Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 11, 2022

Something happened in the past 7 years in the startup and venture capital world that I hadn’t experienced since the late 90’s — we all began praying to the God of Valuation. How might our next phase of the journey seem brighter, even with more uncertain days for startups and capital markets? What happened? There was no money train.

Venture Capital 466

Venture Capital Startup Marketing Pricing 466

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Lessons. I started my first company in 1999 in London at the height of the dot com craze. We went through the euphoria of massive exposure at the time of our launch due to an article that ran in the Financial Times. Our software wasn’t fully baked. We were unprepared.

Startup 331

Startup Press Customer Custom 331

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. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

Startup 286

Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 17, 2013

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Cohen and Michael Rybarski, titled “ Start-Up Smarts.” Failure to prepare for due diligence.

Software Review 106

Software Review Funding Startup Seed Funding 106

Tech.Co

MAY 25, 2018

Fortunately, the Startup of the Year program aims to make it easier for founders to connect with resources. In 2006, a passion to help startups grew into Tech Cocktail , a company whose mission was to showcased burgeoning companies in bars around the country. BlackTech Week (Miami, FL).

Startup 141

Startup Technical Review Competition Software Review 141

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 2, 2017

com) � backed by local investors Rincon Venture Partners and Bonfire Ventures�is helping to solve that problem, with its career pathing software designed for helping employees at large enterprises figure out what's next. We caught up with Fuel50 founder and CEO Anne Fulton to learn more about the startup.

Help 100

Help Southern California Startup Technical Review 100

socalTECH

JUNE 4, 2014

However, Egg Baby--the title from newly funded Nix Hydra (www.nixhydra.com)--seems to have cracked the code for how to get new, young, female consumers to become game players. How did the company start? Every action and interaction with the egg has consequences, and every choice the player makes helps shape their eggs personality.

Software Review 113

Software Review Startup Mobile HTML 113

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 13, 2020

If you have a software development background like mine, I’m sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. If your software or your manufacturing process is your “secret sauce,” you need to keep the work in-house. The same applies to manufacturing and almost any process these days.

Outsource Development 122

Outsource Development Outsource Software Review Technical Review 122

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 30, 2014

As I’ve written about recently, at Upfront Ventures we started talking a couple of years ago about wanting to fund stuff with more meaning. I seldom hire patent attorneys during due diligence but this was too important. We hired IP specialists to review prior art. We hired OSHA regulatory lawyers. It was impressive.

Technical Review 418

Technical Review Software Review CTO Hire IP 418

Tech.Co

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Companies all around the world use Trello to help manage projects and coordinate team tasks and responsibilities. However, 10 years after the software was first released, the kanban-based system is getting a major overhaul. The software now offers Timeline, Table, Dashboard, and Calendar views.

Software Review 152

Software Review Guide Technical Review Class 152

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 26, 2010

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. What worries me a bit is how often I read that startups should hire a developer / hands-on lead developer. Gap closed, right? Probably not.

Fractional CTO 225

Fractional CTO CTO CTO Hire CTO Coach 225

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

The sweeping infrastructure package put forward today by President Joe Biden comes with a price tag of roughly $2 trillion (and hefty tax hikes) but gives startups and the broader tech industry about $1 trillion worth of reasons to support it. The vast majority of those are nowhere up to modern codes.

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2010

Yesterday I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Cohen and Michael Rybarski, titled “ Start-Up Smarts.” Failure to prepare for due diligence.

Software Review 95

Software Review Startup Seed Funding Funding 95

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 10, 2012

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Cohen and Michael Rybarski, titled “ Start-Up Smarts.” Failure to prepare for due diligence.

Seed Funding 100

Seed Funding Software Review Entrepreneur Funding 100

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 27, 2011

I find it amusing when a journalist writes an article about a prominent startup (either privately held or preparing for an IPO) and decries that, “They’re not even profitable!” Exec Summary: Most companies (98+%) in the world (even tech startups) should be very profit focused. What makes up revenue?

Startup 418

Startup Venture Capital Sales Technical Review 418

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 25, 2016

Many startup businesses – tech or otherwise – fail. Trying outrageous new things or even trying mundane things but in new ways but with extreme quality & innovation is what fuels the tech startup industry. Yet I can’t help thinking there are many predictable failures that come from a lack of basic planning.

Startup 150

Startup Marketing Study SEO 150

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 9, 2019

Even in this age of globalization and virtualization, the geographic area where you choose to live and work can still make or break your startup business. You need to move to right location and get connected before you ask for help. Of course, there are always exceptions, but how much added risk do you need for your startup?

Startup 97

Startup Technical Review Oracle Software Review 97

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 9, 2011

A while back I received a discouraging note from an entrepreneur with a patent and a medical software application who couldn’t find a dime of investment, and was grousing that seed funding just wasn’t available anymore. Cohen and Michael Rybarski, titled “ Start-Up Smarts.” Failure to prepare for due diligence.

Software Review 98

Software Review Funding Seed Funding Startup 98

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2022

Even in this age of globalization and virtualization, the geographic area where you choose to live and work can still make or break your startup business. You need to move to right location and get connected before you ask for help. Of course, there are always exceptions, but how much added risk do you need for your startup?

Technical Review 123

Technical Review Oracle Software Review Ideas 123

socalTECH

DECEMBER 12, 2013

We caught up with CEO Simon Anderson to learn more about the big debt funding round and how it came about, the complexities of providing founder liquidity in a bootstrapped company--and how the company is looking to use those funds to take the company to the next level. Simon Anderson: There''s a lot of competition in the market, undoubtedly.

Software Review 238

Software Review Cloud Computing Technical Review Platform 238

socalTECH

APRIL 29, 2014

A number of teams have recently been looking to turn that vision into reality, as a result of the Qualcomm Tricorder Prize , a $10M competition being run by the X Prize Foundation to create a real life Tricorder. Mike Outmesguine: We''re one of about thirty teams left in the challenge, out of more than 300 that signed up last August.

Startup 262

Startup Competition Software Review UCLA 262

socalTECH

MARCH 17, 2016

However, if history is any lesson, downturns actually have created some of Southern California's most successful technology companies, whether through forcing those companies to swizzle their business models, by removing competition from the market, or even spurring customers to more readily adopt their products to save money. billion. >.

Southern California 100

Southern California Cornerstone OnDemand Technical Review SoCal 100

InfoChachkie

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

Article first published as Why Selling To The Government Can Downgrade Your Startup on Technorati. Now, more than ever, government agencies in the US and abroad are lousy startup customers. Some startups opt to partner with larger companies which have pre-established relationships with government customers.

Startup 207

Startup Outsource Development Software Review Sales 207

Tech.Co

MARCH 8, 2018

Getting face time with VCs or people of influence is an ongoing challenge for startup founders, and it may take layers of introductions to get to the right person. The judges for this must-attend event will be people who can help fund and build your business – and you don’t have to wait for an introduction.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Startup Software Review Entrepreneur 70

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Building a startup business is not the same as corporate executive experience, so prior titles in a big business may actually be seen as a negative. On the other hand, having failed in an earlier startup may be an advantage, if positioned properly, and some learning is evident. Focus on prior results, not titles.

Startup 60

Startup Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review 60

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 18, 2019

The company started the year with no revenue and at it’s peak had a run rate well in excessive of $100 million / year. In my home town of Santa Monica they painted 19 miles of bike lanes green to help delineate bikes & scooters from cars and they built 3 miles of soft barriers to test how this works with traffic flow. Simply put?—?there

Santa Monica 250

Santa Monica Venice Competition Software Review 250

socalTECH

JUNE 11, 2018

For our interview this morning, we caught up with Scot Lawrie , the President and technical Co-founder of Los Angeles-based Coverfly (www.coverfly.com), and John Rhodes , Coverfly's head of Marketing and Business Development, to learn a bit more about the early stage, bootstrapped startup focused on Hollywood script writers.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Hollywood Platform Competition 100

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 28, 2018

My friend Michael Broukhim, founder & co-CEO of FabFitFun and I recently had a catch-up meeting for 3-miles on the Santa Monica “Bird Trail” No company has ever elicited so many questions by friends, colleagues, entrepreneurs, fellow VCs and journalists as has Bird, the company that pioneered the electronic scooter as a service market.

Santa Monica 256

Santa Monica Funding Startup Course 256

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

What is it to start up a company, and run it to the brink of shutdown�only to have it acquired and restarted immediately? That's the fascinating story behind Los Angeles-based Earbits (www.earbits.com), which offers up a mobile music streaming service focused on discovering both new and talent.

Software Review 100

Software Review Startup Metrics Content 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 29, 2011

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ Ten Steps in Choosing the Right Startup Partner ”. The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up.

Software Review 96

Software Review CTO Hire Startup Outsource Development 96

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. This term is currently applied to recent startups who profess a current valuation which exceeds $1 billion. Could your startup be the next one? Sweat equity.

Startup 57

Startup Software Review Equity Invest 57

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2014

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ For a Startup, Two Heads are Always Better Than One ”. The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Look impartially from all angles and do the follow-up. Marty Zwilling.

Software Review 107

Software Review Entrepreneur CTO Hire Outsource Development 107

socalTECH

DECEMBER 23, 2019

We have invested in 13 companies out of our Fund 1 so far and are more bullish than ever on the amazing entrepreneurs we are meeting and the companies we are helping them build. What new technology area, startup, service, or app did you find most interesting or useful this year, and why? Think Google Ad Words for podcasting.

Capital 100

Capital Technical Review Truecar Venture Capital 100

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2015

Even in this age of globalization and virtualization, the geographic area where you choose to live and work can still make or break your startup business. You need to move to right location and get connected before you ask for help. Of course, there are always exceptions, but how much added risk do you need for your startup?

Startup 109

Startup Technical Review Oracle Software Review 109

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 6, 2013

Forget visits to random restaurants, myfab5 uses the power of the crowd to help you search for the best restaurant in town. Founded by Omeid Seirafi-Pour , Calvin Schemanski and John Gulbronson they aim to help users find fabulous restaurants in their cities. myfab5 is a platform that reinvents the restaurant review.

Software Review 79

Software Review Technical Review Writing Startup 79

socalTECH

MARCH 20, 2015

Los Angeles-based ClickTripz (www.clicktripz.com), is a startup developing ad solutions for travel publishers, and thought we''d learn more, so we spoke with Ross Weber , co-founder and CEO of ClickTripz, to hear more about the company. We want to give publishers the ability to use this technology, to help them monetize their traffic.

Advertising 100

Advertising Startup Software Review Platform 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2014

If you have a software development background like mine, Im sure you often get questions about when to outsource, versus building the solution in-house. If your software or your manufacturing process is your secret sauce, you need to keep the work in-house. The same applies to manufacturing and almost any process these days.

Outsource Development 95

Outsource Development Outsource Offshore Software Review 95