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. Are there any technology innovations, gadgets, devices, software, that you found most interesting in 2018?

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Software Review Startup Coach 157

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 26, 2023

Every one of you business owners I know periodically introduces new products and services to sustain growth, fight off competitors, or take advantage of new technologies. Target audience may be limited or new due to price. Don’t count on these as short-term solutions to a growth problem. Incent these early.

Product 141

Product Services Technical Review Artificial Inteligence 141

Tech.Co

DECEMBER 29, 2023

Verifying Looking for regular tech news straight to your inbox? To top it all off, the AI startup recently partnered up with Getty Images, one of the largest repositories of paid stock imagery, to develop a new generative AI model ‘Runway’ geared towards the film and advertising industries.

Startup 210

Startup Generative AI Newsletter Tool 210

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 17, 2013

As the end of the year approaches, it’s a good time for every startup to assess the metrics, technology, and platforms they’re using to manage the business. Sales data needs to be correlated to advertising campaigns, price changes, seasonal forces, competitive actions, and other costs of sales. Variable cost percentage.

Metrics 100

Metrics Technical Review Sales Customer 100

Tech Zulu Event

APRIL 1, 2014

Visions pan of endless cold emails and long days attending meetups and pitch nights while your operations/tech team grind away. 2013 was a huge year for startup investing to say the least, and with how things have been shaping up in Q1 of 2014, things are going to get a whole lot crazier. From Finance to Crowd-Investing.

Invest 100

Invest Startup Technical Review Software Review 100

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2010

I’m very pleased today to announce that I invested, on behalf of GRP Partners, in Burstly alongside Rincon Venture Partners , an early stage VC in Southern California whith whom we love to work (and were our co-investors on RingRevenue ). Naturally I’m excited about this investment or I wouldn’t have done it.

Mobile 282

Mobile Invest Company Companies 282

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2020

Even a million users on your social media site won’t pay the bills until you sell some advertising or a premium service. In a larger public company, it’s all about making your quarterly numbers, versus investing in strategic growth alternatives that may not pay off until several quarters later. Don’t make growth a big-bang event.

Technical Review 124

Technical Review Layoffs Social Media Metrics 124

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2020

In my role as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I find that most have the technical challenges well understood, but many are a bit short on some basic street smarts , or basic business realities. Strategic planning is a required ongoing investment. Even the best college degree is not a substitute.

Entrepreneur 173

Entrepreneur Patents Startup Technical Review 173

Tech Zulu Event

OCTOBER 17, 2012

It is a platform that allows anyone who offers a service to advertise it for free – we promote this profile on the most popular social networks such as Twitter , Facebook, Google Plus, Pinterest, Stumbleupon and many more. Where does someone who is starting a hairdressers advertise their business? What is ProfileTree?

Advertising 79

Advertising Services Social Network Startup 79

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2016

There is an old saying in the startup investor community, “Smart investors invest in the team, not the idea.” As an angel investor, I’ve learned to believe in this approach, since I have seen great ideas go astray, due to poor execution and I have seen apparently marginal ideas make millions, managed by a savvy entrepreneur.

Ideas 53

Ideas Technical Review Entrepreneur Advertising 53

socalTECH

DECEMBER 30, 2010

All this week, we are sharing the opinions of some of the top influencers in Southern California's high tech community. We asked the same five questions of a variety of top technology entrepreneurs, investors, and others, to hear what they're thinking about, and are sharing it here over the next two weeks. 1) Mobile web.

Technical Review 160

Technical Review Southern California Cloud Computing Venture Capital 160

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

The main thrust of the post is that with YouTube taking a 45% of revenue and talent taking 70% of the remaining revenue, YouTube Networks didn’t have sustainable businesses unless they invested heavily in technology as a tool to increase margin and provide defensibility. That is the definition of Disruptive Technology.

Company 339

Company Companies Technical Review Content 339

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 29, 2009

Advertising has driven the majority of Internet innovation. that is an “in-stream advertising&# company currently focused on monetizing Twitter. This has prompted many people to question whether advertising “in stream&# and on Twitter is a good thing or a bad thing. So what do we mean by in-stream advertising?

Ideas 286

Ideas Advertising Google Technical Review 286

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2011

Deena Varshavskaya: I was thinking about alternatives to advertising, because I think advertising just fails to deliver relevance. I started my first startup right out of school, which failed due to a partnership that did not work out. The next goal is to find advisors, some technology partners, and to seek investment.

Technical Review 200

Technical Review Sites Advertising Design 200

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2015

Most Angel groups and VCs advertise the startups they have recently funded, with pointers to startup websites, sometimes including open positions. Typically you can browse them by region or technology to find founders. Every geographic area has entrepreneur networking activities, such as startup weekends and tech meetups.

Sample 101

Sample Entrepreneur Technical Review Startup 101

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. We weren’t in enough cities to do national advertising campaigns yet we weren’t centralized enough to benefit off of our central marketing traction.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

Founded by Alessandro Petrucciani from Italy, Alex Napetschnig from Austria,Baris Tamer from Turkey, Emiliano Saurin from Argentina and Roland Heuger from Germany, Klash App recently closed its first ever investment round and revamped its iOS App which is now online. Klash for iOS was released last fall and had good reviews with a 4.9

Invest 68

Invest Slides Ideas Mobile 68

socalTECH

AUGUST 15, 2014

You see users moving to a platform that doesn''t monetize advertising as well. They''re even one of our advertisers right now. However, I really like algorithmic content recommendation, using machine learning and other crazy geek tech stuff to help provide information to consumers. Keith Bonnici: It was tough. READ MORE>>.

Mobile 124

Mobile Web Artificial Inteligence Technical Review 124

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 16, 2010

The VC industry grew dramatically as a result of the Internet bubble - Before the Internet bubble the people who invested in VC funds (called LPs or Limited Partners) put about $50 billion into the industry and by 2001 this had grown precipitously to around $250 billion. So the people who invest in VC funds have two problems.

Venture Capital 311

Venture Capital Startup Seed Funding Rustic Canyon 311

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2014

Most Angel groups and VCs advertise the startups they have recently funded, with pointers to startup websites, sometimes including open positions. Typically you can browse them by region or technology to find founders. Every geographic area has entrepreneur networking activities, like startup weekends and tech meetups.

Startup 100

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Conference 100

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

On the legal side, my practice in North California and we have an advertising and media group in New York City. Manatt Venture Funds, which we dedicate a specific portion of our funds to targeted digital media investments, is also part of the Manatt Digital Media network. More interest and money invested in LA.

Los Angeles 84

Los Angeles Media Invest Startup 84

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2015

Ross Weber: ClickTripz is an advertising platform for travel advertisers. What''s different about your platform that more general advertising platforms? What our technology does, is it offers up an exit ad unit, so if a user hasn''t booked on a publisher they have look at, that ad unit will show relevant ads. READ MORE>>.

Advertising 100

Advertising Startup Software Review Platform 100

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 6, 2014

With small amounts of money invested (sub $3 million) the risks are reasonably low for most VCs and the consequences of bad decisions or decisions a VC has limited say in is tolerable. Reviewing financial & operational performance. As we have invested millions in building out our sales organization efficiency really matters.

Startup 325

Startup Sales Technical Review Software Review 325

Tech Zulu Event

JUNE 28, 2012

He kicked off the fest with his opening keynote, saying LA is a unique city of mash-ups, where tech, startups and entertainment – plus creativity, cultures, and passion – mix with successful results. Panels were based at hubs including Leadership, Branding / Advertising, Social Media, Entrepreneurs, Community and more.

Hollywood 67

Hollywood Technical Review Startup Rustic Canyon 67

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

You have to understand whether they’re likely to yield revenue growth in the near term OR whether you have access to cheap enough capital to fund your losses until your investments pay off. Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. If you don’t, somebody else WILL!”

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

InfoChachkie

JUNE 22, 2015

Why are the world’s biggest Internet companies investing in a technology created in the late 1800’s? Non-mobile, online channels, such as desktop search, display ads and review sites drive 30% of calls. Companies like Invoca and IfByPhone are uniquely positioned to help online advertisers monetize old-fashioned phone calls.

Mobile 100

Mobile Technical Review Google Tool 100

socalTECH

AUGUST 6, 2012

Santa Monica-based Demand Media (www.demandmedia.com) has seen its share of ups and downs as one of the highest visibility technology and media companies to come out of Southern California's technology ecosystem in recent years. But now, those taking assignments have to be rated and reviewed, and have expertise in that area.

Demand 240

Demand Media eHow Content 240

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

The service--currently only available on iPhone and Android--allows users to find reviews and information about consumer electronics products. Mickie Rosen: Tecca is the easiest and most helpful independent service for mainstream consumers to learn, shop, and make the most of their personal technology.

Incubator 239

Incubator Startup Web Technical Review 239

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 12, 2014

Technology advocate and celebrity Will.I.Am. Technology advocate and celebrity Will.I.Am. He also briefly talked about a smart watch he was wearing that his team created which is due to launch this year. Education & Tech. Education and Technology were also hot topics at the conference.

Conference 88

Conference Technical Review Education Startup 88

SoCal Delicious

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Ten Tech Entrepreneurs Who Are Putting LA on the Map. ” Residents of Northern California (everyone north of Bakersfield) don’t understand how we do it, constantly touting Palo Alto’s tech scene. is a good monthly investment? Follow PandoDaily: Search. Skip to primary content. Skip to secondary content.

Technical Review 75

Technical Review Entrepreneur Riot Games Southern California 75

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

Njoku in April this year closed an $8m funding investment round from Tiger Global and another $2m from a Swedish firm, Kinnevik and still he says more is yet to come. Naturally, there was a stringent due diligence process, and this took a couple of months. However building Iroko Partners was not a walk in the park. Profitable?

Netflix 82

Netflix Marketing Technical Review Content 82

socalTECH

DECEMBER 1, 2008

In what looks to be a challenging funding climate for entrepreneurs, we thought it would be interesting to talk to one fund which is still making investments--Saban Ventures (www.saban.com)--a new, digital media focused venture capital fund located in Los Angeles. We're looking to build out our investment portfolio.

Southern California 100

Southern California Media Venture Capital Invest 100

socalTECH

DECEMBER 1, 2008

In what looks to be a challenging funding climate for entrepreneurs, we thought it would be interesting to talk to one fund which is still making investments--Saban Ventures (www.saban.com)--a new, digital media focused venture capital fund located in Los Angeles. We're looking to build out our investment portfolio.

Capital 100

Capital Southern California Media Venture Capital 100

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

At any rate, here is my own list of red flags, from my years of experience advising and investing in aspiring entrepreneurs, which cause me to lose interest and start looking for a way out the door: Omit the facts on key management team experience and skills. Terms “paradigm shift” or “disruptive technology” used more than once.

Funding 98

Funding Startup Innocal Entrepreneur 98

Xconomy

AUGUST 3, 2016

Then Google announced its intent to ban payday and title lenders from advertising in search results. When we started PawnGuru , we knew that financial tech could be harnessed to work effectively for low-income and underbanked consumers. But too often, it seems that low-income consumers in the U.S. fail to benefit from fintech.

Help 40

Help Technical Review Customer Custom 40

InfoChachkie

DECEMBER 2, 2009

“I know half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, but I can never find out which half.” In the “good old days”, pre- 1999, advertising dollars were largely gambled away. Google’s market capitalization is in the stratosphere for a reason – keyword search advertising is highly effective. John Wanamaker.

Customer 164

Customer Custom Advertising SEM 164

socalTECH

MAY 23, 2017

Usually, it's someone with just curiosity about the app, and the advertisers will pay several dollars for that download, only to have the user just delete the app, without having ever played it or even gotten through a tutorial. No one has ever been able to execute on that from a technology standpoint before. They did a phenomenal job.

Startup 113

Startup Southern California UCLA Technical Review 113