L.A. Business Journal

JULY 19, 2021

Culver City-based mobile gaming company Scopely Inc. invested a combined $50 million in three boutique European game studios, the company announced July 19.

Culver City 279

Culver City Invest Mobile Company 279

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

Los Angeles-based startup MSBAI, which is developing artificial intelligence tools for assisting in engineering reports it has received a $1M US Air Force grant. The company said it was selected for an AFWERX Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 2 contract, which will go towards adapting its GURU cognitive AI assistant to support the Air Force.

Outsource Development 203

Outsource Development Artificial Inteligence Research Los Angeles 203

Berkonomics

JULY 22, 2021

Here’s a test of your patience and your willingness to suppress your tendency to avoid conflict or confrontation – all in the same insight. First a reminder about why we hire: New hires can shore up the weak areas of a business in ways existing employees cannot – if hiring is done to fill true needs. We acknowledge that some employees lose their drive, or remain behind as the company grows, failing to gain the experience or knowledge needed to manage expanded processes or numbers of subor

Coach 156

Coach Organization Course Email 156

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 18, 2021

Businesses always seem to take longer to succeed than an entrepreneur expects. Seth Godin once said that overnight success in startups takes about six years, and Seth is an optimist. Thus we all look for shortcuts. Execution shortcuts would be hidden strategies to achieve the endgame sooner, without losing 40 to 60 percent of the financial potential along the way.

Startup 174

Startup Ideas Entrepreneur Demand 174

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

L.A. Business Journal

JULY 19, 2021

El Segundo-based ecommerce postage company Stamps.com Inc. will be acquired by Thoma Bravo, a Chicago-based private equity firm, for $6.6 billion in cash, the companies announced July 9.

El Segundo 246

El Segundo Equity Company Companies 246

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2021

A new startup, Richie Knows, says it is launching new, social network targeted at gamers, in Los Angeles. According to the company, the startup is looking to match up players with new friends and competitors as they travel. The company said it is launching a four-week Alpha test in the San Fernando Valley, as it attempts to help gamers build friendships and connect with fellow players in their local community.

Social Network 140

Social Network San Fernando Networking Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2021

Every one of you business owners I know has worked hard to build your brand, and recognizes the critical value of instant brand recognition and leadership. You have done everything to register your brand legally , including domains, copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Yet, as an outside advisor, I often see slippage over time on protecting your brand , which can be costly.

Examples 170

Examples Customer Custom Social Media 170

L.A. Business Journal

JULY 19, 2021

Detroit-based General Motors Co. will invest more than $71 million in a 149,000 square-foot campus in Pasadena, the automotive giant announced July 13.

Pasadena 264

Pasadena Invest 264

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor Moonshots Capital announced on Tuesday morning that it has raised $36M in its second fund, Moonshots Fund II. The venture investment firm--led by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings--said the new fund will continue to go to late Seed and Series A investments. Both Perdew and Cummings are military veterans, and very often back military veteran founders According to the fund, although it invests across geographies, it does make a lot of investments locally, w

Capital 133

Capital Funding Invest Venture Capital 133

L.A. Business Journal

JULY 20, 2021

Several local startups are among the 2021 class for Techstars' Los Angeles Accelerator.

Class 246

Class Startup Los Angeles Angel 246

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 19, 2021

To build a startup, entrepreneurs need a laser focus on providing an innovative solution to a real problem. Once they achieve that initial traction, the focus needs to change for quicker growth. Most entrepreneurs dream of achieving the exponential expansion of a Google or Amazon, but few investor pitches I see outline any strategy beyond simple marketing to make this happen.

Search Engine Optimization 158

Search Engine Optimization Artificial Inteligence Organization Social Media 158

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 17, 2021

If you define your self-worth as an entrepreneur by how busy you are, it’s time to find another lifestyle. We all know people who are extraordinarily busy, but never seem to accomplish anything. For survival, entrepreneurs need to be all about accomplishing results that matter for themselves, their team, and their customers. That’s productivity. Why is this so hard?

Framework 153

Framework Product Entrepreneur Social Media 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2021

In my role as a business advisor, a complaint I often hear from owners and professionals alike is that there is just not enough time to get everything done. This is especially true from those of you who are perfectionists , and feel hard-pressed to delegate critical tasks to anyone who may be less capable. Even worse, I hear the terms control freak or micro-manager tossed around.

Press 152

Press Tool Coach Mentor 152

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2021

Irvine-based fitness brand owner Xponential Fitness, which owns such fitness brands as Club Pilates, Pure Barre, and YogaSix, said last night that it has priced its initial public offering (IPO). The company said it is offering up 10,000,000 shares of its Class A stock at a price of $12.00 per share, and will start trading on the New York Stock Exchange today.

Pricing 113

Pricing Class Startup Company 113

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2021

Thousand Oaks-based biotech company Capsida Biotherapeutics says it has opened up a new, 15,000 square-foot facility in Thousand Oaks for its gene therapy manufacturing efforts. The company is developing targeted adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapies for patients with debilitating and life-threatening genetic disorders. The company says that building its own manufacturing facility will help it eliminate dependence on ontract manufacturing.

Thousand Oaks 113

Thousand Oaks Help Product Develop 113

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2021

Los Angeles-based biopharmaceuticals startup Immix Biopharma said it has filed for an IPO, and has submitted a confidential draft registration statement/S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Details on that IPO have yet to be announced. Immix Biopharma is developing treatments for cancer. The company's investors include Mesa Verde Ventures.

Los Angeles 113

Los Angeles Pricing Startup Angel 113

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2021

Los Angeles-based soda company Zevia has its IPO on Thursday, launching itself onto the public markets on the New York Stock Exchange at ZVIA. The company priced at $14.00 per share on Wednesday night, offering up 10,700,000 shares to buyers. The price was at the midpoint of its originally estimated $13.00 to $15.00 range. Zevia sells zero calorie soda to the consumer market, and uses stevia instead of sugar as a sweetener.

Marketing 113

Marketing Pricing Los Angeles Software 113

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2021

Irvine-based BayWa r.e., a renewable energy developer and services provider, says it has launched a new brand, BayWa r.e. Power Solutions Inc. The new brand is a new name for Enable Energy Inc., which BayWa r.e. acquired in September. The new company is focused on solar and battery energy storage systems for the U.S. commercial, industrial, and utility sectors.

Company 113

Company Companies Activity Services 113

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2021

Los Angeles-based voice, unified communications, and SIP trunking provider Broadvoice said on Tuesday that it has acquired GoContact, a Portugese provider of contact center services. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Broadvoice says that GoContact has sales and service operations in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Angola and Colombia.

Acquisition 113

Acquisition Los Angeles Sales Services 113

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2021

Los Angeles-based Faraday Future is now a publicly traded company, after a successful acquisition by a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) called Property Solutions Acquisiton Corp., the company said on Wednesday afternoon. Faraday Future will begin trading today under the ticker symbols FFIE and FFIE.WS. Faraday Future--currently led by CEO Dr.

Marketing 113

Marketing Southern California Acquisition Resource 113

socalTECH

JULY 22, 2021

Los Angeles-based education technology startup Sketchy is ramping up its hiring efforts, saying today that it has added a number of new executives and advisors to the company. The firm--which received $30M from TCG and Reach Capital in 2020 for its efforts--said it recently added Trevin Chow as its new Chief Product Officer (most recently, Nike's Director of Product, Digital Coaching and Athlete Experiences); plus advisors Shiva Rajaraman (Vice President of Commerce at Facebook), and Stephen Dav

Startup 113

Startup Coach Education Commerce 113

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2021

Los Angeles-based venture capital investment fund Bonfire Ventures is looking to extend its network--and make more angel, pre-seed, and seed investments--through a new program is is calling Bonfire Firestarters. According to Bonfire, it has partnered with six individuals and five early-stage fund managers who the firm will be using to make investments for the fund.

Invest 113

Invest Networking Angel Venture Capital 113

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2021

San Diego-based high performance computing technology developer MemComputing says it has scored a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Size of that SBIR contract was not nnounced. According to the company, the contract will go towards identifying applications where the company's technology can be used to accelerate NASA's supercomputing workloads for large-scale numerical simulation.

Outsource Development 113

Outsource Development San Diego Research Technology 113

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2021

San Diego-based Fabri8Labs, a company developing metal additive manufacturing technology, said it has raised $19.3M in a Series A funding round. The funding was led by Intel Capital, and also included Lam Capital, TDK Ventures, SE Ventures, imec.xpand, Stanley Ventures, and Mark Cuban. According to the company, it is developing a process which fabricates complex metal parts at the atomic level.

San Diego 113

San Diego Capital Funding Technology 113

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2021

Santa Monica-based fintech startup HMBradley, which offers up an online-online checking account which pays up to 3.50% annual percentage yield (APY), says it is switching its accounts to be "invite only", and is now looking for additional banking partners. According to the company, it has now amassed more than $375M in deposits in the 15 months since it launched.

Santa Monica 113

Santa Monica Capital Startup Company 113

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2021

Los Angeles-based accounting software developer FloQast said this morning that it has raised $110M in its Series D funding round, with its latest valuation putting the company into unicorn territory, at $1.2 billion. The funding was led by Meritech Capital, and also included Insight Partners, Redpoint Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Coupa Ventures, Polaris Partners, and Norwest Venture Partners.

Redpoint 113

Redpoint Software Development Los Angeles Software 113

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

San Diego-based Wugen, a biotechnology company which is developing treatments for solid tumors, recently annoucned a $172M, Series B funding round. The company--which says it licensed its technology from Washington University in St. Louis--said the Series B was co-led by Abingworth and Tybourne Capital Mangaement, and also included Fidelity Management & Research Company, Intermediate Capital Group (ICG), Sands Capital, Aisling Capital Management, Alexandria Venture Investments, Velosity Capital

San Diego 113

San Diego Capital Research Platform 113

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

Los Angeles-based private equity investor Platinum Equity said this week that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Unical Aviation, a provider of aircraft parts and components to the global commercial aerospace market. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Platinum Equity acquired Unical Aviation from that firm's founders.

Equity 113

Equity Acquisition Los Angeles Marketing 113

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

Irvine-based Qmerit, which installed electric vehicle charging stations in residential and fleet environments, has scored an investment from GIC, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, according to Qmerit. Size of the investment was not announced. According to Qmerit, the investment by GIC came alongside an investment from earlier investors Lime Rock New Energy and Schneider Electric.

Invest 113

Invest Pricing Funding Company 113

socalTECH

JULY 19, 2021

Irvine-based Halo Technology Group, a manufacturer of fiber optic transceivers and high speed cabling, said last week that it acquired two companies, Aria Technologies and Solid Optics.

Technology 113

Technology Company Companies Networking 113

socalTECH

JULY 19, 2021

Fountain Valley-based HyperX says it has renewed an existing sponsorship deal it has with Valkyrae, a female gaming streamer. Rachell "Valkyrae" Hofstetter will serve as a brand ambassador and HyperX Hero. Financial details of the sponsorship renewal were not announced. Valkyrae apparently has been full time streamer since 2016, and is on Twitch and YouTube.

113

113

socalTECH

JULY 19, 2021

Los Angeles-based Faraday Future, the developer of electric vehicles, said it has launhed a new app, which it says it will eventually let users control the vehicle systems of its upcoming vehicles. In the meantime, the app allows users to configure and reserve the company's upcoming, first vehicle, the FF 91. The company said the app runs on both iOS and Android.

Acquisition 113

Acquisition Los Angeles Technology Product 113

socalTECH

JULY 19, 2021

Santa Monica-based Kite, which is now owned by Gilean Company, says it has sold its R&D and manufacturing facility in Gaithersburg, MD, to.

Santa Monica 113

Santa Monica Company Companies 113

socalTECH

JULY 20, 2021

Techstars LA, the startup accelerator headed up by Matt Kozlov, announced its 2021 class this week, drawing an international group of twelve new companies to its startup accelerator in Culver City. The startup accelerator program--which is back in person now after a move online last year due to the pandemic--said the 12 companies include Alva Health (wearables for real time stroke detection), Butterfly Labs (health and wellness services), Cheres (social investing), Communikind (holistic health/c

Class 113

Class Culver City Company Companies 113