As we closed out today’s Mobile First CrunchUp, all of our speakers took the stage for an extended roundtable discussing a variety of topics affecting mobile: design, gaming mechanics, and, of course, iPhone vs Android.

One of the last questions posed during the roundtable came from Wired’s Mike Isaac, who asked how the next version of Android, which is called Ice Cream Sandwich, would help developers produce applications that look nice across the multitude of form factors Android will spread to.

The difficulty developers face when designing for Android came up multiple times during the day (during an earlier panel I asked straight-up why iPhone apps look better), and Duarte’s message was consistent: things will be getting better as the platform becomes more mature. And the Android team is trying to do what they can to make it easier to develop for multiple form factors.

Here’s what Duarte had to say about the upcoming Ice Cream Sandwich release (paraphrased):

Ice Cream Sandwich will continue the very challenging job of trying to create an embeddable platform that has the flexibility of the web. We’re trying to make one size fits all, and there are different products for different needs. That said, we know it is hard to design in that environment. Ice Cream Sandwich gives you a lot of tools to help you build one app that works more seamlessly across a variety of screen sizes and different form factors. And before that, we’re rolling out tools that help developers focus and optimize. We recently launched features that let you have multiple APKs and specific device targeting. We’re looking to make that transition easier and create really good-looking stuff on Android.

From the Press Release:Varun Beverages (International) Limited (VBIL) has concluded a US$56 million private equity financing with Standard Chartered Private Equity Limited (SCPE). The funds would be used to accelerate VBIL’s growth in its beverages business in India and overseas. VBIL is promoted by the RJ Corp group which comprises diversified business interests ranging from beverages, fast

Economic Times has profiles of 3 new VC-backed Life sciences companies: Cellworks ResearchFOUNDED: 2005INVESTOR: Artiman VenturesACTIVITY: Drug discovery using a proprietary computer simulation platform to find new uses for old drugs in inflammation and cancerPOTENTIAL REVENUE STREAMS: Licensing drugs for development and marketing,selling its proprietary green chemistry technology to various

After focusing substantially on exits in 2010 (when it successfully exited its investments in Mahindra Finance and ABG Shipyard), StanChart PE has announced four new investments in the first half of 2011 (in GMR Airports, Bush Foods, Privi Organics and Innoventive Industries). Three of its other portfolio companies – Endurance Technologies, Powerica and Intergloble Technology – are on the IPO

A lot has been written for entrepreneurs about optimizing a venture capital fundraising process, but one aspect which isn’t discussed very often is the pacing of it.  Two (seemingly contradictory) maxims that are often repeated in this context are: “it goes slow until it goes fast” and “time kills all deals.”

At the beginning of an entrepreneur’s fundraising, even if you’re running a sophisticated process, the first part of is usually just plain old slow.  Either you already have a relationship with the VCs who you’re going to approach, or you’re one step away within your network to get an introduction.   In either case, sending out those emails to facilitate a meeting usually doesn’t elicit an immediate response.   VCs are triaging their own incoming deal flow, traveling, or are booked up on their calendar for the next couple weeks.  And if there’s a mutual intro involved as a conduit, that’s just one extra layer of logistics that you need to jump through in facilitating an initial meeting.  Even the next few successive conversations usually don’t move too much faster after that – if there’s interest, a VC partner will ping his network to gut-check his instincts as a diligence item and begin to socialize the opportunity within his firm, both of which (usually) take time.  Usually a full partnership only talks about new investment opportunities once per week on Mondays.

The key during this initial fundraising stage in the process are three P’s: Peace of mind, Pushing, Patience.   Peace of mind in that an entrepreneur shouldn’t worry early-on that a term sheet isn’t forthcoming after one conversation.  Pushing in that it’s on the onus of the entrepreneur to convey a modest (but not overzealous) sense of urgency, scarcity, and timeliness to their fundraising process.  And lastly, patience in that if an entrepreneur cries wolf too early in a process that “a term sheet is coming next week” or that a VC is falling behind others in the situation, he’ll lose quite a bit of credibility moving forward in dictating the pace of diligence and the process.  It’s important not to over-reach in pushing the conversations to the point where a VC is going to give up pursuing an investment opportunity just because he doesn’t perceive to have enough time to “get there.”

So during the above period, it does go slow… until it goes fast.  Once one venture firm signals strong interest to move towards a term sheet, only then can an entrepreneur *credibly* use that move to accelerate his other discussions.  And at that inflection point, well, it can go fast.  Cynically-speaking, VCs are motivated by two things: fear and greed.   And perception of missing out on an investment opportunity stokes both emotions, especially the former.   So if a fundraising process is pacing well, it should continually accelerate until a deal is consummated.

Which brings us to the second maxim, “time kills all deals.”  Once things have begun to accelerate, any pause, interruption, or delay along the way only hurts the chances that a fruitful end will result.   An increase in time allows for other extraneous factors to interject: a new “shinier” opportunity, fatigue on the initial excitement, a new competitor entering or an existing on just making waves, etc.  The list continues on and on.   So it’s important to note while patience is key at the beginning of a fundraising process, it’s the enemy towards the end of one.   At all costs, the momentum in consummating an agreement needs to continue through obstacles (weekends, vacations, interruptions, etc.) otherwise there is the introduction of real risk in things falling apart when they may have not otherwise.  So if it looks like a process with any one particular conversation (and especially overall) is slowing down, then it’s time for the entrepreneur to stir the pot quickly.

The key, then, in the pacing of any fundraising process, is to know where you are in it – either the fast or slow period – and adjust your stance and timing accordingly.  It will go slow until it goes fast… or it just won’t go at all.