objects
• On the Road: Web 2.0 in in the Enterprise
• Demo/tool: Research prototype of a social dynamic analysis tool for Wikipedia
• PARC In the News: lifetime achievement award; 5 ideas reinvent modern computing; National Medal of Technology; more

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Spotlight: PARC opens doors to entrepreneurs

PARC has announced “Startup@PARC,” a novel initiative that joins forces with entrepreneurs and investors to bring transformative technologies to the marketplace. The program builds upon PARC’s successes in partnerships with new ventures and leverages PARC’s open-innovation approach. Unlike typical entrepreneur-in-residence programs that import industry experts to develop specific, pre-defined commercial opportunities, PARC works closely with selected ventures to create tailored partnerships steeped in interdisciplinary scientific and strategic collaboration.

In the Marketplace: SolFocus closes latest funding round; Powerset announces Powerset Labs; Inxight acquired by Business Objects

Solar energy company SolFocus, which recently moved to new headquarters after being incubated at PARC for almost two years, has received a total of $84 million funding to date (New Enterprise Associates, Moser Baer India, Metasystem Group, NGEN Partners, Yellowstone Capital, David Gelbaum, and other investors). SolFocus also acquiredSpain-based sun-tracker company Inspira in August. Meanwhile, natural language search company Powerset, Inc. opened its Powerset Labs site where users can test, discuss, and share feedback for the search engine scheduled for release next year. Finally, PARC spinoff Inxight, which focuses on transforming text into actionable information, was acquired by Business Objects in July…

On the Road: Web 2.0 in in the Enterprise

While more enterprises contemplate the benefits of Web 2.0 social software (enhanced collaboration, innovation, knowledge sharing), the coordination and interaction costs that occur in social systems are often overlooked. Based on extensive studies of social systems such as del.icio.us and Wikipedia, PARC has identified multiple factors that must be managed to realize the full benefits of these systems within the enterprise. These and other insights will be presented at the conference KM World & Intranets 2007 (November 6-8 in San Jose), by Ed Chi, PhD (manager of PARC’s augmented social cognition research area) and Lawrence Lee, director of business development. If you’re attending the conference, please visit PARC booth #313 or contact us for a free expo pass and conference discount code.

Demo/tool: Research prototype of a social dynamic analysis tool for Wikipedia

PARC recently announced “WikiDashboard,” a prototype visualization tool for analyzing users’ editing patterns on Wikipedia articles. The tool shows visualizations embedded in live Wikipedia pages to provide social transparency by documenting page editors and revisions on each page. The research team’s goal is to enhance credibility for page content – leading to higher levels of trust in Wikipedia.

PARC In the News

PARC computational linguist Lauri Karttunen youngest winner of Lifetime Achievement Award
Five Ideas That Will Reinvent Modern Computing — PC Magazine
Xerox receives National Medal of Technology for over fifty years of innovation in…
Building a better search engine — Technology Review
Striking up the intermediate band — Inside Greentech
Scientific research potential of virtual worlds — Science
From inkjets to solar PV — PodTech.net