September, 2016

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What to Make of Andreessen Horowitz’s Returns?

Both Sides of the Table

Rolf Winkler wrote a piece in the WSJ about A16Z’s returns in which he says they “lag behind Sequoia, Benchmark and Founders Fund.” Scott Kupor of A16Z responded with a comprehensive overview of valuation methodology in a post that while accurate feels more targeted at sophisticated Limited Partners (LPs) who invest in funds. Let me offer you an insider’s take.

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Russian Firm’s Bid For Rocket Launcher Comes Under Fire.

L.A. Business Journal

Russian private aviation holding company CJSC S7 Group’s purchase of Sea Launch, a rocket launch company that operates out of the Port of Long Beach, is making waves in the Southern California aerospace industry, with a legal challenge by the Boeing Co. and concerns about the Russian company’s involvement.

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Hire on ability. Fire on fit.

Berkonomics

This is not necessarily the way we intend to behave as managers, but our headline reflects the reality of most experiences when viewed in retrospect. We carefully vet the potential hire for experience required. Ninety days or longer later, if that person is terminated by management, it often is for actions resulting from the person’s relationship with others in the organization more often than failure to perform the specific task for which the person was hired.

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Fandango Extends To ArcLight Cinemas

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based online and mobile movie ticketing provider Fandango announced today that it has expanded its coverage in Southern California, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., with a new relationship with theater chain ArcLight Cinemas. Terms of the agreement were not announced. The companies said that they had previously been working together in Chicago and Washington D.C., and have now expanded to support ticketing for ArcLight's locations in Santa Monica, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Beach Cities,

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Can You Ask for Office Rent Relief? How to Manage Your Lease During COVID-19

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.

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Energy Storage North America

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, October 6, 2016 -- Energy Storage North America. North America's largest conference, exhibition and networking event for the energy storage industry. Now in its fourth year, ESNA connects developers, energy users, utilities and policymakers to advance understanding and deployment of energy storage and ultimately build a cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient grid.

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This Startup Hacked LinkedIn To Recruit Customers & Reduce Churn

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Businesses typically use LinkedIn to recruit employees. However, savvy startups can leverage LinkedIn to create a customer acquisition and a churn reduction tool. In particular, one of Rincon Venture Partner’s portfolio companies, SimpleLegal, has had so much success mining LinkedIn for customers that the CEO was initially reluctant for me to name his company in this article, fearing his competitors will mimic their common sense, yet cleve

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Silicon Beach Report Sept. 1: SpaceX Rocket Explodes, Destroying Facebook’s Satellite

L.A. Business Journal

SpaceX Rocket explodes and destroys Facebook’s satellite, Hyperloop One lawsuit accusations grow, Fandango expands service to Arclight Cinemas, and more.

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Eye of the needle? Why worry over your bottlenecks.

Berkonomics

Think for a minute whether there is any process or person that could be classed as the eye of the needle in your organization. Is there anything, process or person, that stalls the flow of work from start to finish? A CEO once told me that she was ‘the eye of the needle’ in her organization, purposely controlling quality of service and making sure all of her direct reports let her know of each . decision and action they undertook.

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DTS Gets Wins With Pioneer, Onkyo, HAUWEI

socalTECH

Calabasas-based audio technology developer DTS announced a number of wins on Thursday, including one with Pioneer and Onkyo, and a separate, unrelated win with HUAWEI. In the Pioneer and Onkyo deal, DTS said that the two audio brands will adopt its DTS Play-Fi whole-home wireless audio technology, incorporating that whole-home audio technology into its own product line in 2017.

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Energy Storage North America

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, October 5, 2016 -- Energy Storage North America. North America's largest conference, exhibition and networking event for the energy storage industry. Now in its fourth year, ESNA connects developers, energy users, utilities and policymakers to advance understanding and deployment of energy storage and ultimately build a cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient grid.

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The 5 Criteria That Matter When Evaluating A College Entreprenurial Program

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. A friend recently asked me to give his startup-minded daughter some advice to help her vet undergraduate entrepreneurial programs. As I thought about the characteristics that comprise a great program, I identified five criteria that a prospective entrepreneurial student can use to evaluate the efficacy of a collegiate entrepreneur curriculum.

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Intrinsic Motivation Models Lead To Business Success

Startup Professionals Musings

In my experience mentoring new entrepreneurs and aspiring business leaders, I see far too many who seem to be driven by all the wrong reasons. Everyone seems to espouse extrinsic motivations, such as getting rich, having power, and fulfilling parent dreams, when in fact a focus on satisfying internal interests and desires will likely lead to more success, as well as satisfaction.

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Pet Feeder Maker Petnet Raises $10 Million

L.A. Business Journal

Pet-care technology is a booming business. Just ask Carlos Herrera, chief executive of automated pet feeder maker Petnet, whose downtown company just received a $10 million Series A round led by San Diego’s Petco Animal Supplies Inc. Online financial services firm Aspiration Growth and other undisclosed investors also participated.

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How to avoid “death by meeting.”

Berkonomics

Imagine yourself with a calendar requiring you to be in six meetings in a day. Day after day. How long would it take to induce you to rethink your use of time – and that of the others sitting (or standing) beside you? More important, how long would it take to realize that there is something wrong with the enterprise when it takes constant meetings to get the job done?

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AnyMeeting Updates Web Conferencing Software

socalTECH

Huntington Beach-based AnyMeeting said this week that it has released an updated version of its web conferencing software, which is it calling Meeting 4.0. The company said the updated software includes a "completely refreshed" user interface, full WebRTC support, 720p HD video conferencing, new iOS and Android apps, and more. AnyMeeting--led by Coston Tuculescu--said the changes were aimed at making its meeting service more like an in-person meeting.

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Energy Storage North America

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, October 4, 2016 -- Energy Storage North America. North America's largest conference, exhibition and networking event for the energy storage industry. Now in its fourth year, ESNA connects developers, energy users, utilities and policymakers to advance understanding and deployment of energy storage and ultimately build a cleaner, more affordable, and more resilient grid.

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Fueling Extremism in a Wired World [ LOS ANGELES ]

Tech.Co

Nazis used radio; today’s extremists use social media. Then as now, new technology provides extremists with unchecked ability to spread hate and prey upon disenfranchised audiences to realize their deadly agenda. This event will explore the tension between protecting free speech and limiting incendiary propaganda. What responsibility do technology companies, governments, and individuals have to limit uses of technology to keep our world safe?

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5 Steps To Maximizing Your Startup Cash Flow Runway

Startup Professionals Musings

Cash flow is a basic survival metric for every startup. Investors check your burn rate to assess your efficiency, and project your remaining runway before you run out of money and into a brick wall. Don’t wait until you are almost out of cash before managing every dollar spent, or looking for the next refueling from investors. Desperate entrepreneurs lose their leverage and die young.

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Digital Resolution

L.A. Business Journal

ArbiClaims believes it has settled on a successful strategy in providing speedy online arbitration

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How to simplify your commission structure

Berkonomics

Is your commission structure so complex that even you must have help understanding it – and calculating a commission on a pending bid? Sales people are incentivized by money. They usually are able to calculate what’s in it for them before they make the final presentation and ask for the order. But what if the commission plan is so complex that even the people who should be most excited cannot understand or calculate the winning numbers?

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HyperLoop One's Latest Accuses BamBrogan Of Secrets Plots, Stolen Laptops

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based transportation technology developer HyperLoop One continues to fall deeper into the rabbit hole, out of its carefully crafted image of reality and into the alternative reality of back-and-forth legal proceedings against its former CTO and co-founder, Brogan BamBrogan. HyperLoop One has filed new legal paperwork , which accuses BamBrogan of plotting to steal the company's patents, setting up a fake Twitter account to promote negative news stories on the company, and planning to

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TCVN Fireside Chat with Scott Jarus

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, September 29, 2016 -- Crowd-funding – Tales from the trenches: Observations from a combatant. TCVN. Much has been anticipated about crowd-funding and its impact on capital formation. Come hear serial entrepreneur and transformational leader, Scott Jarus, share his experiences and perspective of raising capital as a CEO of both public and privately-held companies.

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Bio Roundup: RIP Roger Tsien, Novartis CAR-T Wheel, Zika News & More

Xconomy

A man who helped shed light—fluorescent light—on biology died far too early, at the age of 64. Nobel Prize winner Roger Tsien, a UC San Diego chemist, passed away in Oregon this week. No cause of death has been announced. He helped turn a jellyfish protein into an invaluable lab tool that every researcher knows as “GFP”—green fluorescent protein, which is used to illuminate the inner workings of cells.

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10 Tried-And-True Strategies For Funding New Ventures

Startup Professionals Musings

One of the most frequent questions I get as a mentor to entrepreneurs is “How do I find the money to start my business?” I always answer that there isn’t any magic, and contrary to the popular myth, nobody is waiting in the wings to throw money at you, just because you have a new and exciting business idea. On the other hand, there are many additional creative options available for starting a business that you might not find for buying a car, home, or other major consumer item.

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Silicon Beach Report Sept. 2: DropIn Inc. Launches Drone Video-Streaming for Insurance Industry

L.A. Business Journal

DropIn Inc. launches drone video-streaming for insurance industry, Best Fiends hires celebrities for promotion, and Atom Tickets expands to more theaters.

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srfr Launches Dongle-Free Mobile-to-TV Streaming

LATechDigest

Venice-based SRFR just launched a technology to easily stream video content from your mobile device to smart television, including videos from Facebook, Dropbox, Snapchat, and your camera roll, all without having to purchase a separate dongle or stick to plug into your TV. By leveraging advanced proprietary technology, a simple User Interface, and an OTT complimentary API against the existing lag in platform-agnostic IoT technology, srfr lets users cut through all the noise and just watch.

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ScoreStream Inks High School Sports Content Deal With Buffalo Wild Wings

socalTECH

Del Mar-based ScoreStream , which provides crowdsourced high school sports scores, photos, videos, and more, has inked a content syndication deal with restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants. According to ScoreStream--led by tech startup veteran Derrick Oien--the deal will provide that content to 600 Buffalo Wild Wing Restaurants across the country on Friday nights.

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Biocom Welcome Reception and Fireside Chat with Dr. Ric Kaner of UCLA

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, September 28, 2016 -- Biocom Welcome Reception and Fireside Chat with Dr. Ric Kaner of UCLA. Fireside Chat with Ric Kaner, UCLA Kaner Lab AND Welcome Reception for Biocom Los Angeles! See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sam-and-biocom-present-fireside-chat-with-dr-ric-kaner-of-uclas-kaner-lab-tickets-27555165241.

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Bio Roundup: CAR-T & Migraine Races, Intra-Cellular, Rockefeller & More

Xconomy

The presidential race captivated millions of TV viewers this week as the first debate took place in Hofstra. But biotech watchers had other races on their mind. Who will be first to market with a new type of cancer treatment known as CAR-T? Who will break free of the pack of companies developing drugs meant to prevent migraines? As with the election, both races are heading down the homestretch.

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How To Create Customer Value And Profit To Survive

Startup Professionals Musings

As a startup advisor, I see too many entrepreneurs get distracted by technology or their favorite cause, and then wonder why they can’t find an investor, attract customers, or build a long-term business. Every startup needs to start with an honest assessment of how they provide customer value, and how that translates into a sustainable business return for stakeholders and growth.

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Augmented Reality Helmet Heads Into Industrial

L.A. Business Journal

Daqri pitches its augmented reality Smart Helmet as a good fit for engineering and industrial jobs.

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INNOVATE LA 2016 (October 6-23) Calls for Events

LATechDigest

Are you planning an event October 6th-23rd that celebrates Innovation in Los Angeles County? Please make sure your event is included in the incredible line-up of InnovateLA events! Last year Los Angeles Innovation Week(s) saw 160 events unfold over 22 days in over 25 cities across L.A. County. This year Innovation Week(s) becomes InnovateLA 2016 and they are raising the bar even higher.

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Best Fiends Taps Kate Walsh, YouTube Stars For New Promo Video

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based videogame developer Seriously --which is backed by Upfront Ventures, Northzone, Korea Investment Partners, Sunstone Capital and Daher Capital--has just rolled out a new promotional video , which features Kate Walsh of Grey's Anatomy and YouTube stars Joey Graceffa and Rosanna Pansino. The new video plays off the themes of obsessive videogaming by users and Walsh's role on Grey's Anatomy.

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First Time Entrepreneur Workshop

SoCal Tech Calendar

Saturday, September 24, 2016 -- First Time Entrepreneur Workshop. LAVA. Matt Crowley from Crowley Corporate Legal Strategy is teaching another great First Time Entrepreneur Workshop with the LA Venture Association (LAVA) on Saturday September 24th in Encino. He will be teaching about valuation, dilution, intellectual property rights, working with co-founders, and a variety of other topics that are critical for startup founders to master.

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Tech Giants’ Partnership To Explore Ethics, Societal Impacts of AI

Xconomy

With public interest in artificial intelligence technologies on the rise, five of the world’s largest corporations—vying against each other in so many spheres—are banding together to support research on the ethical and societal issues raised by machines with increasingly human-like capabilities. The Partnership on AI , formally unveiled Wednesday, includes Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, IBM, Google and its 2014 acquisition DeepMind.

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Push Marketing Has Been Replaced By Pull Marketing

Startup Professionals Musings

Entrepreneurs have always believed that their product or service must show real value to customers, but today the smart ones are even able to make their marketing valuable. The days are gone when marketing was all “pushing product.” Now customers seek out people who are willing and able to add value, with expertise and insight, even before they have a product.

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