Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 21, 2009

On the third Wednesday of every month I co-chair a meeting called the SoCal VCA (venture capital alliance), which represents participants from all of the top venture capital firms in Southern California as well as prominent members of the Tech Coast Angels (TCA). We feature a prominent speaker at every event.

Venture Capital 241

Venture Capital Technical Review Southern California Companies 241

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 9, 2012

Who are the top tech companies to work for in Los Angeles? popped up consistently in an informal (and highly non-scientific poll) of a number of readers, executive recruiters, and others in the Los Angeles area, who cited growth, brand, profitability, and other factors in their suggestions to us of the top companies. Demand Media.

Technical Review 279

Technical Review Company Companies Southern California 279

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

So do you think the environment still tough for startups? Investors are very focused on diligence, on business models that make sense, and those companies that have a definite competitive advantage and defensibility to what they're doing. Mike Napoli: We've revised the way we review companies at the prescreening stage.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2013

LaunchpadLA Opens Up Spring Applications. How to find a startup mentor. Southern California's Most Popular Tech Stories. Broadcom Powering New Mac Wireless. Surf Air Gets First Aircraft. In our features section: Interview with Blair Harrison of Frequency.

Southern California 168

Southern California Technical Review SoCal San Diego 168

socalTECH

APRIL 5, 2010

billion in venture activity here in Q1, up significantly from around $997M tallied in Q4. The information--gleaned from funding announcements, regulatory filings, and other sources--are also up significantly from Q1 of last year, when only $729.89M was invested in the region. in deals tracked by our database. in a March deal.

Southern California 160

Southern California Santa Barbara Anthem Redpoint 160

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

The Tech Coast Angels , the largest angel investment group in Southern California, as well as the United States, said today that it has launched a new network which will syndicate deals between the firm and other angels.

Tech Coast Angels 157

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Networking 157

SoCal CTO

MARCH 4, 2010

I’ve worked with 30+ early-stage companies in all sorts of capacities (and spoken to many, many more), so I thought it might be worthwhile trying to classify the various ways that I’ve engaged in different technology roles in startups. Later he posted about his experience in Challenges of Startups.

Technical Review 170

Technical Review Technical Advisors CTO Coach Startup 170

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

I’ve been having discussions with several people recently about the role of the CTO (Chief Technology Officer) in very early stage companies. In December 2007, I described how I commonly take on an Acting CTO Role in a Start-up. However, I’ve now begun questioning how and what an early-stage / startup CTO should be.

Fractional CTO 225

Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach 225

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

We thought today for our interview, that we'd get an update on the angel investment environment here in Southern California from Scott Sangster , the incoming President of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tech Coast Angels , the biggest angel investment group in Southern California.

Tech Coast Angels 182

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 182

SoCal CTO

APRIL 27, 2011

Several people have recently come to me to help them source and/or hire full-time CTOs for their startup having found me through my post that looks at: Startup CTO Salary and Equity Data. The first thing I do is suggest they explore if they really need to hire a full-time CTO for their startup and if so, what kind of CTO they need.

CTO Hire 282

CTO Hire CTO Coach Technical Review Startup 282

socalTECH

JUNE 21, 2018

How do you take the energy of such successes as Dollar Shave Club, Ring, Cornerstone Ondemand, and the many other local successes from the startup energy, and tap into the resources of local universities and research institutions?

Southern California 113

Southern California SoCal Dollar Shave Club Cornerstone OnDemand 113

socalTECH

JUNE 23, 2017

The insurance industry today is one of the last industries to fully jump into adopting technology for offering up their products, says Wayne Slavin , CEO and founder of SURE (www.sureapp.com), and just needs some help in getting there. It's not a disruption being caused by startups, it's a change in the evolution of this market.

Southern California 244

Southern California Technical Review Startup Commerce 244

socalTECH

JULY 17, 2012

You may not see it here in Southern California's high tech sector--which has been booming, due to a surge of startup and accelerator activity--but apparently, the technology sector has seen its highest level of layoffs in three years, according to a report today. Image courtesy Bigstock.com READ MORE>>.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Layoffs Southern California Report 133

InfoChachkie

OCTOBER 20, 2014

According to a recent Forbes article , UC Santa Barbara''s Technology Management Program offers students a superior startup education over the University of Pennsylvania (home of Wharton), as well Harvard, Northwestern and even its acclaimed southern neighbor, the University of Southern California. Techpreneurs.

Santa Barbara 258

Santa Barbara Technical Review Startup Venture Capital 258

SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2010

In my post, Technology Roles in Startups , I described some of the different ways I engage with startup companies such as CTO Founder , CTO , Part-Time CTO , Acting CTO , Consultant, Advisor and Advisory Board Member. Now, most often technical advisors are part of a broader advisory board.

CTO Coach 150

CTO Coach Technical Review Technology CTO Hire 150

socalTECH

DECEMBER 27, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. In your opinion, what events, companies, or people made the biggest impact on the technology world this year? What was the biggest news for you/your firm this year?

Dollar Shave Club 272

Dollar Shave Club Technical Review Santa Monica Southern California 272

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Do you have a Startup Founder Developer Gap ?

CTO Hire 264

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 264

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 28, 2013

The Tech Coast Angels , Southern California's most active , organized angel investment group, has a goal: cut down the time it takes to fund a startup presenting to the organization. READ MORE>>.

Tech Coast Angels 168

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Funding 168

SoCal CTO

MARCH 3, 2011

I talk to roughly 2 or 3 new startups every week who need advice from an experienced CTO. Many of the founders of these companies are surprised to learn that I'm willing to review what they are doing (maybe an hour) and get on the phone for an hour with them and provide free advice. Do you have a Startup Founder Developer Gap ?

CTO Hire 259

CTO Hire Startup Technical Review Development Team Review 259

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 16, 2014

Our 3rd fund began investing in March 2009 (raised in 2008) and our 4th fund started in April 2012 so this fund will naturally begin investing around March / April 2015. Our investment strategy has always been to do predominantly Series Seed & A round deals, which makes up > 85% of our first investments.

Venture Capital 396

Venture Capital Funding Technical Review Startup 396

TechCrunch LA

APRIL 12, 2018

seems like an unlikely place to grow one of the next billion-dollar startups in the booming Los Angeles tech ecosystem. But it’s here in the (other) Valley’s southernmost edge that investors have found a startup they consider to be the next potential billion-dollar “unicorn” that will come out of Los Angeles.

Glendale 271

Glendale Los Angeles Startup Technical Review 271

SoCal CTO

APRIL 27, 2011

Several people have recently come to me to help them source and/or hire full-time CTOs for their startup having found me through my post that looks at: Startup CTO Salary and Equity Data. The first thing I do is suggest they explore if they really need to hire a full-time CTO for their startup and if so, what kind of CTO they need.

CTO Hire 225

CTO Hire CTO Coach Technical Review Startup 225

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 11, 2014

There’s an article making the rounds in tech circles titled “ Growth Hacking is Bull ” written by Muhammad Saleem. His quip to suggest this is all a slight-of-hand, trickery dreamed up by marketing b *s is quite clever if misguided. So why exactly do I like the term Growth Hacking and what it engenders?

Technical Review 384

Technical Review SEM SEO Marketing 384

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I've posted quite a few things on the topics associated with being a Startup CTO. I've tried to collect them together here as a starting point for this topic. Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do? Startup Advice: When to Use a Consulting CTO Attracting a CTO to your startup Startup CTO: Could It Work?

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire CTO Coach Startup Equity 175

SoCal CTO

JULY 23, 2012

I received a great question via LinkedIn: I'm the founding engineer and working hard to launch my startup. What can I do to best equip myself to step up when the need to officially fill this role arises? I've previously addressed the role of a CTO in early-stages in my post Startup CTO or Developer. How can we address this risk?

CTO Coach 231

CTO Coach CTO Hire Outsource Development Develop 231

SoCal CTO

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

I've posted quite a few things on the topics associated with being a Startup CTO. I've tried to collect them together here as a starting point for this topic. Lessons Learned: What does a startup CTO actually do? Startup Advice: When to Use a Consulting CTO Attracting a CTO to your startup Startup CTO: Could It Work?

CTO Hire 175

CTO Hire CTO Coach Resource Startup 175

SoCal CTO

NOVEMBER 1, 2010

I had a recent email dialog with the founder of a company looking for a CTO for their startup. Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? Did they really need a Startup CTO or Developer or both? And do I fit as a Part-Time CTO , Technology Advisor , CTO Founder , Acting CTO ? Was it a case of needing Homework?

CTO Hire 241

CTO Hire CTO Coach Equity Develop 241

socalTECH

DECEMBER 28, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. Paul Bricault is Managing Partner at Amplify LA (Www.amplify.la), a hands-on startup accelerator and co-working and community space in Venice. READ MORE>>.

Southern California 215

Southern California Technical Review High Tech Venice 215

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 18, 2010

We will be selecting 10 startup companies to participate. Applications are due April 6th, 2010, the form is on the website and the Twitter address is @launchpadlad. Encourage the most successful LA tech entrepreneurs who had previously started companies to get involved as mentors, instructors or just informal advisors.

Technical Review 259

Technical Review Venture Capital Southern California Tech Coast Angels 259

socalTECH

JULY 21, 2010

Watson , a member of the San Diego Tech Coast Angels , who was found dead in June. from one of Watson's brokerage accounts, when he unexpectedly showed up at Watson's residence in the early morning hours as homicide detectives were still gathering evidence from the death scene. Watson was a retired pharmaceutical industry CEO.

Tech Coast Angels 145

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel San Diego 145

socalTECH

MARCH 29, 2013

It looks like the sale of book review and community Goodreads was worth between $150M to $200M, according to a report form AllThingsD Friday, potentially making the acquisition one of the better returns on capital from a Southern California technology startup in recent years.

Report 203

Report Technical Review Southern California Santa Monica 203

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

I continue to collect great content that is the intersection of startups, products, online and technology. The United States is now a debtor nation to China and that the bill is about to come due. But I don’t think so. Was it a Startup Founder Developer Gap ? How to Take Down Facebook -- Hint: It Ain't Twitter.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 19, 2012

He is not a technical person, but is somewhat web savvy. I asked some of the same questions I ask in my Free Startup CTO Consulting Sessions and then I get to a very common conversation: Me : Do you have specs? Conversations with a technical advisors or possible developers should be iterative. Go find a new technical resource.

Develop 354

Develop Development Technical Review CTO Coach 354

socalTECH

JULY 9, 2009

A recent analysis by socalTECH, of our detailed tracking of venture capital investment activity in Southern California, finds that there was around $932M in funding raised in the area in Q2, a rise from roughly $700M in Q1. Tags: venture capital investment southern california 2009.

Southern California 100

Southern California Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Venture Capital 100

socalTECH

MAY 14, 2010

Clearly, 2009 was not a good year, from the perspective of the technology innovation ecosystem. That was primarily driven by the economy; when the economy is down, investments are down, and it is increasingly difficult to d a startup. For OCTANe to be successful, we want to see our technology ecosystem grow.

OCTANE 174

OCTANE Orange County Technical Review Southern California 174

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2019

During the holiday season, our tradition over the last few years has been to post reflections on the past year and some predictions for 2019 from Southern California's technology industry. My biggest takeaway this year was truly understanding the strength and cohesion of the Los Angeles startup community.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

socalTECH

DECEMBER 28, 2012

For the last week of the year, we're featuring the thoughts and reflections of some of the movers and shakers of Southern California's high tech community. Aber Whitcomb is a partner at startup co-working and incubation community io/LA , CTO of SGN , and former co-founder and CTO of MySpace. READ MORE>>.

Technical Review 223

Technical Review Southern California Incubator High Tech 223