TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 16, 2019

A slew of banks are coming together to back a new roll-up strategy for the Los Angeles-based mobile gaming studio, Jam City and giving the company $145 million in new funding to carry that out. There’s no word on whether the new money is in equity or debt, but what is certain is that JPMorgan Chase Bank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and syndicate partners including Silicon Valley Bank, SunTrust Bank and CIT Bank are all involved in the deal.

Mobile 251

Mobile Capital Los Angeles Acquisition 251

Xconomy

JANUARY 15, 2019

Many of our devices, from wearables to medical instruments to drones, can capture reams of images. Using algorithms to analyze those images on the devices, in turn, generally takes loads of computing power and energy—sometimes more than is feasible. AlwaysAI says it is getting ready to sell its software for enterprise developers looking to make applications that use deep learning to better process the immense amount of data from embedded devices, such as cameras, drones, wearables, and rob

Software 108

Software Platform Develop Development 108

socalTECH

JANUARY 16, 2019

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are two of the biggest buzzwords in technology today--but how are they being used to help you in everyday life? Google said on Wednesday that a team at Loyola Marymount University is using its open source, machine learning tool--TensorFlow--as part of a project to help identify potholes and cracks in Los Angeles, in an attempt to perhaps improve the flow of traffic through the city.

Artificial Inteligence 133

Artificial Inteligence Google Tool Report 133

Berkonomics

JANUARY 17, 2019

Here’s a question that should strike close to home. Professional investors like to quote this mantra to anyone who will listen. “Fail fast,” they say. But what if you believe so strongly in your budding enterprise that this seems to be the most ill-advised directive you’ve ever heard? So here are some rules that might make it clearer for you and for those who so easily quote the mantra.

Incubator 120

Incubator Venture Capital Invest Capital 120

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.

Company

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 14, 2019

Brud , the company behind the virtual celebrity Lil Miquela , is now worth at least $125 million thanks to a new round of financing the company is currently closing. Meanwhile, new venture-backed companies like the superstealthy Shadows, SuperPlastic and Toonstar are all developing virtual characters that will launch via social media channels like Snap and Instagram, or on their own platforms.

Social Media 261

Social Media Content Media Artificial Inteligence 261

Xconomy

JANUARY 16, 2019

Cancer immunotherapy is, in a word, tantalizing. It might save the life of someone at death’s door and keep the cancer at bay for years. Or it might not work at all. There’s no telling what a patient will experience. “There’s a real poverty of understanding of how the machine that is us works,” says Roger Perlmutter, the executive vice president of pharmaceutical giant Merck (NYSE: MRK ) and the head of its research division, Merck Research Laboratories.

Research 111

Research Networking San Diego Blogging 111

Berkonomics

JANUARY 17, 2019

Here’s a question that should strike close to home. Professional investors like to quote this mantra to anyone who will listen. “Fail fast,” they say. But what if you believe so strongly in your budding enterprise that this seems to be the most ill-advised directive you’ve ever heard? So here are some rules that might make it clearer for you and for those who so easily quote the mantra.

Incubator 120

Incubator Venture Capital Invest Capital 120

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 17, 2019

3D-printing the first rocket on Mars. That’s the goal Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone set for themselves when they founded Los Angeles-based Relativity Space in 2015. At the time they were working from a WeWork in Seattle, during the darkest winter in Seattle history, where Ellis was wrapping up a stint at Blue Origin. The two had met in college at USC in their jet propulsion lab.

Sites 217

Sites Outsource Development SpaceX Inglewood 217

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2019

Every startup founder knows implicitly that startup success is a long hard road. Yet we always dream that we are the exception to the rule. So once in a while it’s good to look at some facts to temper our imagination. I was reading an old article written by marketing guru Seth Godin a while back where he mentions that “it takes about six years of hard work to become an overnight success”.

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Startup Yahoo IBM IBM 111

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2019

Los Angeles-based IDrive Online Backup , which provides cloud backup and storage services, has launched a new, remote help desk service, which it is offering up to MSPs and IT specialists. According to IDrive its new remote access solution, RemotePC HelpDesk, provides on-demate remote support, letting IT administrators manage and monitor all service requests and manage their technicians from a single dashboard.

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Help Services Startup Los Angeles 153

Xconomy

JANUARY 13, 2019

Austin —The grocery store shelf has yet to be plugged into the increasingly digital food supply chain. Instead, inventory is typically tallied by employees by hand in a slow and laborious process. “It’s one big black hole with groceries, not knowing what is exactly on the retail shelf and available for sale,” says Richard Schwartz, president and CEO of Pensa Systems in Austin.

Research 109

Research Sales Startup Artificial Inteligence 109

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 18, 2019

With an inaugural investment into the Los Angeles-based entertainment startup Culture Genesis , Clifford Harris Jr., who’s better known as “T.I.”, has launched a new syndicated investment vehicle called Tech Cypha. Launched by the music and cultural impresario with more hustle than hustle and his business partner Jason Geder, the new collaborative investment strategy focused on tech startups will allow high net worth individuals to participate in deals.

Invest 187

Invest Los Angeles Resource Venture Capital 187

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2019

Everyone knows that that startups are risky, but they also expect that the job will be exciting and potentially very lucrative (think early employees at Facebook and Google). Yet we have all heard stories about the high turnover, unstructured work environment, lower base pay, and unpredictable expectations from the top. Assuming you are lucky enough to get hired, what can you do to survive, and even stand out above the rest in this environment?

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Tips Startup Journal Outsource 100

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2019

Santa Ana-based Iteris , which develops data analytics software used for the transportation and agriculture industries, has entered into a strategic partnership with Cisco , the two announced this morning. The companies said that Iteris will promote Cisco's "Connected Roadway" products, aimed at the pedestrian safety and connected vehicle applications.

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Platform Networking Software Product 149

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 17, 2019

Friday, January 18, 2019 -- Tech Coast Angels-LA Screening. Members and invited guests only.

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Tech Coast Angels Screening Angel 100

Xconomy

JANUARY 14, 2019

Teradata on Monday announced that Oliver Ratzesberger, its chief operating officer, has been tapped as president and CEO Victor Lund’s successor. The company , which last year relocated its headquarters from Dayton, OH, to San Diego , is in the midst of a concerted effort to transform itself from a legacy data storage provider to an innovative, software-centric firm—and to highlight the changes it has been making to its business model along the way.

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San Diego Software Companies Company 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2019

Starting and building a company is all about leadership – formulating an idea, building a unique plan based on vision and experience, and forging a path over and through all obstacles. Yet the image of leadership in business is at an all-time low, according to national leadership experts, considering the political debacles, record business bankruptcies, and executive fraud cases.

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Coach Startup Tool Ideas 94

socalTECH

JANUARY 16, 2019

Redlands-based Renovis Surgical , a manufacturer of orthopedic and spinal medical devices, has been acquired by Japanese company Kyocera Corporation , Kyocera said very late Tuesday evening. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. According to Kyocera, it agreed to purchase the major assets of Renovis, relating to its artificial joint and spinal products.

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Acquisition Technology Product Companies 138

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 16, 2019

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 -- CTO Mixer Cruise: Brian Sletten will speak about Web Assembly. On Tuesday, January 22nd @ 6pm, CTO Mixers will set sail with Brian Sletten who will be giving a presentation on Web Assembly, preceded by a brief talk by Joe Devon called Accessibility IS Innovation.

Web 100

Web 100

Xconomy

JANUARY 17, 2019

Fort Worth, TX —Data analytics and visual search technologies are increasingly being used by law enforcement agencies, growth that has captured the attention of tech giant Motorola. The Chicago-based tech company, which has long sold narrow-band radios to law enforcement, has been building its arsenal of software and camera technologies through a series of acquisitions.

Software 92

Software Acquisition Technology Artificial Inteligence 92

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2019

Every aspiring entrepreneur I know is convinced that his or her idea could be the next big startup, blossoming into a billion dollar unicorn. Yet I find that only a few are able to put their passion aside for a moment, and compare their solution to the attributes that really attract a large market of new customers. Investors, on the other hand, make it their business to look for these attributes.

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Startup Custom Customer Examples 91

socalTECH

JANUARY 18, 2019

In a world where more and more drivers are moving to electric vehicles, where is EV charging today? To better understand exactly where EV technology is today, we caught up with Caradoc Ehrenhalt , the CEO and founder of a Los Angeles startup, EV Safe Charge (www.evsafecharge.com), to chat a bit about his view of where EV charging technology today. EV Safe Charge rents out EV chargers for events, in addition to having its own business installing charging stations.

Startup 133

Startup Custom Customer News 133

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 16, 2019

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 -- CTO Mixer Cruise: Brian Sletten will speak about Web Assembly. CTO Mixer Cruise: Brian Sletten will speak about Web Assembly.

Web 100

Web 100

Xconomy

JANUARY 16, 2019

Billions of dollars have already flowed to the purveyors of shared workspaces, and the investment spigot isn’t turning off yet. CommonGrounds Workspace, a San Diego, CA-based company that operates flexible office spaces in California and Colorado today, announced Wednesday that it had raised $100 million in a Series A financing to expand its lineup to roughly 50 sites during the next two years.

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San Diego Education Invest Sites 79

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2019

I’m sure we have all seen entrepreneurs with high levels of passion and confidence touting an idea that seems to make very little sense to us. Of course, we never see ourselves in this mode, yet we need to recognize that all humans see reality differently through a built-in set of “cognitive biases,” based on their own unique background of experiences, training, and mental state.

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Ideas Entrepreneur Press Startup 91

socalTECH

JANUARY 17, 2019

Los Angeles-based Relativity , a space launch startup which is developing automation technology designed to automate construction of rockets, said on Thursday that it has signed a deal for a launch site at Cape Canaveral. According to Relativity, the company gains own rocket launch facilities at Launch Complex 16 (C-16), based at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Sites 133

Sites SpaceX Los Angeles Design 133

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 16, 2019

Tuesday, January 22, 2019 -- AppSec California 2019. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Los Angeles Chapter has teamed up with the Orange County, Inland Empire, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco Bay Area Chapters to bring you another great AppSec California. Join us and your peers for amazing talks and networking on January 22-25, 2019!

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Orange County Santa Barbara San Diego Web 100

Xconomy

JANUARY 16, 2019

When Propeller Health’s founders initially tried to raise funding for their new healthcare technology venture, many of the investors they spoke with were hesitant to take the risk. It was the early part of this decade, and Propeller was navigating the FDA’s regulatory process for medical devices. The company believed it had a chance to become one of the first to earn market clearance from the agency for a software product, says Propeller co-founder and CEO David Van Sickle.

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Startup Ideas Software Product 79

Southern California Edison Blog

JANUARY 15, 2019

The telecommunications industry is under increasing pressure as customers demand high speeds and data transport, as well as implementing big data initiatives for their businesses. To keep up with demands, carriers are investing billions of dollar in infrastructure and service enhancements to help them grow. For your carrier business to grow and scale you need to: Improve the quality of service you provide.

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Southern California SoCal Help Services 55

socalTECH

JANUARY 16, 2019

Los Angeles-based, on-demand doctor house call service Heal has named former Qualcomm Chairman and CEO Dr. Paul E. Jacobs as its Chairman, and named former Florida Governor Jeb Bush to its board of directors, the company said on Wednesday. The startup lets clients schedule in-home visits by doctors for both routine visits and other checkups. Jacobs is currently founder and CEO of XCOM, a mobile technology company, and had been CEO and Chairman of Qualcomm.

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Demand Los Angeles Mobile Capital 133

SoCal Tech Calendar

JANUARY 15, 2019

Thursday, January 17, 2019 -- CES 2019 at UCLA Anderson. Technology has become an integral part of our lives, changing our lives and work, the opportunities for new ventures and established enterprises, and more broadly society. Technology based disruptions are affecting almost every sector today including transportation, healthcare, financial services and retail.

Invest 100

Invest UCLA Research Organization 100

Xconomy

JANUARY 18, 2019

The partial government shutdown, now the longest in U.S. history, began to take a bite out of biotech this week, served with a hot side dish of confusion. On Tuesday, Aimmune Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AIMT ) said the shutdown would delay the review—and potential approval—of its experimental treatment for peanut allergy. Aimmune said it received a letter from the FDA warning of the delay.

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San Diego Blogging 71

socalTECH

JANUARY 15, 2019

Fountain Valley-based HyperX , the videogame accessory maker which is part of Kingston Technology, has launched a new ad campaign, which taps the celebrity power of Post Malone, Gordon Hayward, Joel Embiid, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pokimane, Shroud, Daigo, De'Aaron Fox and Rush. The company--which has had celebrity endorsement deals with all of those celebrity influencers--said its new "We're All Gamers" ad campaign is part of its presenting sponsorship of NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC.

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Advertising Technology Companies Company 133

socalTECH

JANUARY 15, 2019

Los Angeles-based Internet services and publishing giant j2 Global has acquired two companies, saying this morning that it acquired Ekahau , a company in the digital media space, and Castle Connolly , a company in the digital media and healthcare industry. Financial details of the two acquisition were not announced, although the company said the financial impact of those acquisition is not expected to be material to the publicly held company.

Companies 133

Companies Company Southern California Acquisition 133

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2019

Wiliot , an Israel- and San Diego-based RFID technology developer, has received $30M more in a funding round, the company said on Monday. The funding, a Series B, came from Amazon Web Services, Samsung Venture Investment Corp., and Avery Dennison Corp. Wiliot is developing disposable, RFID tags which do not require batteries, and are aimed at use in the tracking of consumer products during the manufacturing process.

Web 133

Web Services San Diego Venture Capital 133

socalTECH

JANUARY 14, 2019

Los Angeles-based human resources (HR) technology developer CareerArc --part of an ever growing number of Los Angeles area enterprise software companies--said this morning that it has raised $30M in a growth equity funding. According to CareerArc, the new round was led by PeakEquity Partners. CareerArc says its developing HR software that specifically address two parts of the hiring software market--hiring new talent and transitioning employees out of the organization.

Technology 133

Technology Resource Los Angeles Equity 133