TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Metropolis is a new Los Angeles-based startup that’s looking to compete with BMW-owned ParkMobile for a slice of the automated parking lot management market. Upgrading ParkMobile’s license plate-based service with a computer vision based system that recognizes cars as they enter and leave garages has been Metropolis’ mission since founder and chief executive Alex Israel first formed the business back in 2017.

Artificial Inteligence 249

Artificial Inteligence Los Angeles Mobile Pricing 249

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Growing up the son of a prominent local veterinarian, entrepreneur Brandon Werber never thought he would have to search for a vet for his two French bulldogs.

Platform 264

Platform Entrepreneur 264

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

El Segundo-based ABL Space Systems, which is developing low cost launch vehicles and launch systems, says it has signed up customer for its first launch. The company says it is targeting its first demonstration flight of its RS1 rocket in Q2 of 2021. ABL Space Systems said that L2 Aerospace will launch two spacecraft on ABL's demonstration flight. Financial details of the launch agreement were not announced.

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El Segundo Customer Custom Develop 203

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

First, let’s recall the four “P’s” of marketing. Marketing is a science devised to help drive customers to your door. There are lots of ways to define how to market well, including the four P’s of marketing (1): product, price, promotion and place. This is considered to be the producer-oriented model. These are still the driving focus behind most marketing courses, and deserve to be so.

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Marketing Demand Class Pricing 156

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

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Startup founders are known for their passion for their startup idea, and for their passion to kill every competitor. Thus they often overlook the fact that their biggest growth opportunity may be a win-win collaboration with a serious competitor, known in the business as coopetition. Of course, this path involves some risk, but you never get anywhere unless you take a chance.

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Startup Outsource Development Examples Customer 173

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

It’s been nearly a decade since Santa Monica-based venture capital firm Glenmont Mucker Management, doing business as Mucker Capital, launched its startup accelerator for fledgling tech companies.

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Santa Monica Startup Venture Capital Capital 204

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Foothill Ranch-based iBASEt, a developer of software for the manufacturing sector, said this week that it has named both a new Chief Customer Officer and Chief Financial Officer. The company said it has promoted Scott Baril to the Chief Customer Officer role, and named Daniel de Haas as its new Chief Financial Officer. iBASEt said Baril has more than 20 years of professional services and supply chain management experience, and de Haas has more than 20+ years of accounting, controlling, and finan

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Custom Customer Software Services 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 14, 2021

In their passion and excitement about a new product or service, entrepreneurs tend to continually narrow the scope of potential competitors, and often claim to have no direct competitors. This raises a big red flag with potential investors, who conclude that no competitors means no market, or you haven’t looked, and the new startup is likely not investable.

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Competition Funding Startup Patents 166

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Westlake Technology Holdings and sister company Nowcom Corp. have joined to create NowLake Technology.

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Company Companies Technology 246

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

It's been a big week for Jeff Bezos. Not only has he become the richest man in the world again, leapfrogging a certain Mr Musk, but it has also been revealed that Amazon has quietly acquired ecommerce platform Selz. Selz, run by a team of around 50 in Sydney, Australia, bills itself as a one-stop-shop for small businesses to start selling products and services online.

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News Acquisition Platform Sales 135

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Los Angeles-based electric vehicle (EV) charging network operator EVgo said on Friday morning that it has scored a win in New Jersey, to install 30 new DC fast charging stalls in the state. According to EVgo, the new fast chargers are being funded by a series of grants from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). EVgo did not say how much it is receiving from New Jersey for those isntalls, which will cover grocery stores, retail shopping centers, and a travel plaza on the Ne

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Los Angeles Networking Funding Angel 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

In my role as advisor and mentor to many new entrepreneurs, I often find myself suggesting that they think bigger. I’m a techy at heart, and I love to see real innovation, but too often I see just “ copycat ” proposals, or at best incremental thinking. For example, I’m not sure the world needs one more social media niche site, or another dating site, or yet another flavored drink alternative.

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Startup Metrics Ideas Entrepreneur 162

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

ByteDance has reportedly abandoned plans to sell TikTok's U.S. operations to Oracle and Walmart.

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Oracle Report 246

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Wednesday, February 24, 2021 --.

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Develop Development Sales 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Irvine-based software developer Performio, which develops incentive compensation management software, says it saw 110 percent growth in North America for its FY2020, after relocating its headquarters to Irvine in 2019. The company was acquired in June of 2019 by private equity investor Stables Partners, and moved the company's headquarters to Irvine from Melbourne, Australia.

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Software Development News Equity Software 113

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

It wasn’t so many years ago that starting a new e-commerce business on the Internet was a complex custom development project, usually costing a million dollars or more. Now you can do it for free, or a few hundred dollars, with one of the many web building tools available, like Shopify or Weebly. A programmer can build a new smartphone app for a few thousand dollars.

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Entrepreneur Startup Social Media Outsource Development 162

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Santa Monica-based Universal Music Group announced a “global alliance” on Feb.

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Santa Monica 264

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Growing up the son of a prominent local veterinarian, entrepreneur Brandon Werber never thought he would have to search for a vet for his two French bulldogs.

Platform 130

Platform Entrepreneur 130

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2021

Let’s face it, consultants have a bad image. Businesses want experienced people who get their hands dirty, rather than experts who give presentations, make recommendations, and disappear. Even consultants don’t like their job, since they don’t often get to see results, and too much of their time is spent looking for the next gig. The Internet has changed the world.

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Startup Slides Email Customer 150

L.A. Business Journal

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Pex raised $57 million in a funding round that will allow the company to scale up its digital video and audio licensing engine.

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Funding Company Companies 130

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Los Angeles-based Satisfi Labs, which develops artificial intelligence (AI) software, says it has inked a deal with the LA Galaxy and LA Kings, to provide its virtual assistants to fans. Financial details of the arrangement were not announced. Satisfi Labs said the deal, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, makes Satisfi Labs the official partner of the two teams, allowing fans to gain real-time, conversational access to player stats, in-game scores, team standings, and more.

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Artificial Inteligence Los Angeles Software Angel 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

San Diego-based Ensysce Biosciences, a biopharmaceuticals company developing medicines for severe pain relief to reduce fear of addiction, opioid misuse, abuse and overdose, says it has appointed David Humphrey as its new Chief Financial Officer. The company--which is in the midst of being acquired by Leisure Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)--said Humphrey was previously CFO of Senomyx, where he had been when it was acquired by Firmenich SA.

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San Diego Acquisition Develop Development 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Los Angeles-based Pitaya Entertainment announced this week that it has launched a new podcasting venture, which will create podcasts for U.S. Latinos. According to the company, the Latino podcast audience is underserved and underdeveloped, and Latino voices are seriously underrepresented in podcasting. The new startup is being led by Manging Partner and Co-Foudner Zach Horowitz.

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Entertainment Marketing Google Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Los Angeles-based talkshoplive, a startup which operates a livestreaming shopping network and app, has raised $3M in a seed funding round. According to the company, the funding round came from Spero Ventures LLC. Talkshoplive says it livestreams e-commerce, allowing viewers to make purchases from within an embeddable video player. The company was foudned by brother and sister Bryan and Tina Moore.

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Seed Funding Commerce Demand Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has completed raising $850M in new funding, boosting the valuation of the company to an astounding $74 billion, according to CNBC. The funding--which has not been announced by SpaceX--apparently valued SpaceX at $419.99 per share, and is a steep rise from its previous round in August, which valued SpaceX at $46 billion.

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SpaceX Southern California Hawthorne Funding 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Los Angeles-based venture capital investor Westlake Village BioPartners said on Wednesday that it has named Peter Calveley, previously Managing Director in the Investment Banking Group at SVB Leerink, as its Chief Operating Officer. According to the firm, Calveley will help power its portfolio of promising life sciences companies, and also aid in its expansion of its Los Angeles Biotech Hub.

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Westlake Village Venture Capital Los Angeles Invest 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Los Angeles-based car sharing marketplace HyreCar reports it has raised $29.7M in its public offering. The publicly traded company--which trades as HYRE on the NASDAQ--said it sold 2.53 million shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $11.75 per share. The offering was run by Lake Street Capital Markets, LLC and Northland Securities.

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Los Angeles Pricing Platform Report 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Irvine-based enterprise cloud storage provider Zadara announced on Tuesday that it has acquired NeoKarm, a developer of multi-cloud hybrid platforms. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Zadara said that the acquisition will help boost its edge cloud services offering. Simon Grinberg, the CEO of NeoKarm, and former head of product for Stratoscale, will join Zadara as Head of Product via the acquisition.

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Acquisition Demand Platform Product 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Los Angeles-based Therabody, a developer of devices which use massage therapy to relieve muscle tension, said it has received a strategic investment round from more than 100 people, including many celebrities, in the professional sports, culture, and entertainment area. The company said the investment came from Shawn Carter (Jay-Z), Jay Brown, and Larry Marcus' Marcy Venture Partners, Aaron Rodgers' growth equity fund Rx3 Growth Partners, TRUE Capital Management, James Harden's 13 Endeavors, Kev

Invest 113

Invest Equity Entertainment Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

A new startup accelerator in Long Beach, the Long Beach Accelerator, said this week that it has launched its very first class of startups. The accelerator is being run by Sunstone Management, the City of Long Beach's Economic Development Department and California State University Long Beach's Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CSLUB IIE). The accelerator said the startups include three companies based in Long Beach, which will participate in a 3.5 month program involving workshops, gui

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Long Beach Class Mentor Startup 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Los Angeles-based HONK Technologies, which operates a roadside assistance service to connect drivers with towing, said this morning that it has named Rochelle Thielen as Chief Revenue Officer. Thielen was most recently Executive Vice President, Partners, and previously also served as CEO of Estify, and has served at Mitchell International and Audatex, according to the company.

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Los Angeles Services Technology Angel 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

San Diego-based Micronoma, a biotech startup developing cancer detection technology, has raised $3.5M in a convertible note financing, the company said this morning. The company said funding came from SymBiosis LLC, an existing investor, as well as new investor The Seerave Foundation. The company says it has now raised $6.5M in total since a seed round six months ago.

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San Diego Technology Funding Startup 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Los Angeles-based Metropolis, a new startup focused on parking, has raised a huge, $41M Series A funding, the company announced on Tuesday. The startup--led by parking startup veteran Alex Israel--said the funding was led by 3L, and also included 01 Advisors, Dragoneer and Slow Ventures, plus real estate investors Starwood, RXR, DivcoWest and Dan Doctoroff.

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Funding Los Angeles Startup Angel 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Glendale-based Avery Dennison--best known for its labeling products--said on Monday that it has acquired JDC Solutions, a manufacturer of pressure-sensitive specialty tapes. Avery Dennison said it paid $24M for JDC Solutions, which is based in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. JDC has approximately $30M in annual revenues, and employs 75 at its headquarters location.

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Glendale Product Acquisition 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Los Angeles-based J2 Global reported its fourth quarter results last week, reporting a robust amount of revenue growth in Q4. According to J2 Global, it saw its quarterly revenues increase 15.7% in Q4, to a record $469.2M, compared to $405.6M in Q4 of 2019 The company also said it operating income increase 17.0% to $128.9M, compared to $110.2M the year before.

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Report Los Angeles Media Angel 113

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

Los Angeles-based private equity investor Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. said last week that its new Kayne Anderson Renewable Infrastructure Fund has reached $50M in assets. The fund focuses on investing in companies that develop, build, own and operate the renewable power infrastructure necessary to transition global power generation to a cleaner future, including wind farms, solar parks, energy storage, and the infrastructure to bring that energy to market.

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Funding Equity Los Angeles Invest 113