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How not to win friends and influence people at the Web Summit

It’s that time of year again.

Technology summit in Dublin Taioseach Enda Kenny with Elon Musk at the 2013 Web Summit. Brian Lawless / PA Archive Brian Lawless / PA Archive / PA Archive

WITH THE WEB Summit starting next week, eager would-be tech millionaires have been busy jostling for attention.

Having scraped together a minimum of nearly €2,000 to be on show at what will controversially be the last Dublin edition of the event, startup founders are understandably keen to catch the eye of those controlling the purse strings.

Today software entrepreneur and investor Eamon Leonard, who has put money into everything from homebrew startup Brewbot to next-big-thing Intercom, shared this questionable email approach which came with the subject line ‘Help me lose my virginity?’:

The unnamed hopeful followed it up with: “Well a girl’s gotta choose a subject line to stand out right?”

The author went on to explain about losing their “Web Summit virginity” and to ask for a 10-minute meeting – or a visit to their exhibitor stand.

While the stunt won few fans, it did trigger a conversation about sexism and the gender imbalance within the tech industry.

READ: The EU voted on rules that will shape the internet here, but how will it affect you? >

READ: This Playboy issue is the reason Google’s founders almost never do interviews >

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25 Comments
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    Mute Dave Dson
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:05 PM

    This article is an ad for the authors book, the irony is not lost on me.

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    Mute Vlad Macca
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:10 PM

    I didn’t even bother reading the article – the picture was enough for me.

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    Mute John Quill
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    Jan 6th 2014, 7:54 PM

    Ads have ruined YouTube. The obligatory 5s ad proceeding vids are unbelievably irritating.

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    Mute Charles O'Dowd
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:39 PM

    Nobody should have to watch ads on YouTube

    https://adblockplus.org/en/android

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    Mute Chris Doherty
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:46 PM

    I might conceived as a muppet, but I have never seen an ad on Facebook,twitter or google, have I somehow have turned off adverts in my browsers . At least with TV I can see the ads or not as the case ( masking tea or WC visit)

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    Mute Brian Geraghty
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:21 PM

    Adblock – install it

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    Mute andrew
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:44 PM

    great programme. the article here is an insult to anybody’s intelligence. but if more poeple install Adblock then the article has at least served some purpose

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    Mute Vlad Macca
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:04 PM

    If I could put one thing into room 101 it would be ads – hate them ..
    Back in the day when it sky etc was how i watched TV , every 15 minutes it was ads – every 15 mins someone was interrupting my viewing trying to sell me something

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    Mute Des Doris
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:41 PM

    How do you think the programmes are paid for?

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    Mute Vlad Macca
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    Jan 6th 2014, 9:10 PM

    TV licences over this part of the world

    Did you ever wonder why premium channels like HBO can create such lavish productions without ever advertising other products? The subscription fees they pay for those channels are more than enough to pay for those beloved shows — without ever having to worry about ratings. This model started in the 1980s, when HBO was known as the cable channel for catching films that you’d missed in the theater. It’s also one of the best indicators we have for where television will be heading in the next decade.

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    Mute Des Doris
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    Jan 6th 2014, 9:22 PM

    Well firstly the TV License only covers RTE. and it is not enough to cover the output of two TV stations in any event. Before you mention the BBC, remember that their budget for a week is the same as what RTE take in in a year.

    HBO can only exist in a primary market like the USA or larger. Should we watch only American drama? No news, sport etc etc?

    As for ratings – do you think that HBO etc do not care about how many people watch their programmes? They would not have many subscribers for long if they did not.

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    Mute Vlad Macca
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    Jan 6th 2014, 9:42 PM

    News is paid for by TV licence

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    Mute Audrey Sterritt
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    Jan 6th 2014, 9:10 PM

    Sky+ and fast forward works for me

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    Mute andrew
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    Jan 6th 2014, 9:19 PM

    SO, all that Sky + advertising works!

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    Mute Kieran Dunne
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    Jan 6th 2014, 8:57 PM

    There are very few doing content marketing well, however. A one size fit all philosophy is rampant with most just throwing TV ads at the web and hoping it sticks.

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