Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 17, 2010

We were also an investor in the early local listing company, CitySearch – an LA company. Douglas Merrill, the former CIO of Google, is building his next company in LA. (my firm, GRP Partners, was an investor). LA produced Applied Semantics that created AdSense and was bought by Google.

Company 290

Company Companies Technology Startup 290

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 17, 2012

ZestCash, founded by Douglas Merrill, former CIO of Google [Hollywood]. Idealab, led by Bill Gross, who founded Overture, CitySearch and MANY other business [Pasadena]. Here’s a short list that are decidedly East of the 405 freeway (i.e. not near the beach): Factual, founded by Gil Elbaz who built AdSense [Century City].

Startup 304

Startup Venture Capital Los Angeles Woodland Hills 304

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Douglas Merrill, the former CIO of Google, is building his next company, ZestCash in LA. Each of these companies exited for more than $500 million and several north of $1 billion. It’s true that MySpace didn’t become Facebook, but it did spawn 7 or 8 great LA companies run by founders with experience.

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313