TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 21, 2018
In the days leading up to TechCrunch Disrupt SF 2018, The Economist published the cover story, ‘Why Startups Are Leaving Silicon Valley.’ The author outlined reasons why the Valley has “peaked.” Venture capital investors are deploying capital outside the Bay Area more than ever before. High-profile entrepreneurs and investors, Peter Thiel, for example , have left.
Berkonomics
SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
This is one of my favorite insights, since I lived this one in a positive exit from my computer business. Types of business buyers expanded. Most people will tell you that there are two kinds of eventual buyers for your business: financial and strategic. A financial buyer will analyze your numbers, past and forecast, to the n’th degree, and calculate the price based upon the result, after carefully comparing your numbers with those of others in the same and similar industries.
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InfoChachkie
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. “As much as possible, avoid hiring MBA’s. MBA programs don’t teach people how to create companies … our position is that we hire someone in spite of an MBA, not because of one.” – Elon Musk, Founder Tesla Motors and SpaceX. MBA’s are an easy target for entrepreneurs’ scorn.
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
A Pasadena robotics and artificial intelligence outfit that’s been using a robot to fry chicken tenders at Dodger Stadium just gave the bots an upgrade to include the frying skill.
Advertiser: Aggregage
Office leases are one of companies’ largest expenses, and if your whole team is working from home with no clear end in sight, you may be wondering what to do about your lease.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
The Port of San Diego says it has been hit by a ransomware attack, which has disrupted the port's information technology systems--although it says that ships and boats are able to continue to access the port at the moment. According to the Port of San Diego, an unknown group is holding the port's IT systems hostage, requesting a payment in Bitcoin. The Port said it is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on investigating the "seriou
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
Kim Gamez, CEO and co-founder of the Ann Arbor, MI-based startup Mi Padrino , is a self-described “all-American Gringa ” who grew up in farm country. She fell in love with Hispanic culture as she got to know her husband Hugo, a native of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. One of her favorite traditions was that of the padrino , or patron. On her website, Gamez describes padrinos (and madrinas ) as “essential members of their Hispanic community who act as patrons or sponsors for family events.
Southern California Tech Central brings together the best content for technical professionals in Southern California from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Berkonomics
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
Almost anyone who has sold a company has a story to tell about their good deal, the problems with the buyer, a last-minute change of terms, or more. I have saved this next story until now because it is one of my favorites, and certainly illustrates the point about timing being a combination of luck and skill as well as anything I could devise from fiction.
InfoChachkie
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
A version of this article previously appeared in The Wall Street Journal. What would you do if you opened a UPS envelope and there was nothing inside? A scrappy startup inadvertently answered this question when they accidentally mailed several hundred empty UPS envelopes. Note: the company has asked to remain anonymous, as they don’t want to alert their competitors to the success of their Stealth Campaign.
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
The Los Angeles Convention Center just added 5G capabilities to its growing list of offerings designed to draw business to downtown.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
Pasadena-based artificial intelligence software developer ObEN has rolled out a new, singing and talking "AI personality" based on Chinese singing group SNH48 , the company said today. The company said it has created the "world's first celebrity personal AI" based on one of the members of the Chinese music group, Aijia. ObEN's AI personality sang a duet with her real-life counterpart at a conference in China this week.
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 19, 2018
Tiny Rhode Island and its capital city Providence have always punched above their weight, for better or for worse. Better: Little Rhody’s founder Roger Williams, fleeing religious persecution in 17th-century puritanical Massachusetts, was one of America’s first abolitionists and created the concept of the separation of church and state. Worse: After World War II, one Providence neighborhood became the nerve center of New England organized crime and one of its mayors the ne plus ultra
TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 14, 2018
TechCrunch is heading to UCLA on October 18 and we’ve assembled some of the AR/VR industry’s most prescient founders, investors and executives to chat about the startups and trends driving virtual and augmented reality in 2018. The world’s top tech companies have heavily invested in AR/VR and are persistent in broadcasting the technologies’ potential to blur the lines of how consumers interact with the digital world.
Berkonomics
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
Most entrepreneurs and certainly all investors would like to see “a positive liquidity event” (a good sale of the business) someday. Boards of directors should be aware that one of their duties could be to evaluate offers from potential buyers, or even to initiate efforts to sell the business for the benefit of all stakeholders. So, that’s the reason for this insight.
Startup Professionals Musings
SEPTEMBER 22, 2018
As an angel investor and a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always disappointed to see founders who seem stressed out most of the time, and more annoyed than energized by the abundance of challenges they see in building their startup. The entrepreneurial lifestyle is a tough one under the best of circumstances, and it’s one you have to love in order to succeed.
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018
Long Beach-based mixed fleet management software developer Momentum IoT announced Sept. 10 it raised $3.1 million.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018
Los Angeles-based Drinks , which operates a number of subscription, direct-to-consumer wine delivery services, has raised $15M in a Series B funding round, according to the company. The funding was led by Beverly Pacific and also included Shea Ventures and others. The company was founded by Zac Brandenberg, and operates the Wine Insiders wine delivery club and the Martha Stewart Win Co.
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
“Digital therapeutics” startups are starting to win more respect—and investment dollars—from pharmaceutical giants. But the two sides are still figuring out how to work together to capitalize on the potential for apps, devices, and other software-enabled technologies to have an impact on patients’ health. That’s what stood out to me the most as I listened to leaders from some of the world’s largest life sciences companies—Novartis (NYSE: NVS ), San
TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 5, 2018
Alex Canter knows the restaurant business. The scion of Los Angeles’ famous first family of the deli business — the owners of the eponymous Canters restaurant — Canter has been in the food business longer than many seasoned restauranteurs twice his age. While some people had a Bar Mitzvah party, the thirteen year old Canter had section four of his family’s restaurant.
Berkonomics
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
Each decision you make to commit resources – your money or your use of corporate or personal time – affects the future value of your business. Minor decisions, such as replacing employees who have left the company or replacing equipment needing updating, are usually considered operational in nature, and unless the business is changing direction, not relevant to this test.
SoCal Tech Calendar
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
Wednesday, October 3, 2018 -- 2018 Hollywood Entertainment Technology Festival. The Hollywood Entertainment Technology Festival (HETF) is an exciting international event bridging the US and China, with expert speakers and panel discussions on trends in entertainment technology, cross-border opportunities, and investments. The festival promotes collaboration and innovation on a global scale, and serves as an ideal platform for visionaries, content creators, entrepreneurs, and investors currently
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 7, 2018
Adolescent suicides – and preventing them –is in the crosshairs of a software firm.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has just signed a deal to deliver two robot payloads to the moon for a small Japanese company, ispace , ispace said this morning. According to ispace, it has signed a contract with SpaceX for two flights to land two lunar orbiters on the moon. ispace is leveraging technology developed by one of the teams in the Lunar XPRIZE, run by Marina Del Rey-based XPRIZE Foundation, in what had been an attempt to win cash prize money offered by XPRIZE for landing a mission
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 28, 2018
XRC Labs, an accelerator program focused on e-commerce and retail startups, held a demo day for its latest class Thursday, featuring innovations in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and other technologies. The group of 10 startups is the sixth class for New York-based XRC , which was founded three years ago to promote innovation in the disruptive age of Amazon.
TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 5, 2018
People like to say that brick-and-mortar retail is dead, but direct-to-consumer businesses continue to dabble with physical stores all the same. Why? Because brick-and-mortar retail provides businesses with benefits an online shopping platform can’t , namely consumer experiences that create and sustain shopper’s relationships with brands. .
Startup Professionals Musings
SEPTEMBER 19, 2018
In big business, as well as startups, I have found that your effectiveness can be highly correlated to your ability to build and maintain people relationships, often more so than hard work, or how many hours you give. But all relationships are not the same, and your ability to distinguish between positive and negative, or casual versus committed, can make or break your future.
SoCal Tech Calendar
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018 --.
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
Wilshire-based NantWorks, a diversified holding company run by Patrick Soon-Shiong, announced Sept. 6 it invested an undisclosed sum into Daybreak Game Co., creating through the investment a joint venture titled NantG Mobile.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
Los Angeles-based venture investor Bonfire Ventures , the venture capital fund led by SoCal VC veterans Jim Andelman and Mark Mullen, has launched a fundraising effort for a new fund, Bonfire Ventures Select I , according to a regulatory filing from the firm this week. Details on the new fund have not been announced by the investment fund. The regulatory filing indicates the first sale in the fund has yet to occur.
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018
The window for life science IPOs is still open, and five biotechs and one medical device company chose the last week of the third quarter to make their stock market debuts. Gritstone Oncology (NASDAQ: GRTS ) closed out the week by raising $100 million in an upsized IPO. On Thursday night, Emeryville, CA-based Gritstone priced its offering of 6.6 million shares at $15 apiece.
TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 6, 2018
Entertainment has changed. New platforms led by YouTube have emerged to change the dynamic of broadcast media — once dominated by the rigid programming of TV — while the internet has enabled new media stars to engage with their audiences in new, high-touch ways. Developments like live streaming, social media and more have made the stars of today more relatable and more easily reachable than those of yesteryear.
Startup Professionals Musings
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018
I always tell entrepreneurs that two heads are better than one, so the first task in many startups is finding a co-founder or two. You need to find the skills or experience you don’t have in business, technology, or money. So the first question I usually get is what percent of the company or equity is that person worth? Giving a co-founder a salary won’t get you the “fire in the belly” you want.
SoCal Tech Calendar
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018
Thursday, September 27, 2018 -- TechDay Los Angeles. TechDay, the largest startup event series in the United States, is returning to Los Angeles for the fourth annual TechDay LA. TechDay LA will showcase the latest products and services available from hundreds of the most exciting startups and scale ups in the market.
L.A. Business Journal
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018
The chief executive of Arensis Corp., a downtown provider of micro waste-to-energy systems, has formed a separate project financing company that will use blockchain and smart-meter technology to better target potential customers, Arensis announced Sept. 25.
socalTECH
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
Santa Monica-based on-demand scooter rental service Bird is planning a massive, international expansion, and has been hiring in dozens of cities overseas , according to the Financial Times. The paper says that Bird's hiring plans include dozens of cities across both Asia and Latin America, including such cities as Mumbai, Mexico City, Hong Kong, and elsewhere.
Xconomy
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
Today, there is a massive shortage of cybersecurity talent across the globe. According to a 2015 study from Frost & Sullivan and the (ISC)² Foundation, there could be more than 1.5 million unfilled cybersecurity positions globally by 2020. As cybersecurity attacks and data breaches, unfortunately, become a matter of not if but when , security talent is more important than ever.
TechCrunch LA
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
The Los Angeles-based women’s subscription box and media business FabFitFun is expanding its video catalog with the launch of new live programming set to coincide with the launch of its latest seasonal box. FabFitFun is creating a new slate of live programming which will air every day on its Facebook page from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific and is set to feature interactive product showcases, beauty demonstrations, DIY projects, and a game show.
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