L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, a nonprofit company focused on the ocean economy, announced Aug.

UCSD 246

UCSD San Diego Resource Los Angeles 246

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 3, 2020

The critical success factors for a product business are well known, starting with selling every unit with a gross margin of 50 percent or more, building a patent and other intellectual property, and continuous product improvement. If your forte is a service, like consulting or web site design, it’s harder to find guidance on what will get you funded, and how you can scale your business.

Startup 174

Startup Training Services Writing 174

Berkonomics

AUGUST 6, 2020

Remembering our original vision. When we start a business, we are optimistic that we will succeed and dream of riches to follow when the company is sold or even getting all the way to an IPO. Some of us build our businesses to be lifestyle creations, destined to provide for our families but not necessarily as creators of great equity upon an eventual sale.

Resource 156

Resource Startup Sales Equity 156

socalTECH

AUGUST 7, 2020

Los Angeles-based Cinedigm , a provider of premium content, streaming channels and technology services, is powering a new wellness video-on-demand application from Sanctuary Studios , the company said today. Financial details of the win were not announced. According to Sanctuary and Cinedigm, Sanctuary has released its new health and wellness video-on-demand application for VIZIO's SmartCast televisions, using Cinedigm's Matchpoint Blueprint service.

Services 124

Services Guide Demand Content 124

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

AUGUST 7, 2020

Culver City-based Omnia Media Inc. has been acquired by Canadian digital media company Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.

Culver City 147

Culver City Media Company Companies 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 2, 2020

One of the characteristics that every good investor looks for in an aspiring entrepreneur is resilience , or the ability to learn from and bounce back after a failure. You don’t have to have previous startup problems to show resilience – everyone should have a story of tackling a tough challenge with minimal success, but using the failure to move on and achieve an objective.

Startup 173

Startup Mentor Activity Entrepreneur 173

socalTECH

AUGUST 7, 2020

An order, issued by the Trump administration on Thursday evening, bans TikTok 's parent company--ByteDance--from transactions with US companies beginning in 45 days, as well as banning US business transactions with WeChat and its parent company, Tencent. The executive order cited a "national emergency with respect to the information and communications technology and services supply chain".

Riot Games 124

Riot Games Culver City Activision Southern California 124

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 6, 2020

TrueCar Inc. has entered into an agreement with J.D. Power to sell its ALG Inc. subsidiary for $135 million.

Truecar 147

Truecar 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2020

As an advisor to entrepreneurs, one of the most common requests I get is for an evaluation of a next startup idea. I try to explain that even the most innovative idea will fail if it is not a good fit for you at this time, so the question I ask them is “why you now” rather than “ why this solution now ?” The right person can make any idea a business success, and the wrong one will always struggle.

Ideas 151

Ideas Entrepreneur Resource Knowledge Base 151

Xconomy

AUGUST 7, 2020

The novel coronavirus has driven the pharmaceutical industry to upend its research priorities. Big Pharma companies are focusing on vaccine development and a slew of biotechs are testing compounds, previously intended for a wide range of indications, as potential COVID-19 treatments. This week saw another major development brought on by industry efforts to adjust to the new realities engendered by the pandemic, with the signing of an $18.5 billion merger in the digital health sector.

Research 80

Research Develop Development Edmunds 80

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Los Angeles-based IT consulting, advisory, and project management service provider T2 Tech Group says it has acquired the patient access and scheduling services division from Revint Solutions. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. T2 Tech Group said it will use the acquisition of the division to launch a new offering, T2 Flex Force, which will offer up virtual workforce technology to hospitals and healthcare systems.

Acquisition 124

Acquisition Los Angeles Services Technology 124

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Amid the market volatility caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, fintech and investing apps are reporting a rise in user activity as amateur investors enter the market.

Invest 147

Invest Activity Report Marketing 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2020

Entrepreneurs seem to have blinders on when looking at competitors. Generally they are so focused on killing competitors that they fail to see the positive potential of a strategic partnership or some other type of collaborative relationship. Sometimes you have to put aside the emotion and the passion, and just look at what is best for your business.

Startup 126

Startup Outsource Competition Acquisition 126

Xconomy

AUGUST 6, 2020

Denali Therapeutics has selected a brain-penetrating Parkinson’s disease drug candidate to advance to late-stage testing and Biogen is paying $1 billion to kick off a partnership on that compound, and potentially others. According to terms of the deal announced Thursday, the companies will co-develop the small molecule, dubbed DNL151. Biogen (NASDAQ: BIIB ) also gains options to develop two additional programs, and the right of first negotiation on two others—all of them for neurodegenerat

Technology 80

Technology Develop Development San Diego 80

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Irvine-based solar cell and module manufactuer Q CELLS said this morning that it has is acquiring San Francisco-based energy storage software maker Growing Energy Labs, Inc. (Geli). Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Q CELLS said the buy will help expand its offerings in the Integrated Energy Storage Solutions area. Geli develops software used for design, automation, and management of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)--software which uses load profiles, electricity tariff

Artificial Inteligence 124

Artificial Inteligence Software Acquisition Design 124

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Gemist Inc. wants to bring the bling direct to consumers.

Help 147

Help Customer Custom 147

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

Every one of you has had to deal with the conflicting requirements of optimizing your business in the short term versus the long term. In the short term you need customers to find you at any price, and in the longer term you need revenue, profit, and return loyalty. Even a million users on your social media site won’t pay the bills until you sell some advertising or a premium service.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong’s NantHealth Inc., which uses data analysis and artificial intelligence technology to assist physicians and improve patient outcomes, is going even more high tech.

Artificial Inteligence 130

Artificial Inteligence High Tech Companies Company 130

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Heidi Hertel found inspiration close to home when she decided to launch Fitz Frames Inc.

Technology 130

Technology 130

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

When in-person business events and social gatherings resume, Sawtelle-based Popl Co plans to be ready.

130

130

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Heidi Hertel found inspiration close to home when she decided to launch Fitz Frames Inc.

Technology 130

Technology 130

L.A. Business Journal

AUGUST 3, 2020

Dating app owner Match Group Inc. has named Jim Lanzone, the former president and chief executive of CBS Interactive, as the new chief executive of West Hollywood-based Tinder, effective Aug. 3.

West Hollywood 130

West Hollywood Hollywood 130

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2020

Irvine-based Jobot , the AI-powered recruiting and staffing company led by Heidi Golledge, says it has expanded into the mortgage industry, saying it has been hiring for remote job openings for mortgage underwriters, loan processors and closers as well as management and loan officer positions. The company said it is using a blend of AI technology and people to match people to job openings.

Technology 124

Technology Companies Company 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2020

San Luis Obispo-based software company Off Day Trainer , which operates a remote training and communications software platform for fitness professionals to communicate with their clients, has linked with fellow San Luis Obispo-based Mindbody , the company announced this morning. According to Off Day Trainer, the partnership makes it the first beta integration partner on Mindbody's new Partner Store.

Training 124

Training Tool Platform Software 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 4, 2020

Irvine-based ATTOM Data Solutions , the parent company to RealtyTrac , announced this morning that it has named Rick Sharga as Executive Vice President of Marketing at RealtyTrac. Sharga returns to RealtyTrac--where he had managed the company's brand for eight years in the early 2000's after stints at Carrington Mortgage Holdings, Auction.com, and Ten-X.

Technology Council 124

Technology Council Southern California Marketing Organization 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 3, 2020

Goleta-based gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductor developer Transphorm announced this morning that it has launched into the public markets, via the Over-The-Counter (OTC) market. Transphorm said it received from FINRA for its common stock to be listed and quoted on the Over-the-Counter (OTC) market, and will trade on the OTCQB under the symbolt TGAN, as of market open today.

Marketing 124

Marketing Google Capital Funding 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 3, 2020

A few weeks ago, Help With Black Equity (www.helpwithblackequity.com) launched an effort to help connect volunteers with efforts to help with addressing racial disparities, including here in Southern California. To learn more about the effort, we spoke with Deevee Kashi , CEO of Deed (www.joindeed.com), to learn more about how the project came up, and how it's actually an open source project based on Help With COVID, another effort to help connect volunteers to help address issues with the COVID

Equity 124

Equity Resource Startup Platform 124

socalTECH

AUGUST 7, 2020

El Segundo-based online postage and shipping software developer Stamps.com reported its second quarter results on Thursday, saying it saw a 49 percent increase in its revenues for the quarter, to $206.7M, as a result of a surge in e-commerce activity. The publicly held company attributed the growth to the growth in e-commerce, which it said has been an "important lifeline" to many businesses and individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

El Segundo 113

El Segundo Commerce Software Development Activity 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

San Diego-based Inseego , which develops 5G and Internet-of-Things hardware, including the well known MiFi cellular wireless hotspot devices, said on Thursday morning that its CFO, Stephen Smith, has stepped down from his position. According to the company, Smith steps down to "pursue other interests." As as result of the resignation, the company said Craig Foster has been appointed Executive Vice President and CFO, effective August 17th.

San Diego 113

San Diego Invest Networking Capital 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Redland-based Esri announced on Thursday that it will provide free access to the company's popular geographical information systems (GIS) software to students 18 yaers and older, including access to both the platform itself as well as lessons. Esri said the Learn ArcGIS Student Program will provide one year of software and lessons to qualified students in any academic program--even if their institution offers no formal courses in GIS.

Course 113

Course Resource Platform Software 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Irvine-based outsource customer support and experience services provider Alorica claims it plans to hire more than 33,000 people, saying it has added more than 20 new clients in the first half of the year. The company--which says it has shifted over 90% of its accounts and 70,000 of its employees to work-at-home--says those hires will be made globally.

Outsource 113

Outsource Custom Customer Services 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Los Angeles-based HONK Technologies , which develops a roadside assistance and towing app, and is led by tech entrepreneur Corey Brundage, says it has saw a 54 percent increase in the number of roadside assistance calls in the first six months of 2020. The company said those numbers demonstrate the company's "grow and momentum" despite the pandemic.

Artificial Inteligence 113

Artificial Inteligence Report Demand Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2020

Los Angeles-based software developer ServiceTitan , which is led by Ara Mahdessian, has linked with heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration giant Carrier. According to ServiceTitan, it has been. been designated the preferred field service contractor software vendor for the Carrier and Bryant HVAC brands in the U.S. Financial details of the deal were not announced, however, ServiceTitan said the agreement will provide residential contractors for Carrier and Bryant access to its products, to

Software Development 113

Software Development Los Angeles Software Design 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2020

Los Angeles-based Giftz , a startup that offers up a mobile wallet and marketplace for points, miles, and gift cards, has received an investment from LA's Draper Goren Holm , the two said on Wednesday. Size of the investment was not announced. According to Draper Goren Holm, the follow on investment goes towards supporting both Giftz as well as its COVID-19 Humanitarian & Economic Recovery initiative.

Draper 113

Draper Funding Mobile Los Angeles 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2020

The Milken Institute Global Conference , one of Southern California's highest profile conferences of interest to the business and finance industry, says it is going fully virtual this year, with plans for a virtual conference running from October 12th through the 21st. The conference looks to be one of the highest profile events in the area which have decided to shift online, rather than entirely cancelling for the year.

Conference 113

Conference Southern California Entrepreneur Funding 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 5, 2020

Santa Monica-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. , as well as funds from Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, have increased their investment in New York-based Diligent , a developer of portal software for corporate boards. Financial details of that investment were not announced. Diligent's biggest investor is Insight Partners.

Software Review 113

Software Review Invest Santa Monica Equity 113