Everyone has heard the FedEx lore: "FedEx started with nothing but one really smart undergrad, one really good term paper and one really big dream." Now they are helping other small start-up companies with the FedEx + Me program piloted in Austin. The FedEx + Me My Story: Austin project spotlights companies that exemplify Austin's innovative spirit. Each round the 5 companies that get the most votes are spotlighted in a professionally produced video promoting their business. On May 18, one deserving participant will be awarded the grand prize of a $5,000 grant to help them grow their business.

They are posting videos from round 3 soon so check back and there are a couple more rounds of voting left for new companies. Here's one of the videos:

Love to see FedEx supporting entrepreneurs in Austin, can't wait to see what city they pick next!

FedEx has created an amazing maps site that shows how different data shapes the world. The maps actually morph on the screen. The countries change in size relative to the data represented so you get a visual representation of how much impact the information has on on each country. You can see the Exports by country for 2008, then watch as the map changes to show labor productivity, and then see the map morph into how the world looks based on predicted exports for 2030. It also has maps that represent data on energy sources, education, access to information through different media streams, happiness index of counties, and even couch potatoes (physical inactivity along with TV and beer imports). The maps are interactive and allow scroll over so you can see the actual numbers for each country.

Some interesting tidbits:

Iceland might actually be the happiest place on earth
China recycles the most paper
80% of Qatar's population works overseas

But, it's not the factoids that make the site so cool, it is watching the maps change and seeing the comparisons in country size based on the data. It's addictive. These maps would be an excellent addition to a presentation. The data is gathered from different government agencies and all sourced by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

This video map represents forest cover for the world: