Although it is no news that there are quite a few technology companies from the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, I didn’t know that there are so many focused on fashion.

At the SF Fashion+Tech event during fashion week I had the opportunity to discover some fashion start-ups and here are a few of my favorites:

On Copious you can sell those Jimmy Choo stilettos you never wear or all your handbags that just sit in your closet. You can also discover all the items other fashionistas are listing — both used and new. Copious is using social tools, and users can love each others’ listings, tweet items and follow people they like. Of course LLXLLQ is on Copious.

Vishal and his team at raf9 have a platform coming up that lets everybody create their own fashion channel. Keep an eye out for upcoming fashion and style channels from models, designers and fashion people.

SNOBSWAP makes high-end designer items available to everyone. By using their platform you can buy, sell, and/or swap luxury clothing, handbags, shoes and accessories. Feeling guilty after all your glamorous shopping? Put your conscience at ease by donating a thing or two to charity through SNOBSWAP.

Stay stylish!

Anna
><(((°>

If you haven’t read my earlier blog post about Podio or if you’re not in the know, Copenhagen-based Podio is an online work platform for businesses with hundreds of specialized and flexible work apps with messaging, tasks, reporting, workflow and contact management.

The Europas took place in London as usual and 500 attendees where met with a recorded welcome video by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson. Twenty two expert judges who chose their favorites from 400 entries picked the winners and there where about 40,000 public votes.

London is the Mecca of technology in Europe and where most of the nominated startups are based, but increasingly more and more startups are from other European locations, especially the Nordic countries and Germany.
Silicon Valley: Watch out for some fierce competition from Europe!

And hey, all students out there! Podio is not only for businesses anymore. It offers its services for free for students and student groups. Manage all your school work in one place. Check it out here.

-Anna

Silicon Valley is the innovative hotspot number 1, and today’s topic at Innovative Sweden was What key factors are necessary to create other hotspots? Sponsors were Vinnova – Sweden’s Innovation Agency, and Innovationbron, which focuses on turning research and innovation into business – who could be better suited?

Magnus Lundin from Swedish Incubators and Science Parks (SISP) told us about Kista Science City, which is home to almost 1,100 companies, 5,000 university students and 1,100 researchers within the IT and telecommunication sector (ICT). How cool!

Well… back to the question. A panel consisting of e.g. Carrie Walsh, Silicon Valley Bank and Tamara Carleton, Innovation Leadership Board LLC, concluded that some key factors needed to create hotspots elsewhere than in Silicon Valley are: a talented work force, service providers, and a sense of adventure.

I’ll end this blog post with a few well-said words by Professor Ingvar Sjoberg from Stockholm University discussing art and innovation:

“If you don’t do it, it doesn’t exist.”

-Anna

I’m tweeting from Innovative Sweden @herringbonefm. #InnovativeSweden
See my photos on Facebook.
Watch Innovative Sweden livestreamed via the Swedish Institute’s Bambuser channel.