fbpx

Get ready for the third wave of the internet

 By Kevin Gale

Entrepreneurs will need perseverance to prosper in the third wave of the internet, says AOL founder Steve Case, who gave a keynote talk at eMerge Americas 2016. Don’t expect to wake up having just invented the next Snapchat type of application.

According to Case, the third wave will be similar to the first wave, which introduced people to going online. As an example of the likely slog for entrepreneurs, when AOL started, only 3 percent of the population was online and their time spent online averaged only an hour a week.

The second wave saw companies like Google and Facebook build on the capabilities of the internet and companies like Snapchat build on the capabilities of apps. The third wave will integrate the internet in more seamless ways throughout our lives. Health care, education and the food industry are examples of “where the internet meets everyday life,” Case says.

Achieving success in the third wave will necessitate business partnerships and a more agile government to balance the need for innovation with safety regulations. For example, there will be new rules for health care, food safety, drones and self-driving cars that will impact what entrepreneurs can do. “The government, however frustrating it may be at times, will have a seat at the table,” Case says. Instead of grumbling, entrepreneurs and businesses need to engage the government.

In education, Case sees a move to provide more information to teachers so they can meet the needs of individual students. Fitbit, which involves an app and wrist device that counts steps, is an example of innovation in the wellness field, Case says.

There’s also a lot of investment in managing chronic illnesses, such as diabetes. The “cancer moonshot,” being led by Vice President Joe Biden, is an example of investment in life-threatening diseases.

The third wave will also help further democratize where venture capital goes, Case says, adding that last year,
75 percent went to California, New York and Massachusetts. Plantation-based Magic Leap, which raised $1.3 billion for its augmented reality system, is an example of how other areas will start to grab more venture capital.

Entrepreneurs used to have to be on Wall Street to be in financial services or in Hollywood to do movies. “You don’t have to do that anymore,” Case says.

Regions have to figure out where they have a competitive advantage and attract talent. While leaders in some areas of the country are skeptical about such transformations, Case points out that Silicon Valley was an area of orchards 75 years ago and Detroit was seen as the hottest place for technology.

Dell in Austin and AOL in Virginia are examples of companies that helped fuel an entrepreneurial ecosystem, Case says; eMerge is an example of entrepreneurial forces at work in Miami.

Case, who is currently chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based investment firm he co-founded in 2005, was asked what he looks for in his investments. It starts with the question, “Could it make the world a better place?” he says, adding that he hears a lot of ideas that “just aren’t interesting.” Case wants ideas that solve important problems and create opportunity. He would like to see evidence that the business concept is working, such as it is starting to attract customers. He quotes Thomas Edison to explain why: “Vision without execution is hallucination.”

You May Also Like

Visit Lauderdale Unveils Float Design for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day

It features a stunning array of over 1,000 vibrant rose varieties, complemented by organic floral recreations of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s natural wonders and landmarks.

Dania Beach-Based Special Needs Group Receives Prestigious Recognition From Travel Weekly Magellan Awards

The awards honor outstanding design, marketing and services in hospitality, travel destinations, cruise lines, online travel services, airlines, airports, travel agents, agencies, tour operators and ground transportation.

Breaking News: Jeff Bezos Is About To Become a Miami Local, Again

He made his announcement on Instagram last night.

South Florida Manufacturers Association’s Annual Meeting Showcases Local Success Stories

SFMA is the go-to resource for manufacturing companies in the region. 

Other Posts

South Florida Business Leader Jordan Kavana Raises Significant Donation for Israel

Kavana served as a trustee on the Florida State Pension Plan Board.

Air Pros USA Becomes Official Air Conditioning Partner for Florida Panthers

he South Florida company has rapidly expanded to numerous metropolitan areas across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Colorado, Georgia, Texas and Washington.

The Good Group Celebrates 20 Years of Business

The company has closed approximately $350 million in commercial real estate deals, including many land deals.

Kim Ng and Miami Marlins Part Ways

Ng was Major League Baseball’s highest-ranking woman in baseball operations.

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.