ABOUT

At the heart of every major revolution in technology you'll find people—the innovators and influencers whom we call the alpha geeks. Since 1978, O'Reilly Media has been amplifying faint signals from the alpha geeks who are creating technology trends that really matter. With a boldly stated goal of "changing the world by spreading the knowledge of innovators," O'Reilly has been at the leading edge of each new technical revolution—the personal computer, the rise of the commercial internet, the open source movement, Web 2.0, personal fabrication—connecting the dots between the work of the alpha geeks and its future impact on business and consumers.

O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures has a similarly audacious goal of funding entrepreneurs to transform the technologies and trends of the alpha geeks into world-changing companies. Not every alpha geek has the potential to become a successful entrepreneur. But by staying close to their insights and efforts, we get early intelligence about opportunities to build companies with first-mover advantage. O'Reilly's publishing, conferences, and technology advocacy give OATV a unique view of the future which helps us uncover innovators, emerging trends, and new investment opportunities. Current trends on our radar include:

• Personal fabrication and the coming manufacturing revolution
• Bionic software which harnesses the collective intelligence of its users
• Location-aware services
• Open data and personal data management
• The convergence of real and virtual worlds
• Renewable power and clean technology
• Peer-to-Peer applications and infrastructure
• Sensor networks
• Mobility and telephony applications

OATV takes a cash efficient approach to seeding and growing businesses which creates a natural alignment with entrepreneurs. In addition to capital, OATV brings a depth of operational experience and industry relationships that amplifies the efforts of our portfolio companies.