Onto the next Jobs

The business world may be awash with the news of Steve Jobs’ exit as CEO of Apple, but Weekend Reads is always looking for the next big thing rather than pondering on the past.

With US seed fund behemoth YCombinator announcing that it is backing a record 63 start-ups, here’s a look at the five that look most likely to go the distance.

Tech start-ups looking for a helpful financial shove will have been heartened by Facebook’s plans to invest more in emerging ventures than ever before, while this guide on how to raise $1 million is a worthwhile read for those not able to tempt a social media giant.

Encouragingly, there appears to be investment for start-ups in Australia, if you look hard enough. ASSOB, which links investors with new businesses, has just hit its 20,000 subscriber.

Not that you necessarily need stacks of funding to grow your business. Mashable’s list of the eight start-ups that are set to change the world contains plenty of ventures that have done it on a shoestring.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are some businesses that are destined for failure. Before you launch, it’s worth checking out this list of the 10 small business industries you shouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.

How good is your website? If it needs a bit of a re-jig, you may want to garner some inspiration from Time’s list of the 50 best websites in the world.

Finally, a red-blooded American entrepreneur gives a bullish response to Warren Buffett’s suggestion that the rich should pay more tax.