FAQ

The Cambrian House Community is Becoming the VenCorps Community? What's Up?

Cambrian House began as a crowdsourcing community in 2006. Now we're evolving the community to the next stage - adding commerce in a big way. On May 20, we're kicking off a partnership with VenCorps who is using the Cambrian House Chaordix™ crowdsourcing platform to launch a brand-spanking new community about finding and funding startups through the wisdom of crowds. The Cambrian House community is invited to move in with VenCorps!

But what does this all mean? What do I have to look forward to?

Below are answers to questions that might be floating 'round your noggin right now.

What's happening here?

The Cambrian House community is becoming the VenCorps community. After two years of working with members like you to build a crowdsourcing community that allowed members to collaborate to build ideas and businesses, we figured it's about time you should have the power to fund startups, too. We feel it's a natural next step - bringing commerce to crowdsourcing as we promised.

VenCorps will be the first community that enables the crowd to find, filter and fund startups. Cambrian House members are the first people to be invited through the gate, and the first to compete for $50,000 in funding. Learn More.

So now there’s $50,000+ startup funding to vy for?

That’s the ticket. The 50,000+ Cambrian House members have mastered innovating ideas, drawing upon the wisdom of crowds to hone an idea to a business concept, and even enlisting others to make the business real. But building startups takes cash. More that an IDEAWARZ windfall, members were seeking early-stage funding. Now as VenCorps members, you can compete for $50,000 initially, and up to $5 million through VenCorps partners over the lifecycle of a startup.

How do I join VenCorps/ How do I get my Invite?

Cambrian House will be sending out emails to all our community members with an activation link that will conveniently port over your profile data into the new VenCorps community (we don’t want you to work too hard!). Watch your in-box for the email, and be sure to follow the super easy activation process. Then... voila! You’ll be a VenCorps member!

What about my profile, ideas and businesses on CambrianHouse.com?

We’ll move over your profile information, but won’t muck around with your ideas or businesses.

Why?

Well, VenCorps has a nifty new way of submitting your business concept to the community to vote on and fund. After you move to VenCorps, you can still access your profile, ideas and businesses for the next three months. So fear not, until August 20th, 2008 your brilliant ideas won’t disappear! There’s lots of time to port whatever you like over to VenCorps.

What about my Glory Points?

Glory points will be converted into Points in your VenCorps bank account (10 GPs = 1 VenCorps Point). Points can be exchanged for goods and services inside VenCorps, used to back companies in the Startup Showdown (the next evolution of IDEAWARZ), and cashed out for virtual and real goods in the online store. Because the market in VenCorps is different than in Cambian House, we wanted to be sure you get the head start you deserve by recognizing your GPs!

What about my Cambros?

Your Cambros will also be converted into Points in your VenCorps account (1 Cambros = 1 VenCorps Point). With Points at the get go within VenCorps, Cambrian House members will have a head start. Points can be exchanged for goods and services inside VenCorps, used to back companies in the Startup Showdown (the next evolution of IDEAWARZ), and cashed out for virtual and real goods in the online store.

How long do I have to pack my bags and move to VenCorps?

We recommend you accept the invite to activate your new account as soon as it arrives in your in-box so you can roll up your sleeves and start building VenCorps into the community you want it to be. So as they say on late night infomercials: This is a limited offer! For real, you have until August 20, 2008 but you get most advantage if you act now, don’t delay!

I hold Royalty Points for my contributions to a Business on CH... What now?

Business owners/contributors in the Cambrian House community are responsible to negotiate with any contributors with whom they have awarded Royalty Points.

What is VenCorps?

VenCorps will be the first community that enables the crowd to find, filter and fund startups. It’s powered by the Cambrian House Chaordix™ crowdsourcing platform and the bright minds and world-class individuals at Spencer Trask. Cambrian House is still the engine behind VenCorps – but Spencer Trask is your new community host. Learn More.

If Cambrian House isn’t home to an online community, what’s going to keep Cambrian House busy?

We’re still hopping! In fact we’re going full tilt at developing the ventures that emerged from our crowdsourced discoveries over the past two years. Our portfolio includes Gwabs™, Greedy or Needy™, FilmRiot™ and the Chaordix™ crowdsourcing platform. Learn more.

Is Cambrian House currently using Crowdsourcing to find new products?

No, we are busy working on this stuff, but please visit Vencorps, created with Cambrian House, with all of your entrepreneurial ideas!

I’m going to miss Sarah Blue and Gord’s weekly IDEAWARZ videos... How do I entertain myself now?

Sarah and Gord will still be up to their old antics - applying their wit and creativity to enliven the communities of Gwabs™, Greedy or Needy™ and other ventures within the Cambrian House portfolio. And many of us will be your neighbours now as community members alongside you in VenCorps!

There’s more wit to be had from Will to too! Will Pate will be taking the reins as VenCorps community manager. To meet him, accept your activation email!

I have more questions

Good, contact us.