Matt Hagger's Blog . . .Building a real time semantic web through next generation mobile....

Zkatter on Android

2009-03-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

2009-03-02T07:44:00.000-08:00

I am rarely blogging now so follow me on Twitter for all of my ramblings:

www.twitter.com/matthagger

ZKATTER GROUP

2009-01-04T16:06:00.000-08:00

Join the Zkatter facebook group

here

And the Fan page:

here

E-Man Moves into the Valley

2008-12-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

E-Man have opened up offices in Silicon Valley in order to apply our successful business model of assisting European Series A and B funded start ups with strategy, design and build expertise.

We now have offices in Sunnyvale, California and will be announcing our new clients shortly. We are office sharing with Bizk.it with both teams working extremely close together.

E-Man will be assisting me with Zkatter, already based in on Market St, San Francisco in both web and mobile platform development throughout 2009.

ww.e-man.co.uk

Zkatter - Interview with Yahoo.

2008-12-04T05:41:00.001-08:00

Unveiling of bizk.it at adobe max san franciso

2008-12-02T15:25:00.000-08:00

Here are the first screengrab previews of bizk.it to be shown publically to date.

Interview conducted with myself and Eugene Kouumdjieff at Adobe Max in San Francisco in November.

2008-10-18T18:55:00.001-07:00

Bizk.it Coming Soon!

2008-10-12T16:59:00.001-07:00

Watch us Live......

2008-09-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Matt Hagger, e-Man, Car4share, moveme.com

ZKATTER

2008-09-01T03:49:00.000-07:00

If you make it they will, I say if you make it they will come!

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

Funny stuff, but true....thanks Nick@crunchgear

2008-08-12T05:04:00.000-07:00

Register for CAR4SHARE closed trials.

2008-08-06T05:10:00.000-07:00

Car4share - is the working name of our new application for meeting people to go places. As we are due to launch a closed testing phase, maybe I should let you know what it does.

Car4share is a niche social utility that matches people together on-line for going places off-line. The technology is different and will allow something to happen on the internet that we have yet to see, to date. A unique, user generated travel search facility, never seen before that we believe will spark something new and distruprive into peoples lives.

For the user, the site promotes the development of like minded communities and social groups around specific events and then the key issue of getting to these events. This can be done in groups or as an individual. Saving cost and meeting new, like minded people.

You can add journeys as a driver or lift requests as a passenger and search our database for users leaving from your area to go to a specific event or even just a random journey from one place to another.

We will be offering users the chance to hire transport and purchase tickets to already existing events.

The application is web based with 'car4share lite' being launched in 2009 for 'on the go' users which will link location based technology to your travel buddies for both searching and locating. We feel this to be a mission critical next phase in enabling mobile to support our strategy for taking on-line - off-line to a next generation on-line to 'on the go application'.

There is little doubt that car4share is needed globally. The site is Global. Rising fuel prices, Co2 emissions, the credit crunch and the rise of a niche user generated web 3 that will see the us moving from generic applications like facebook, (which provide good entartainment but it is argueable that they actually do anything for a person other than exhausting hours of time) to apps like car4share.

I am excited, but it's a long road.

I am realistic by the fact that I am not going to get the take up of generic social utilities such as facebook, bebo and skype. It is a niche product. But with niche products come lifetime longevity, and better and easily identified commercialisation routes. That is the aim. I think that tomorrow's people will be car4share users.

Why wouldn't they?

Eugene and I have been building this for 2 years and have scrapped 1 version of it already. Not exactly the best way to build a start up and something which is the complete opposite to the advice we give to all entrepreneurs which is the 'Get it out there quick' scenario.

It is quite possible, that the delay in getting car4share to market has been that we are spoilt with ideas and people at e-man. People that are always pushing continous improvement. We are also not short of resource and ability here which has never been a problem for us but largely the delay has been due to putting clients ahead of car4share for the last 12 months.

Clients such as zubka, wonga, moveme, parkatmyhouse, roomft, NHS, the 3 speed sites and 2 new as yet unnamed ventures due to launch later this year.

I just wanted all readers of this blog to know that car4share is really close now. We are launching the application in London which is being sponsored as it should be a great night.

You can register for closed testing and the launch party here:

WONGA LAUNCHED

2008-07-25T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to report that Wonga, the UK's most innovative and socially responsible short-term lending platform is now officially live!

Wonga, encompassing a fresh and innovative design, is different to other online lenders because the total commitment to transparency makes it more ethical and responsible, and also because they offer unsurpassed speed, convenience and flexibility. Their real-time risk and decisioning systems mean that application and approval takes just minutes. It’s big and it’s clever, but their customers don’t generally care - because using our service is super simple.

Wonga are making people’s lives easier in a difficult environment and that means they are building a loyal customer base at the same time.

I know that Errol, Jonty and the team would appreciate feedback if you get a chance to take a look.....

What is your Wonga moment?

e-Man move into mobile: WATCH THIS SPACE!

2008-07-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

As a company that embraces technology in all it's forms, e-Man adapt to the market around us. Our reasons for existing as a living and breathing organism are not to serve our clients with solutions that satisfy their demands. We prefer to innovate and pioneer new ideas that utilise the most exciting technology to date.

People come to us, we do not come to them. If we like a project we'll get involved. Normally we turn people down regardless of how much or little budget they have. We are in the business of living, having fun and making a difference. E-man buy into people.

The three projects we are working on at the moment are without doubt our finest yet. I believe e-Man will continue to pioneer new ideas that will be used by everyone around us. This is the gift we have to give to people, as Net Sorcerer and other applications have done since 2001.

So, what I was leading up towards, is that E-man have finally given in to the temptations of mobile (or 'WONG' as I prefer to call it - 'Web on go') as the market for development begins to really open up.

I would prefer to look at the web and mobile not as seperate entities but as lite and heavy versions of the same thing.

The only difference being that the infomation that is manipulated through to you depending on which UI, one is communicating with, should relect whether you are running for a tube or sitting at a desk.

I have been in Spain taking a break to think carefully about what I and e-Man are going to create with the technology that we have at our disposal.

Anything you dream about can become reality. You just make it.

E-man welcome George to the London team who will head up the first of our major developments, due to hit the market in October.

I expect many enquiries in the info@e-man mailbox from start ups wishing to see their applications manipulated for mobile later in the year.

Finally to all entrepreneurs who have sent their ideas through to us this year. It has been increadible to see the passion that is out there for the web and I have to say we have recieved a mixed bag of ideas. I have however, been just a tad concerned at some of the work I have been recieving.

Without even asking me to sign a non disclosure agreement many of you have been zipping up your entire business model and e-mailing me the contents. Your zeal astounds me, but the stupidity of it beggars belief.

I have deleted everything so it cannot be traced. These ideas are yours and some of them that were sent to us included, all source code, psd's, wirework, passwords, excel spreadsheets and business plans. You have to protect your ideas as there are far too many people out there who will realise a good idea that is not theirs.

I also believe that in some cases getting seed investment is often a cop out for founders who are not 100% sure of their idea and simply want to live the good life. If it is good enough, whilst you need investment to live, you don't need the kind of money that has been injected into start ups in recent times.

Real Investment (Over 1m) should only be sought for taking a national sucess story global, where marketing money will ensure that your proven success penetrates quickly. Investment can relax the founders muscles and make them feel like they have already made it.

The truth is you have made nothing.

You can get so far without investment. In fact, with the right blend of individuals I believe you can go all of the way.

How? Have a good heart, an open mind and have willing, like hearted volunteers alongside you who believe in the concept unconditionally.

Take care and watch this space........

Developing technology companies

2008-06-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

Word of advice: stick to developing one at a time!

Start up awards

2008-04-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to three of e-Man's clients who were listed in the top 100 best new businesses in the UK as voted by www.startups.co.uk

Zubka were ranked 11th
Wonga were ranked 16th

However, the biggest well done has to go to Parkatmyhouse who managed to be ranked in at number 71.

Well done to our friends and partners.

You can see the full listing here

Green Energy Switch - Peterborough Beta Launch

2008-04-21T06:49:00.001-07:00

On Saturday I found myself in Queensgate Shopping Centre for the promotion of our start up www.greenenergyswitch.com.

Pictured from left to right: Hugh Kripps, Chief Exec, Peterborough Environment City Trust, Matt Hagger - e-man, Marion Todd - Mayor of Peterborough, Patricia Nash - Deputy Mayor, Ben Pawsey, Greenenergyswitch.com

If you are living in the Peterborough area you can log on and make pledges now!

The idea behind the site is that with Peterborough bidding to becoming Environment Capital of the UK, the Peterborough Environment City Trust are looking to showcase the City's commitment to Green living through this brilliant project.

E-man partnered with PECT and sponsors Norwich and Peterborough building Society without hesitation. One of our missions is to see Peterborough reach it's goal and we are fully supporting the site.

E-man are also creating car4share which is set to become the UK's number 1 social networking site for meeting people to go places.

Rich one who project managed the site dev also came along:

More press here

e-Man new site

2008-04-18T06:08:00.000-07:00

Yep, the long awaited e-man.co.uk has arrived.

It's only taken 5 years.

I feel strangely deflated and where are the fireworks and champayne

ID THEFT PROTECT - NEW RELEASE

2008-04-18T02:20:00.000-07:00

E-Man have completed a new release for ID THEFT PROTECT. The user journey is now clearly defined with the businesses 3 core features emphasised.

ID Theft Protect is the UK's number 1 impartial advisory on Identify Fraud. Helping the people stay in control of who they are.

This fledgling business is beginning to really gather momentum now, with a good advertising model wrapped around the core features which are the quiz, the step by step guide and the company's very own product that has been in development for some time: IDTP guard.

Visit ID-Protect here and good luck to Jules, Matt, Roberta and the team as they continue to try and build a business for the people that can help realise change in a world that is party to the fastest growing crime: Identy Theft.

New NHS release

2008-04-18T02:18:00.000-07:00

E-man have launched a series of new modules for the NHS and these can be seen here

Creative person wanted e-Man

2008-04-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

E-man are looking to appoint a Senior creative person to add to it's London office. The candidate should will work directly with the board leading some of Europe's most significant start up ventures.

The candidate should possess knowledge and a passion for next generation web in look, feel and functionality; with the ability to create best practice user strategy in response to our clients briefs.

You will be dynamic, passionate, proactive with good initiative and great communication skills.

E-Man work on some of the most complex user strategy projects on the web and will require someone who is ready for the biggest challenge of their career to date.

You will possess skills in strategy, planning, wirework and be a leading UI and web creative who produces defining solutions. Be prepared to present our work and be responsible for managing client relationships.

We offer a route to stardom, a leading salary and a CV worth seeing with a fastrack into some of the most cutting edge technology based start ups in Europe.

Contact me on: 0203 178 7084

Or e-mail CV's and portfolio's to: careers@e-man.co.uk

Green Energy Switch is in live beta in Peterborough

2008-03-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Our latest e-Man project:

Green energy switch is now in live beta mode. Before going national the site is being launched in Peterborough. A city that is set to be crowned 'Environment Capital of the UK'

E-man support any method of encouraging Green living and if we can convince as many home owners as possible across the region to switch from a standard tariff to a Green tariff then this is our aim.

You can plot yourselves on our green map by entering your postcode and making simple pledges to live a greener lifestyle in 5 minutes.

Should you wish to switch tariff's, help the environment and save yourself some cash you can also do so here:

The site also contains lots of useful infomation on ways to save money, manage your lifestyle in a more environmentally friendly matter and details on renewable energy and how to make your property energy efficient.

It also has links to local carsharing groups.

We thank our partners Norwich and Peterborough Building Society and the Peterborough Environmental City trust for their vision in making this happen!

More press here

It's time for a face lift. . . .

2008-03-04T02:10:00.000-08:00

e-Man have been doing some restructuring over the past two weeks.

2008 again is seeing the company change, adapt and grow. Being involved in technology is an ever changing environment, which affects our team, their skills set and what we can offer.

The core focus of our activities this year will be in our vision for helping to change the way we perceive the web in this country. We fall behind. The term 'web site' is finite and soon even your average web user will understand the clear distinction between that of a site and that of an application.

The web will continue to replace your desktop and applications will replace desktop software. The single and most important device that will store documentation that is not held on-line will be mobile.

This amalagation of applications linking software to solutions is the key. Moveme is a very basic example of what is to come, except that now we are looking at longer-term everyday products that use new technology.

2008 is an exciting year and because of it we are having a bit of surgery. New offices in w1, a new site for e-Man and we welcome Tihomir to our design team.

Tihomir comes with a wealth of experience and management ability and we are delighted to welcome him to e-Man.

E-man: Project manager wanted.

2008-02-22T09:28:00.000-08:00

E-man are looking to recruit a project manager to join our expanding team.

Please tell us why we should employ you, by e-mailing us, with your CV, to:

careers@e-man.co.uk for infomation on the role and renumration

Room FT - 4000 user community in beta testing

2008-02-22T09:22:00.000-08:00

Room Ft update.

We have a community of 4000 users actively interacting and transacting as we continue our Beta testing.

Our next phase for the project is to begin marketing activities and a further phase of releases, where the site will inherit new functionality for better networking. We will start building partnerships as from April, although we are reluctant to do anything at present as we are still testing the water and finding out what our community want.

www.roomft.com

So long Shoreditch. . . . .Hello Westminster!

2008-02-14T09:44:00.001-08:00

E-man have said Goodbye to its Rivington Street office after 3 fine years.

We say goodbye to the famous arches, Cargo, The Diner, Hoxton Square, Hoxton Bar and Grill, The Bean, prayer in the park and lunchtime games of pool that carried on until the following morning.

We say goodbye to all of our friends and we will miss the soundchecking of fine musical talent (Asian Dub's) for making too much noise when trying to get a project out of the door. Thanks.

Having served clients such as NHS, Sony, Martell, Fox Premiums, Studentbeans, Urban Traffic, Park at my house, Moveme and many others from the aches, we will wipe away the tears and say goodbye as we pack up the van and move West to Regent St.

Goodbye to everyone in Shoreditch and whenever you are in Oxford Circus, come and say hi to the e-Men.

We move on. . . .

I love. . . .

2008-02-11T05:02:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's getting close to valentines day, but that really has very little to do with my post.

Things are now gathering momentum with the 'I love Peebo' projects.

I have always been of the view that the web has the ability to really play a real part in changing the way we think and transforming our mind. So our vision for Ilove...starting with peebo, is to create a national community of giving where people can simply help each other out.

Unconditional.

A community where only good news matters.

This is not a commercial venture of any kind. We are merely a bunch of volunteers who want to give some hope to people less fortune than ourselves.

Our team is beginning to grow and our desire to change the heart and minds of people and a city's community is all that really matters.

Lets start reaching out!

www.ilovepeebo.com

If you want to get involved give Ela an e-mail at ela@ilovepeebo.com or myself at the usual address....

New projects 2008. . . .

2008-02-06T17:53:00.000-08:00

As I write this, e-Man have began working intensively, planning 2 exciting ventures.

2008 has exploded with enquiries for e-Man and we have had to filter the work and have already set up a sister company to deal with smaller projects that we can no longer handle. The office is going crazy!

Moving away from traditional agency work we are now developing two start up projects. Both have attracted substantial private investment and we can work in freedom without the straight jacket of a working environment that hinders our ability to do what we do best. The industry term is for this, is; 'Approvals' :)

e-Man have ownership in the ventures and full control of the entire process of taking the project to market.

I am not able to diclose any infomation at all on these projects at this time, except to say that we are moving into new territiory, with unique vision harnessing new technology and pioneering web7.0. Lol.

More will be revealed, towards the end of this year.. . . .

What are we working on right now........

2008-01-27T02:32:00.000-08:00

Hopping pad
Car4share
Room FT
NHS
Green Energy Switch
Zubka
Sony
Brainwave
Costa Menu

New moveme.com application in beta....yet another e-man release!!!!

2008-01-27T02:20:00.000-08:00

My/e-Man's strategy design and functionaly new moveme application is now running in Beta mode.

HAVE A LOOK: The new moveme planner

The moveme team are putting the final touches to the application and testing it.

The strategy, usability, tactical functionality specifications and all creative direction and realistion along with html was developed by myself and the best start up agency in the UK.

E-MAN

This application is possibly the best business to consumer delivery on the web at the moment. It is focused, intuitive, proactive and a phenomenal agency response to a brief.

Have a look, but keep coming back as it's not quite finished.

Let's look forward to seeing what it does for moveme.com

2008 will see e-Man moving on to even bigger and better things!

Watch this space as we've already began! ;)

NHS UPDATE

2008-01-18T03:09:00.000-08:00

E-Man have been part of a rebranding, designa and build with the NHS taking them forward with web2.0 look and feel, as part of our work in developing calaborate procurement hub websites across the UK.

Following on from our East of England launch, today see's the launch of the South East Coast procurement hub.

E-man are delighted to be working with the NHS.

See the site here:

Zubka Update

2008-01-18T03:06:00.001-08:00

As part of our strategy for a more focused UI for those recruitment revolutionaries, Zubka we have launched an interim landing solution.

We are in the process of work with Zubka's team on a very exciting new phase. All will be revealed soon. . .

www.zubka.com

e-Man Ventures

2008-01-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

e-Man Ventures has made 3 key investments in the b2b and b2c consumer start up community.

News to follow and details of our website will be revealed shortly. . . . .

e-Man Ventures Incubator is open for business. . . .

2008-01-07T06:05:00.001-08:00

e-Man Ventures are always looking to invest in start ups from anywhere in the world in b2c or b2b.

We can provide you with:

- Accelerator consultancy
- Access to venture funding
- Immediate angel backing and planning for growth and exit strategy
- Commercial and exploitation
- Positioning
- Realisation resource: Creative, Design, build, strategy and support through e-Man. One of the leading niche new media agencies in Europe with a portfolio of award winning start ups.

In return for equity or in a brokerage capacity.

e-mail me: me@matthewhagger.com

Yahoo: Finds of the Year 2007

2008-01-07T05:33:00.000-08:00

My 2 favourite start ups on this planet have (with a little help from myself and e-Man in strategy and consultancy)been been awarded as winner and runner up respectively in the Yahoo awards in the catergory of Innovation.

1. www.Moveme.com

2. WWW.PARKATMYHOUSE.COM

I have championed the cause of these two brilliant businesses since I first saw them and as they are my clients, I am delighted for both companies.

Park has just launched in the states and moveme are on the verge of releasing their new planner application, with unique usability.

If you think the current site is good, then the new application will take your breath away completely!

Viva la revolution. . .

CAR4SHARE LAUNCHING SOON

2008-01-04T02:16:00.000-08:00

The project that I have been waiting for is shortly to be launched as an Alpha.

www.car4share.com is coming very very soon.........

E-Man Welcome Zubka

2007-12-06T02:27:00.000-08:00

E-Man are delighted to confirm that we have been appointed to work on creative and user strategy for Zubka.

Zubka is a revolutionary new community for connecting people to vacant positions of employments and the e-Man team are very excited about the future for Zubka, given the planned work ahead.

Zubka sponsored Best Website of 2007 at the BIMA awards last week and Eugene and I were invited to share the evening together.

Pictured below left to right:
Armando Ruffini, CEO Zubka, Matthew Haggger e-Man, Eugene Kouumdjieff e-Man.

Thoughts and my activities for 2008

2007-12-06T02:21:00.000-08:00

2008 looks to be a big year in the life of Matthew Hagger.

Whilst I sense confidence is maturing in the b2c web2.0 sector, b2b has only just begun. The rigid pre-pay integration of b2b software is set to swing in favour of web2.0 apps. E-man are doing it! We are on the verge of a technological shake up where only the strongest will survive. Silly season is coming to an end and the plethora of starts ups flooding the market with dream's of building data assets, providing cataylist's to multi million pound exit's is in my opinion, all but over.

Investments will be made. But in a season of uncertaintly, certainly is most definitely needed.

I have always been of the opinion that building unrivalled applications that utilise on-line to distrupt real life situations for the better is the reason for the Internet.

This is what we are doing and 2008 has some very exciting new developments ahead.

e-Man: The agency is booming and is set to double it's turnover in 2008. We have won a number of new clients comprised established brands in finance and entertainments and venture funded start ups.

Venture Corporation: Our investments in start ups are gathering momentum and we have new releases this year. Qualichef and car4share are the ones to watch.

The application of the year to look out for is the new moveme planner that we have created the strategy and design.

Other projects to watch out for this year are new user strategy to zubka, room ft and and the NHS where we have managed to integrate a web2.0 style guide within a traditional public sector organisation.

All coming this year in the life of Matthew Hagger.

BIMA AWARDS

2007-12-06T02:02:00.000-08:00

A great night was had by all who attended the BIMA awards.

E-Man's work was showcased in 2 catergories for an award.

Best Website
Best Business to Consumer application

Client: MOVEME.COM

Currently we are delivering the new planner application having successfully completed strategy, wirework, creative and user tier. We are in the final stages of testing, stabilising and consolidation, post integration with moveme's guys.

When the new application goes live I shall update you here, so keep coming back.

Moveme's new application encapsulates everything that is different about e-Man as an agency and I am personally very excited about releasing, what is a pioneering attempt as open interaction. Are you ready, London?

I am confident the impact will be big.

I am also sure that the rest of the market will follow suit and begin positioning their landing, sign up, profile garnering and commercialisation strategies like this.

The internet is not about good designers, coders or even ideas men. It is about execution. Visionaries realising dreams and positioning ideas better that the rest.

Best,

M@

Room FT in live Beta

2007-11-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

The worlds biggest travelling phenomenon has arrived.

Click here to take a look.

Dragons Den- Gaming alerts LTD

2007-10-24T02:45:00.000-07:00

Last night on Dragons Den a company called Gaming Alerts limited managed to secure 200k for a 30% stake in their business which provides a downloadable desktop application that alerts users with filtered infomation according to their requirements.

E-Man pioneered this application in 2001.

This application is Net SorcererTM technology. A software application that was developed pre-broadband by my team and that provided the blueprint for Sky Sports news alerts, something that was mentioned on Dragons Den last night.

E-man won a DTI award and government backed funding in recognition of innovation in on-line marketing communications for our work creating Net SorcererTM. Some would day, that people have used our innovation to drive their businesses forward developing applications that have given them competitive advantage.

In 2002 I presented the very same gaming alerts opportunity to a company in Soho caled Gaming Insights.

To me 200k for 30% is reckless. If mobile applications were further developed then this would offer more potential as an investment, but not at this time I'm afraid. The projections given were completely inaccurate and I predict a real struggle for any new business entering this arena.

I shall be commenting on Dragons Den again later in the series so watch this space.

I do feel that the panel require someone who is more in touch with web2.0 and other new web/mobile applications. I do not feel that anyone has the required experience needed to make an informed decision on an idea, its route to market and exploitation potential. The panel are extremely successful business entrepreneurs, but new media is different.

web2.0 is still wobbling around and needs shaking up. If these two can raise 200k for an idea such as this then we are in one great big bubble.

MOVEME NOMINATED FOR A BIMA

2007-10-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Our client Moveme have been shortlisted for the prestigious awards of 'Best Web site 2007' and in the catergory of 'B 2 C' by the British Interactive Media association. I am very pleased for all at Moveme.

You can view details of all of the nominee's and their agencies here

ROOM FT - COMING SOON

2007-08-30T04:09:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce that you can sign up for ROOMFT now. Room For a Traveller is a global product with a database of 2.5 million places and 10 million amenities across the world that matches budget travellers and backpackers with those who want to rent their room out to earn extra income.

Travellers: A comfortable alternative to hostels and cheaper than hotels of guest houses. A home from home.

Hosts: A way of earning spare cash from your spare room:

Site functions:

- Global search with currencies with Google mapping.
- Hosts Search
- Travellers search
- Profile for hosts and travellers with unique URL
- Mailbox functionality.
- Ratings and guestbook feature for Hosts and Travellers.
- Calender for room availability and travellers room requests
- Verification option for hosts
- Travellers diary and agenda
- Value my room algorithm.
- Pal pal function for bookings
- Free £5 credit for all new hosts. Giving 5 free bookings from the site.

Be first to sign up and register your unique profile url before RoomFT takes becomes the biggest travelling phenomenon on the web!

This is e-Man's latest release.

Thanks.

PEOPLE WANTED AT E-MAN

2007-08-13T04:02:00.001-07:00

Are you a young enterpreneurial, dynamic, highly skilled, quick learner, ideas person?

Creative, design, or coding skills across any platform.

e-Man are looking for people with no preconceptions of what working for an agency entails. We work much harder here, sorry.

Maybe you are working from your University room coding the next big web 2.0 project. Maybe you just have so much passion for the internet but don't know where you fit in to it all.

We have a puzzle with some missing pieces.

careers@e-man.co.uk

or e-mail me directly and tell me what makes you a candidate for e-Man.

me@matthewhagger.com

Go West - Life is peaceful there!

2007-08-13T03:28:00.000-07:00

E-Man are moving!

As part of rapid growth e-Man is amalagamating all 3 of its offices under one roof in the Soho.

With all of us together for the first time I am banning both taurine consumption and wearing Lycra pants to work which has become quite popular over in Cambs.

We do promote cycling though and sharing cars for all employees. For those e-Men that do drive you can find a space here
So, I now require a location for e-Man.

This is going to help, too! here

If anyone can help, or knows of any good available space for e-Man, please e-mail me.
me@matthewhagger.com

I'll post our new central location as soon as it is announced.

WONGA - Beta soon to be launched

2007-08-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

The revolutionary new financial product known as Wonga is due to go into beta very soon.

You can register here for Wonga trials.

More news as it follows . . . .

Times article on covering out work on Moveme.com

2007-07-24T07:11:00.000-07:00

The Times on-line gave Moveme web site of the week.

They talk specifically about our repositioning of the home page to allow instant usability.

Read the article here

Bearcub gigs

2007-07-23T04:06:00.000-07:00

Bearcub are in town on Friday 27th July! Should be a cracking night - top music with some great tunes to follow. Open till 1am. Venue: Zoo Bar Listen to Bearcub and download the track 'Sleepy' from our music area. (c) Bearcub 2007. All rights reserved.

Bearcub are my friends and I am joining them on some of the tracks.

TODAY PETERBOROUGH BECOMES PEEBO

2007-07-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am just about to go on the radio 85.7 to talk about our campaign.

The web site is live and can be found here

2007-07-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Sowing Seeds, By Matthew Hagger

So, what builds a great internet product? Applications that change the way we live and disrupt our living patterns, is primarily the answer. We are habitual beings at heart, yet when something genuinely affects the life of an individual, it is disruptive. So, for me; Lastminute, Amazon, ebay, Google, Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, Skype and more recently the pull of London's open coffee clubs and twitter have all played their part. For me, these sites form an addictive personal oligopoly that disrupt my life.

I myself, can only begin the quantify the value of an internet product by the time I spend engaged in it. There is only so many hours in the day that one can use the web, for recreational purposes, so with the time I have left, the product that can hijack my attention represents massive 'personal value' to me.

Running e-Man - an London based agency that specialises providing strategy, design and build to web2.0 start ups - and developing new applications as an entrepreneur, gives me a foot in both camps. As I see things, now has never been a more exciting time for the entrepreneur. Open source and access to great communities allows smart thinking to accelerate ideas on a fraction of the budget needed to realise internet products of 5 years ago. We are living in an age where size doesn't matter, but vision is everything. Wisdom without zeal will not get you quite as far and whilst technology and innovation help, a dream will get you further.

So with the market hungry for 'the next big thing', backed by dynamic entrepreneurs ready the go that extra mile; arrives Seedcamp. Based on an original idea by Saul Klein, Seedcamp is Web Europe's biggest talent show, that everybody is talking about at the moment. As our internet community pulls together in preparation for a step forward into pastures new. Here is the idea: Take Europe's brightest and most ambitious entrepreneurs. Put them all in a room together for a week in September, surrounded by the industries leading people. Imagine the result?! Then add caffeine.

Well, it's a result I wish had existed 6 years ago. I formed e-Man with Eugene Kouumdjieff in 2000, and we set about developing internet products that would challenge the way users embraced on-line. But, the sector was struggling. High start up costs, a lack of investment and a largely primitive user environment, unwilling to adopt new ideas - the main factors. Oh, and dial up! In 2000, we developed Net Sorcerer technology. Effectively, it was a branded desktop application, allowing businesses to marketing-relationship-manage more effectively. How it works: User downloads, installs, sets up the their personal profile through the client, which interfaces with the database and feeds the appropriate information to the desktop, alerting the user with relevant information arrives, almost messenger style. This doesn't sound exciting today, but in 2000, with dial up only, Eugene and I had a dream for real estate, university students in 'clearing' and other sectors where a user would want to prioritise their desktop over a short period of time and be alerted, rather than having browser favourites, which rely on frequently checking a site. This dream was so big that I, like all entrepreneurs, believed we were going to dominate the world with Net Sorcerer. This passion overwhelmed everyone around us, although they couldn't see it the reality of it. Even the idea of broadband and video streaming was a non-starter to heads of marketing at McDonalds, Sky Sports, Disney and many more leading brands that we could have easily implemented the technology with. I was a 22 year predicting the future to a different generation.

We received DTI funding, received a lot of press and PR and everything was ready to go. One problem. The technology was so innovative that we had no idea to how to sell it. I remember showing the v1 Disney prototype to Buena Vista for home entertainment CRM and it was so far ahead of its time. Giving anything away for free, was also unheard of and we wanted an immediate return on the development outlay. Nobody could have budget for a new product that was untested. Here was the issue. Eugene and I did not have the required team of mentors and commercial experience around us needed to ensure that our dream and passion became a reality. Then came itunes. The result of Net Sorcerer saw companies we had educated, run with attempts at the technology. Sky Sports news alerts, Premiership Football clubs desktop pop ups, and branded desktop applications throughout the entertainments sector for children. This provided a safe channel of communication away from browsers where children could derive the benefits of on-line, which was our USP. All of these applications are inferior to our vision and I still look back with regret that we did not have a community of support and people to partner in our vision at the time.

I now use these lessons learned to inspire and assist entrepreneurs with their dreams and vision for global products. e-Man is set up as both an agency to established brands but also a strategy company to start ups with seed and later round investment. In addition we strategise, design and build brilliant projects for part budget and match funding in return for capital in the venture. I have interests in 7 web based businesses, connected to e-Man, of which I believe one of them is a global, multi-channel and disruptive world changer!

Away from e-Man, I, like Eugene, are still the same internet visionaries we were at the beginning. But, we still have lessons to learn. As this radical, dynamic sector changes so does our passion. E-man is exciting for me as I get to work with young entrepreneurs, who are basically are just like me. Ultimately I still have a dream. To create and grow an internet product that will change the world, as radically that those I mentioned at the start of this piece. Like all entrepreneurs, I believe I have it! We are 6 weeks away from launching from going into beta testing. How do I aim to achieve my goals, based on what I know now? By developing a team and being part of a community of smart thinkers who can help rationalise and direct our entrepreneurial vision. Money is great, but the past has proven one thing: You can have 1 million pounds to invest in an internet product, but without smart intelligence managing it, it matters not.

So, enter the smart money. Seedcamp it is then. Here to help, for anyone who thinks they have what it takes, not just in the field of innovation, but with the desire and vision to realise it with a workable product. You have to apply. If your idea is worth planting - it will be watered, here. So, have I applied? The answer is of course, yes. How could I miss out on the chance of such an opportunity.

After all, just like you, I have a dream!

FRIDAY 20TH JULY - Peterborough becomes Peebo for the day!

2007-07-14T02:21:00.000-07:00

The launch of www.ilovepeebo.com is almost here!

Next Friday (20th July) Peterborough will officially be renamed 'Peebo' for the day. This is part of a campaign by myself with e-Man and BBC Cambridgeshire to put Peterborough on the map and create a 'Better Together' community. The TV, Radio and local press will all be there to promote it.

The website belongs to e-man and we will run it as the single largest and most important on-line hub for the good news and community action of Peterborough. It will be our little Facebook.

It is now time for Peterborough to develop and grow both as a community and this web site is being launched for the city to have one central base.

I love Peebo is for everything that is great about this city. We are 42 minutes from London and linked to Eurostar. We have fantastic growth potential economically and it is a prime place for London commuters to come and live. New buildings are appearing everyday to serve our ever growing community such as Kingsgate - The largest conference centre and christian church in Peterborough, which when opened by Lord Brian Mawhinney last Decemeber and said to be the single largest community in Peterborough. It's time we embraced the great things this city has to offer.

The development of the westgate and station quarter is going to provide Peterborough with a new offering and when people get off of the train here they will see something completely different in a few years.

Catch me on BBC RADIO CAMBRIDGESHIRE on Friday Morning: from 7-9 @ 95.7FM

Seedcamp

2007-07-11T03:09:00.000-07:00

Seedcamp is where Europe's top young founders can come together in one place.

From securing funding to developing the right network, young entrepreneurs in Europe face challenges in building globally competitive technology businesses. Through the provision of seed capital and a world class network of mentors, we want to provide a catalyst for Europe's next generation of entrepreneurs.

We welcome Europe's brightest and most ambitious young entrepreneurs to take part in Seedcamp.

Guardian talks about it.

This is a fantastic opportunity for young enterpreneurs to get on track with their ideas.

Apply here

Moveme - NMA Effectiveness Awards: New Business of the year award - 2007

2007-07-06T04:41:00.000-07:00

E-Man took over from Substance as the agency appointed to assist moveme.com's in house team in February 2007.

Since then we have provided the strategy and creative that has repositioned Moveme from a home page sign up registration to an instant play, view planner mechanic by entering 3 fields and one click.

See Here:

To our delight and on the back of the continued development of this exciting new business moveme have now won what is widely regarded as the greatest acknowledgement in new media.

NMA: New Business of the year 2007

Our strategy has been reviewed here

We are now in the process of co-ordinating a new phase expected in September and further releases are expected throughout the year.

Previous agency substance, entered the company for the awards. E-man has since, taken over from Substance having been appointed to add value to a business that has seen these massively important changes taking place.

We are all delighted that Moveme has won this award and we look forward to the results of our work in progress.

Moveme.com has backing from Advent Venture Partners, The Accelerator Group and no less, new media celebrity Brent Hoberman.

Library house review

2007-06-29T03:45:00.000-07:00

Again park gets a mention. . . .

This is worth a read

E-man Launch new NHS confederation site

2007-06-29T03:34:00.000-07:00

E-man, along with Athene Commnunications launched the first of a number of collabotative procurement hubs for the NHS.

The now is now live and can be viewed here.

Parkatmyhouse.com

2007-06-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

A review of the wonderfully designed and positioned Parkatmyhouse.com

Cardiff Metro weekender

2007-06-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Our clients at Urbantraffic have got a great deal on Cardiff weekender festival tickets. E-Man delivered the entire solution in house and look forward to national expansiuon with the brand soon. . . .

Todays Web Expo and Imax London

2007-06-27T15:44:00.000-07:00

I attended web expo in London today, getting out of the office to clear my head after an extremely intensive 8 day stretch working with my team at e-Man on moveme strategy. Whilst we have our very big project ongoing with Room Ft.

An interesting day that gives me great optimism for Europe as we continue our persuit of delivering global on-line solutions.

The library house event consisted of pitch style presentations from a variety of web 2.0 start ups covering topics such as:

1. Making the web more manageable
2. Monetisation and customer base retention
3. On-line communities - This particularly interested me.
4. Enterpise 2.0
5. Mobile web

Being biased I enjoyed the presentations from Parkatmyhouse and WAYN but to recommend one from each catergory as who I'd be keeping a close eye on for the future, are:

1. Garlik: On-line data protection
2. Seatwave
3. Wonga
4. G.ho.st
5. Alertme.com

There is investment there for the right products, and good players with a proven track record. Products that truly change the way we do things, offering mass market appeal that are multi-channel scalable solutions with global reach have a chance.

I was surpised at how many product related solutions there are and not market or need demand driven applications.

I look forward to being there next year with Car4share and Room Ft.

I'll update this in more detail tomorrow.

Web 2.0 London - Channel 4 doc

2007-06-26T07:59:00.001-07:00

This was taken at open coffee a few weeks ago where we play a prominent role in the development of the sites of those people who were inteviewed. Anthony Eskinazi of Park at My House, Mark Cunningham of Moveme and Saul Klein of Index are all on the video!

E-Man provide strategy, consultancy, design and build to the leading lights in web 2.0.

Moveme Phase 2

2007-06-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

The e-Man team are working on moveme phase 2. These are very exciting times and I look forward to updating you once the phase is released.

BlueWizdom - Investors wanted

2007-06-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

I have an interest in another company called BlueWizdom Ltd. We have developed the blueprint for a software platform uses windows mobile to interface between bike to bike and bike to pillion for voice activated command of all media apps.

The team includes a bluetooth pioneer, Lyndon Wright and Eugene my partner @ e-man

In 2005 we won a prestigious national award from the department of Trade and Industry for innovation in wireless communications. This grant of 75k allowed us to action the reseach and development of BlueWizdom technology.

The result is we are now ready to go into development and launch the software as a download that will link all bikers into a community that will anable them to plan journeys and communicate routes on-line whilst being able to use the technology whilst on the road.

Lack of time has been a major factor for us getting this live.

We are looking for Angels, venture funding or private investment in return for equity so that we have develop and market the product in the UK.

The hard work has been done and we are ready to go.

If you are interested in hearing about this contact me on matthew.hagger@e-man.co.uk

West Ham - Will they sign Carlos Tevez?

2007-06-26T07:09:00.001-07:00

Well most people know my love for West Ham United and although we have been through turbulent times recently, one little guy has kept us focused and positive.

His name is Carlos Tevez. As a West Ham supporter I can only hope that Carlos will remain in East London for just one more season.

Brainwave Accounts: Launched!!!

2007-06-26T06:56:00.000-07:00

E-man are delighted to have launched Brainwave Accounts after 18 months of planning, strategy, design, build and implementation.

E-man have delivered the entire solution in house and developed the software and web platforms.

Well done to Eugene who strategised this account, Nick, Rich, Yavor and all of the creative team that have been involved in this project!

See it here

E-man: PHP and Net Programmers in London, Peterborough and Sofia teams

2007-06-26T06:52:00.000-07:00

E-man are looking for programmers to join all of our offices, with .net and php experience.

Please apply to jobs@e-man.co.uk for Uk positions.

We also welcome Bobbi to the design team will be working under Crasj

For Sofia office please contact: nick@e-man.co.uk

Peebo launches on July 13th

2007-06-26T06:45:00.000-07:00

Folowing my radio work with the BBC and e-Man's development of the Ilovepeebo website, we ho live on July 13th. Peterborough is being officially renamed to Peebo for the day. You will not catch me in a robe.

But if you come down Bridge street you will be able to grab a car sticker or a T-shirt.

It's time we all came together as a community and started to bring this city alive.

As director of a company who has an office here I feel it is my duty and with it being just 40 mins from Kings X on a good day by train, we have Eurostar potential!

Let's get behind this campaign. You can register here and when we go live we'll e-mail you.

New e-Man site coming soon!!!

2007-06-26T06:35:00.001-07:00

E-man are launching a brand web site. This will reflect recent growth in the company and will show the work we have completed over the past year in strategy, design and build for companies in the public and private sector along with dot com start and and venture fuelled operations.

It will appear here

www.Car4share.com

2007-06-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

We are close to launhcing an alpha version of the long awaited Car4share. We are all really excited about this and I shall update this site very shortly, the moment we can give you access.

The site will be alpha and beta tested before invite investors to come on board.

It will be here

Web Expo - wednesday 27th June 2007

2007-06-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Essential Web 2007

This is the most important event of the year in my opinion for web 2.0 UK start ups.

I will be there and look forward to meet you.

The most dynamic and disruptive web entrepreneurs, will be presenting. Can you afford not to be there?
Raw companies: pre-funded start up companies screened by Library House and a panel of experts to represent the newest, most innovative and exciting web ventures in Europe.
Hot companies: investor-backed ventures on a fast track to growth.
Star companies: mature web ventures - market leading or looking towards exit.

Date: 27th June 2007, 8:30am - 9:30pm
Location: BFI IMAX Theatre, Waterloo, London, SE1 8XR
Cost: £395.00 (+ VAT)

IDTP launch find a 'Find a solution'

2007-06-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

The countries leading Identity Theft protection portal has released a new feature here which allows you to search through a catalogue of products and services.

IDTP is developing rapidly and becoming the 1st port of call for all news, features, product reviews and infomation relating to Britain's fastest growing crime.

e-Man partner with IDTP and design, build, manage and strategist all areas of the business.

I shall let you know when updates occure to the site.

Moveme Phase 1 - released

2007-06-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

E-man were commissioned to develop a new startegy for Movemein order to re position the homepage to an instant play tactic.

We worked on strategy that overcomes the problems that were restricting sign up potential on arriving cold to the site but allowing the user to set up their planner from the landing page through entering 3 variables.

This is an alternative to arriving at the previous site and viewing a flash demonstration prior to 3 stage registration.

The result is obvious and dramatic.

We are working on a phase 2 which will be released in due course.

More details to come. . . .