For the past two years, I’ve been an Internet addict. I’ve spent a huge amount of time online following the latest trends and innovations in new media and social networking, and the businesses and individuals that are steering them. I’ve seen many young people start from scratch with nothing more than their ideas, and built great businesses that serve millions and hundreds of thousands of users today.

And I’ve also observed with keen interest, how individual writers are jumping in to to make their own small fortunes by tracking the ecosystem of these new businesses. Unlike big media houses, these indy publishers have great communities around their content, fun and interesting conversations often take place.

Here are my top 5 of these websites that actively track online business startups.

1. TechCrunch: Michael Arrington does a good job of bringing the scoop from online business startups, often several weeks before they’re open to the public. The sites archives is a great resource for studying the progression of the new breed of online businesses, some of which are currently doing very well, some barely surviving, and others already in TechCrunch’s deadpool.
2. Mashable: I call Mashable the bible of social networking. Mashable tracks all the latest from the biggest social networking communities, and the new breed of businesses that are springing up to provide top-up services withing these communities.
3. VentureBeat: Written by Matt Marshall, VentureBeat (formerly SiliconBeat) has been my go-to source for news and information about private companies and the venture capital that fuels them.
4. GigaOM: Om Malik writes about the web, mobile and broadband technologies. It’s my favorite source for all-round geek stuff, as it’s Om is not entirely focused on startups like the other three above.
5. PodTech: PodTech does in audio and video what the above four do in text. It’s always been a great blessing for me, sitting behind my computer in Accra, and watching interviews and demonstrations from some of the greatest technology and business leaders in Silicon Valley. Recently, PodTech.Net has evolved from a purely content producer to a full-fledged online video network, hosting content across all subject areas, from the most serious stuff to the most funny.