TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

With the help of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, the U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, Maxar Technologies, SAIC and the Israel Aerospace Industries company, Techstars and Starburst Aerospace are launching an accelerator focused on the space industry in Los Angeles. Already a major hub for the space and aerospace startup industry, with companies like SpaceX, Relativity Space, Virgin Orbit, Rocket Lab, Phase Four, and others calling Los Angeles home, the new accelerator will provide another booste

Los Angeles 275

Los Angeles Angel SpaceX Entrepreneur 275

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Santa Monica-based game developer Activision Blizzard says it is slashing 8 percent of its staff, or nearly 800 employees, as a part of a restructuring effort at the company. The move comes even as Activions Blizzard reported record net revenues in 2018 of $7.50 bllion, up from the $7.02 billion it had in revenues for 2017. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said that, although its financial results for 2018 "were the best in our history", the company "didn't reaize our full potential"--trigge

Activision 113

Activision Santa Monica .Net Course 113

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Seed investments are down by any measure (funds, deals, dollars) over the past 3 years in deals < $1 million AND in deals between $1–5 million. What gives? Over the past month a colleague ( Chang Xu ) and I sifted through data on the venture capital industry (as we do every year) and made a bunch of calls to VCs and LPs to confirm our hypotheses.

Venture Capital 328

Venture Capital Invest Seed Funding Startup 328

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Early stage investors have been arguing over this for years. Do they bet on the entrepreneur (jockey) or the business idea and plan (the horse)? This is serious stuff. If you are looking for money, this question will certainly come up in one form or another when you approach professional or organized angel or VC investors. A more complex answer.

Venture Capital 120

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Ideas Summary 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

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Chris Lorenz, Geoffrey Anderson, and James Borow may have spent their days over the past few years working at Snap, but on nights and weekends Anderson and Lorenz were laboring on a different project — improving Ethereum development tools. . Now the three men are finally ready to take the covers off of the labor of love they’ve been working on and launch Forge Platform , a new toolkit for distributed applications.

Platform 216

Platform Outsource Development Tool Startup 216

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

The personal account details of nearly 28 million users of HauteLook , the private sales site founded in Los Angeles and now owned by Nordstrom , have been hacked and have just shown up for sale on the "dark web" , according to security researchers. According to a report from The Register, HauteLook's data--along with that from Dubsmash, Myfitnesspal, MyHeritage, and many others--just went up for sale on the "dark web" for less than $20,000 in Bitcoin.

Web 168

Web Sales Research Los Angeles 168

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Early stage investors have been arguing over this for years. Do they bet on the entrepreneur (jockey) or the business idea and plan (the horse)? This is serious stuff. If you are looking for money, this question will certainly come up in one form or another when you approach professional or organized angel or VC investors. A more complex answer.

Venture Capital 120

Venture Capital Entrepreneur Ideas Summary 120

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 -- Sharing Ownership. CSULB Beach Incubator. Attorney Rick Citron. Mr. Citron is an attorney and entrepreneur specializing in business law, real estate, and succession planning. With over 40 years of experience in practicing law, Mr. Citron has contributed to the success stories of hundreds of companies, utilizing his experience and the synergy of a carefully nurtured network of professionals.

Incubator 100

Incubator Networking Entrepreneur Company 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Santa Monica-based TigerConnect , the developer of healthcare communications software, has rolled out a new set of products and product enhancements, all aimed at communications between healthcare providers, patients, and health systems. According to the company, it has rolled out a new product called TigerTouch, which it says allows health systems to communicate directly with patients through video, voice, and text.

Product 165

Product Software Santa Monica Mobile 165

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Tesla has announced that a “dog mode” will be added to its cars as soon as this week. The reason? Someone asked Elon Musk for it on Twitter. The latest mode is just the latest in a long line of updates and improvements that Tesla has rolled out across its cars, with some being recommendations tweeted directly at Musk, then quickly adopted.

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News Satisfaction Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Every business founder knows the need for a culture that promotes continuous innovation, an entrepreneurial spirit, and one that creates sustainable value across all functions in the business. Yet most don’t really know how to create that environment, or assess when they have achieved it. They only know in retrospect too late when they don’t have it, and the business is in crisis mode.

Startup 97

Startup Metrics Competition Organization 97

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 -- LAEDC Economic Forecast 2019. Panel discussion: Agents of Innovation: LA County Businesses Shaping The Future Economy. One of the first events of its kind in Los Angeles, The LAEDC's annual Economic Forecast has long been a lightning rod for cultivating meaningful economic advancement within our city. For the past 10+ years, our region's top influencers gather to ask the most pressing questions, take on challenging issues, and shape the relationships which keep LA

Press 100

Press Los Angeles Angel 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Rivian , a developer of electric powered pickups and SUVs--which has significant operations in Irvine--has raised $700M in a funding round, the company announced Friday morning. The funding was led by Amazon. According to Rivian, its first two vehicles--the R1T and R1S--provide over 400 miles of range, and are expected to be delivered in late 2020. The company is led by founder and CEO RJ Scaringe.

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Funding Develop Development Company 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Too many people treat pet adoption like a one-night stand. “You look at a dog, and see his eyes, and think he’s cute,” says Tama Lundquist, co-president of Houston PetSet, an organization that works with about 70 animal shelters in the Houston area. “But if you’re a couch potato and he likes to run, that’s not going to work out.” Each year, about 3.3 million of these failed hook-ups result in a dog being surrendered to a shelter nationally, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Anima

Startup 96

Startup Organization Venture Capital San Diego 96

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2019

As an entrepreneur, you have to improvise and adapt quickly to survive and thrive in the face of the unpredictable challenges of the market. But this improvisation a not a comedy, although there are some distinct correlations, in relation to reacting, adapting, and communicating. In business and in comedy, you win most often with “Yes, and …” instead of “Yes, but ….

Startup 94

Startup Training Examples Ideas 94

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 -- CTO Mixer Cruise w/ Google's Denny Vrandecic.On Tuesday, February 19th @ 6pm, LA CTO Mixers will set sail with Google's Denny Vrandecic who will be giving a presentation on Wikidata and beyond, followed by a demo by John Herzog on the use of screen readers.

Google 100

Google Screening 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Irvine-based Avetta , a provider of supply chain management software, has merged with another supply chain risk management company, BROWZ , the companies said this week. Avetta is owned by private equity investor Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe. The combined firm says it has more than 85,000 customers in over 100 countries. Financial terms of the merger were not announced.

Carson 133

Carson Equity Software Invest 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Mission Edge, a nonprofit organization backed by the San Diego Foundation and three corporations, has chosen 10 companies and organizations to participate in a 12-week program intended to improve each entity’s financial performance, and thereby long-term sustainability. Called the Social Enterprise Accelerator and Impact Lab (SAIL), the program has previously taken place twice.

San Diego 93

San Diego Organization Software Company 93

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2019

I often recommend business networking as the most effective way for a startup founder to find investors, advisors, and even key executive candidates. But what if you are an introvert, or new to this game, and don’t know where or how to start? The answer is still the same, but I have learned over the years that there is an etiquette to this process, just like there is for social networking.

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Networking Entrepreneur Social Network Activity 90

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 -- Start-Up Options for Rapid Development, Funding, and Commercialization. LAVA. Is VC funding the only way to develop and grow your company? Have you heard of accelerators, incubators, angles, and other resources for rapid development, funding, and growth of your start-up? Attend our LAVA event on February 19th as our distinguished panel will share their expertise and insight.

Startup 100

Startup LAVA Develop Development 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Santa Monica-based TrueCar announced late Thursday that it has acquired a 20 percent stake in Accu-Trade , a provider of vehicle apparisal technology. Financial terms of the deal were not annoucned. Accu-Trade, which is based in Manheim, Pennsylvania, and provides a mobile app which offers up vehicle appraisals and valuations for dealers and consumers.

Truecar 133

Truecar Santa Monica Mobile Tool 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

No longer solely the provenance of hippie or outlaw types, the U.S. cannabis industry has become more sophisticated and tech-enabled as it has come out of the shadows over the past decade. Michigan voters pushed the state to joined the ranks of nine others last fall in approving adult use of recreational marijuana. But with corporations and mom-and-pop players alike wanting to get in on that “green rush”— valued at $146.4 billion globally by 2025 and $25 billion in the U.S. alone—how

IP 91

IP Research Product Develop 91

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

A “downer” is defined here as someone who seems to dwell on the negatives of every business challenge, and loves to highlight bad news or potential problems. No matter how smart or experienced this person may otherwise be, things must change or they will kill your startup. I’m not talking about someone who has an occasional bad day, but rather people who when asked, “How are things?

Startup 82

Startup Mentor Satisfaction Writing 82

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Tuesday, February 19, 2019 -- Seed Stage Startup Pitch Competition. Startup Coil. L.A. startups and entrepreneurs pitch on stage for product, business model, and investing feedback, and one winner will take home a valuable prize package.

Competition 100

Competition Startup Entrepreneur Invest 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

TuSimple , a developer of autonomous trucking technology which has offices in San Diego and in China, said on Wednesday that it has raised $95M in a Series D funding round. The funding came from Chinese investors SINA Corp. and Composite Capital. TuSimple says it has now raised a total of $178M. The new funding values the company at $1 billion. The company was founded in 2015.

Technology 133

Technology San Diego Software Engineering Funding 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Francisco Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm, said Monday it has acquired Qualcomm Life, a subsidiary of the San Diego chipmaker that focuses on connecting medical devices to software applications installed at hospitals and other healthcare organizations. Terms of the deal between Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM ) and Francisco Partners weren’t disclosed.

San Diego 86

San Diego Equity Organization Software 86

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

These days, if your startup does not have an Internet home base up and running, you are not ready for business or potential investors. Customers go there to check on the details of your offerings and verify that you are not a scam, investors look there to check out your management and sales approach, and suppliers expect to find contact information.

Web 76

Web Startup Sites Design 76

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 --.

Enterprise Forum 100

Enterprise Forum Acquisition Startup 100

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

Santa Monica-based healthcare communications software developer TigerConnect has inked a partnership with physician scheduling and labor analytics software developer OpenTempo , the two announced today in a deal which will provide closer integration between their tools. Financial details of the deal were not announced. According to the two, the integration allows joint customers of TigerConnect and OpenTempo to gain real-time access to physician schedules, and will power "role-based" messaging -

Santa Monica 133

Santa Monica Software Development Tool Software 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

Section 32, a venture capital firm headquartered near San Diego that launched in 2017 with a $151 million fund, has had a big month. The firm, based in San Diego’s coastal Cardiff-by-the-Sea community, was started by Bill Maris , who launched and previously headed Google’s corporate venture investment arm, GV (originally called Google Ventures). In an interview with Xconomy last year , the former Googler said his firm planned to focus most of its attention on investments at the juncture of life

San Diego 78

San Diego Funding Venture Capital Google 78

Southern California Edison Blog

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

California boasts one of the most impressive economies in the United States. Southern California alone has a gross domestic product larger than countries including Mexico and Turkey. And, since 2012, just six counties in SoCal have seen their gross domestic product increase from $992 billion to $1.26 trillion. ¹. Businesses are driving that growth, winning customers and expanding their operations.

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Southern California Services Demand SoCal 60

SoCal Tech Calendar

FEBRUARY 14, 2019

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 --.

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socalTECH

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Need something for the annual music festival at Coachella ? Amazon is looking to cater to the crowd of tech-savvy visitors to the popular festival, and said on Tuesday that it will be offering up its Lockers at on-site locations at Coachella during the two weekends of the festival in April. Amazon said its delivery lockers will not only allow users to order for same-day delivery for items, it will also allow its customers to pre-order items in advance so that their products will be available to

Sites 133

Sites Customer Custom Product 133

Xconomy

FEBRUARY 13, 2019

TuSimple has pulled in $95 million more in venture funding to advance its development of a commercial autonomous fleet of trucks. The new Series D round of financing announced Wednesday boosts the San Diego-based company’s valuation to land it on the growing list of “unicorns”—the tech-world term coined for companies valued at $1 billion or above.

San Diego 74

San Diego Company Companies Funding 74

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Nuro , a self-driving, delivery robot developer backed by Los Angeles-based venture investor Greylock Partners, has raised a huge, $940M funding round from SoftBank Vision Fund, the company said on Monday. Nuro said the new funding brings its total raised to more than $1 billion. Other investors in Nuro include Greylock Partners and Gaorong Capital.

Funding 133

Funding Startup Los Angeles Capital 133

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 11, 2019

Fountain Valley-based gaming accessories maker HyperX said this morning that it has become an official sponsor of the Pittsburgh Knights , the esports team that is associated with the Pitssburgh Steelers. According to HyperX, which is the gaming division of Kingston Technology, it will become the "Exclusive Peripherals Sponsors" of the Knights, providing gaming headsets, keyboards, mice, mousepads and internal memory products to the team.

Technology 133

Technology Product 133