Sat.Feb 19, 2011 - Fri.Feb 25, 2011

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Why I Invested in Gogii (textPlus) – My First Ever Later Stage Deal

Both Sides of the Table

This is a post I’ve been dying to write for 18 months. I invested in LA-based Gogii , one of the fastest growing, most exciting mobile social networking companies you’ve never heard of and maker of a product called textPlus. I know this because you’re not a young teenager. And if you are – what on earth are you reading such a boring blog as this?!?

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Startup CTO Salary and Equity Data

SoCal CTO

Todd Gitlin of Safire Partners was nice enough to compile some data on Start CTO Salary and Equity at Venture Backed Companies for the LA CTO Forum and present last year. He agreed to make this data public which is awesome. Todd is a go to resource for people looking for talent in startups. He was a great presenter to our group. I highly recommend getting to know him.

CTO Hire 301
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THQ, Twentieth Century Fox Tie On RIO

socalTECH

Agoura Hills-based videogame maker THQ said today along with Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products that they are releasing a new set of games based on the recent RIO movie. RIO is set to debut on April 15th. THQ said it will ship the RIO video game on the Xbox 360 video game, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS. Business details of the arrangement between THQ and Twentieth Century Fox were not announced.

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Interview: Seth Epstein of SocialStay

InfoChachkie

Messenger : Seth Epstein, Co-Founder and CEO SocialStay , former Founder and CEO of FUEL (acquired by Razorfish), Emmy winner for work on X-Games and re-brander of ESPN’s Sport’s Center. Seth attended UCSB but dropped out to start a denim company. . Value Prop Twitter Style : SocialStay is: "An easy to set up & manage mobile platform designed for the hospitality industry.

Startup 233
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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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Cast your net where the big fish swim.

Berkonomics

This is one of those “My dad used to say” homilies. You’ve probably heard the accompanying “It takes just as much effort to sell a small deal as a big one” over the years. The truth of this is more nuanced. Some businesses will prosper in the shadow of larger competitors by specializing in those smaller accounts that are just not attractive to those with higher overheads and larger aspirations.

.Net 166
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CTO Equity and Compensation at Venture Backed Companies

SoCal CTO

Todd Gitlin of Safire Partners was nice enough to compile some data on CTO Equity and Compensation at Venture Backed Companies for the LA CTO Forum and present last year. He agreed to make this data public which is awesome. Todd is a go to resource for people looking for talent in startups. He was a great presenter to our group. I highly recommend getting to know him.

CTO Hire 273

More Trending

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How To Maximize Your Value At A Startup: Your Greatest Ability Is Often Your Availability

InfoChachkie

On September 8, 1965, baseball player Dagoberto Campaneris Blanco became the first major leaguer to play all nine positions in a nine-inning game. Technically, he filled ten roles, as he pitched left handed when facing right-handed batters and right handed with lefties at the plate. Despite his status as an all-star shortstop, Bert proved himself to be a selfless utility player.

Startup 222
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Shark Tank II

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 3, 2011 -- Shark Tank II. SDSIC Entrepreneur's Forum. Following on the popularity of last year's sold-out event, The Entrepreneur's Forum will be hosting the second annual Shark Tank event. You'll see four real companies pitch their firms to our esteemed panel of entrepreneurs and investors in a fast-paced, structured format. The format of the event is modeled after the television show "Shark Tank" but is not affiliated with the show.

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TCVN names new Chairman and President

Tech Coast Venture Network

'Irvine-based Tech Coast Venture Network has named Ciaran Foley Chairman of the Board, replacing Bart Greenberg, who has been Chairman since August. 2005. Kevin McDonald is the new TCVN President, a position Foley held for the past year and Greenberg held before that. TCVN, a nonprofit technology group, was founded in 1984 to educate and assist entrepreneurs and emerging growth companies in Orange County and to connect them with money, advice and other resources to help their businesses grow.

TCVN 113
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LaughStub Takes On Comedy Ticket Sales, With Angel Backing

socalTECH

In a long tradition of local companies tying the business of ticketing for various events into the online world, a new startup, LaughStub has quietly been establishing its place providing tickets for comedy clubs locally and nationwide. The firm--which the Tech Coast Angels revealed last week that it had funded in 2010--also has the backing of well known angel investor Paige Craig, who also sits on the firms advisory board.

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A Growing Startup Should Only Hire Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

Every startup lucky enough to get some traction gets to the point where they decide to hire some “regular employees” for sales, marketing, and administrative tasks. Then they are surprised to see productivity and creativity take a big dip. What they should be doing is hiring only “entrepreneurs,” meaning people who think and act as if this is their own business.

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S.O.A.R. like an Eagle

SoCal Tech Calendar

Monday, February 28, 2011 -- S.O.A.R. like an Eagle. TriTech SBDC. Success equals Opportunity, plus Attitude, plus Readiness. How can strategically planned and executed communications help you win business battles? Former Navy war hero and Battleship Commander, JK Sapp takes his successes at sea and shows business owners how to skillfully navigate organizational change from a position of power.

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Congratulations To The Spotlight: LA Tech Presenting Companies at USC

Tech Zulu Event

The moment has finally arrived! After months of submissions the Spotlights are shining down these amazing LA companies! For those who still might be wondering what Spotlight: LA Tech is all about, It’s a screening room for new technology homegrown in our region. It’s a gallery of great entrepreneurship. It’s a toast to those who build and innovate. It’s a gathering of friends and tech enthusiasts of all stripes.

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Savings.com Launching Daily Deals Aggregator

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Savings.com , the online coupon site run by Loren Bendele, said today at a presentation at the Launch conference that it is launching a closed beta of its daily deals aggregation service. The firm is looking to include daily deals from such sites as Groupon, LivingSocial, and others onto a single page. The move is part of an effort to provide better personalization of daily deals offers.

SoCalTech 193
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7 Keys to the Ideal Mental Age for an Entrepreneur

Startup Professionals Musings

To be an entrepreneur, you have to be navigate lots of unknowns, and the path is fraught with risk. Once you are past a certain mental age, you know too many of the things that can go wrong, so you never start. Sort of like the old saying that if we didn’t have young men to fight our wars, we could achieve world peace in no time. People who are young, or young at heart, don’t know all the negatives, or don’t worry about them.

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OCTANE Firsty

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 3, 2011 -- OCTANE Firsty. Firsty at Tesla Motors Showroom in Newport Beach (In collaboration with CleanTech OC) Network in style at the Tesla Motors Showroom in Newport Beach. Mixing innovation, technology and talent, Tesla will serve as the prime location to meet up with other entrepreneurs in the industry to discuss clean tech trends and objectives for 2011.

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CTO RoundTable – Technology in Entertainment | Presented Live By TechZulu

Tech Zulu Event

Join TechZulu as we bring to you live from the Microsoft HQ in downtown Los Angeles CTO RoundTable at 7pm PST. We'll discuss current trends in technology with in the entertainment industry. Visit TechZulu for full story.

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Mogreet Finds $2.8M More

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Mogreet , the provider of mobile video marketing services, has raised $2.8M more in a new funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm this week. No details on the funding have been announced by the company, which is led by James Citron. Mogreet has previously raised funding from Ascend Venture Group, Black Diamond Ventures, DFJ Frontier, and Spyglass Ventures.

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Start With Innovation, Then Make it a Revolution

Startup Professionals Musings

Great startups these days start with innovation, and then take it up a few notches to make it a revolution. An example is Google, who turned a new search technology into a tool that most of us couldn’t live without. As an entrepreneur, how do you know if you have the potential to innovate, and what are the steps to get from innovation to revolution?

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Drupal in a Day Training

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, March 3, 2011 -- Drupal in a Day Training. Do you have an active interest in learning about Drupal? Great! All you need is a basic understanding of the Internet and familiarity with how websites function, a conceptual understanding of Content Management Systems (CMS). See https://www.larks.la/register/2011/march/drupal-in-a-day-7.

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SonicAngel | Music Industry Reinvented

Tech Zulu Event

At Twiistup 8 Bart Becks (prior CEO os Belgacom Skynet) took the stage to present SonicAngel, a startup that is challenging the current music industry business model. Visit TechZulu for full story.

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CapLinked Raises $525K From PayPal Mafia

socalTECH

Manhattan Beach-based CapLinked , the provider of an online service for managing equity fundraising and investor relationships, has scored a funding round from the "PayPal Mafia", the group of ex-PayPal founders, executives, and employees. CapLinked, which is headed by Eric M. Jackson--also an early PayPal employee--said it raised $525,000 from a group which was led by Peter Thiel, Joe Lonsdale of Palantir Technologies, Dave McClure of 500Startups, and Aman Verjee the CFO of Sonos.

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When, Where, and How to Raise Venture Capital

Startup Professionals Musings

By Dave Lavinsky, President and Co-Founder of Growthink At one point or another, most entrepreneurs find themselves in a place where they could use money. And oftentimes, they could use a lot of money. These entrepreneurs often dream about how much they could accomplish if they had millions in the bank. All the people they could hire. All the products they could develop.

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Is The Aerospace and Defense Sector Ready To Take Off, or Headed For a Stall?

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, March 2, 2011 -- Is The Aerospace and Defense Sector Ready To Take Off, or Headed For a Stall? ACG 101. Years ago, companies in the aerospace and defense industries were major drivers of the Southern California economy and job market. How are companies in the AandD sector doing in todays more diversified business community? What is the outlook for their future as defense budgets tighten and the excitement over the exploration of space fades?

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Addroid | Cost Effective Video Banner Ads

Tech Zulu Event

Matt Cooper (CEO of Neoganda) took the stage at Twiistup 8 in the most unforgettable presentation of the day. The presentation brought down the house and ended in a standing ovation because of Coop’s hilarity and entertaining way of presenting Addroid his new startup. Visit TechZulu for full story.

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WebVisible Launches In Japan

socalTECH

Irvine-based WebVisible.com , which helps small and medium sized businesses place online advertising, announced this morning that it has expanded into the Japanese market. WebVisible said it has linked with Recruit Co. Ltd. , a Japanese advertising media provider and publisher, as well as transcosmos Inc. , a provider of marketing management services, to offer its online advertising solutions.

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How Many Investors are Too Many?

Both Sides of the Table

This post originally ran on TechCrunch. Lately I have seen a number of deals announced on TechCrunch in which 5 or more different VCs were participating in the deal. This always makes me chuckle because in my first company we had 5 investors in our first round and we picked up 5 more before we finally sold the company. In my second company I had only 1 investor.

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Clean Technology Leaders Conference

SoCal Tech Calendar

Tuesday, March 1, 2011 -- Clean Technology Leaders Conference. Conference Topic is "Umbrella of Sustainability: Smart Growth, New Urbanism, Renewable Energy and Green Development in the 21st Century." Our speaker is Neil Popowitz Partner at Freilich and Popowitz LLP, one of the nation's leading land use, zoning and planning firms. See [link].

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Entrepreneurs Can Thrive on Services or Products

Startup Professionals Musings

You don’t need to invent an innovative product to be a real entrepreneur. Self-employed services specialists are just as important, and are a growing part of this new “ age of the entrepreneur ” that I discussed last week. Many of these new entrepreneurs were regular employees a few years ago, focused on a skill specialty. They are not the generalists required for new product startups.

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Tech Coast Angels Highlights 2010 Deals

socalTECH

The Tech Coast Angels , [ profile ] the largest angel investment group in Southern California, outlined its 2010 deals today, saying that it funded a total of 31 deals in 2010, and had three profitable exits. The TCA said that 12 of those deals were new investments, and 19 were follow-on investments for the company. The group invested a total of $6M through direct investments, with was joined by approximately another $33.9M in other capital from venture and other angel investors.

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Nexon America Dangles $1M To Game Developers

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Nexon America , the North America arm of entertainment software firm Nexon Group, said Tuesday that it is offering up $1M in development funds to independent game developers. Nexon said its Nexon iNitiative will look to fund the "most promising" independent video game projects. The firm said it is specifically looking for games that "encourage community and social interaction", including Flash, client-based games, and game ports from other platforms, and that it favors games wi

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Livestrong.com Claims Traffic Record

socalTECH

Santa Monica-based LIVESTRONG.COM , the fitness and healthy living site run by Demand Media , said this morning that it has seen a "momentous activity spike" in usage of the site. Livestrong.com said it had over 12 million unique visitors in January 2011, an all-time traffic high for the site. Livestrong said the numbers place it as the largest, single website in the United States in the health category, according to comScore.

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USC Stevens Institute Funds Seven Projects

socalTECH

In a bid to help research from the University of Southern California reach the market, the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation said Wednesday afternoon that it is awarding $439,000 in gap funding to seven projects from USC, which have a high potential to spin out of the school. According to the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation, the projects were selected by more than thirty members of the LA business and entrepreneurial community, who reviewed the proposals and mentored the research teams i

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You Rock Digital Adds Rock Band 3 Pro Support

socalTECH

Simi Valley-based You Rock Digital , the developer of an electronic guitar which combines both real, guitar strings with the support of music video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, said this week that it has added support with Rock Band 3 Pro mode. You Rock Digital, the brand name for Inspired Instruments digital guitar, provides users with a real, five string guitar which also works with music games--which typically have used fake, button based controllers.

Develop 169
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DAR.fm Looks To Timeshift Radio

socalTECH

Michael Robertson, the founder of MP3.com, has debuted his newest startup: DAR.fm , an online service which allows people to record and play back radio programs anytime they like. Billing it a "Tivo for radio", Robrtson said that the service will allow users to access recordings of radio shows from their PC, smart phone, internet radio, and video players like Roku.

Content 169
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Rubicon Project Links With Ad Agency Software Firm

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Rubicon Project and advertising agency software firm Donovan Data Systems (DDS) said this morning that the two are in a new partnership. According to the firm, they have partnered to automate display advertising transactions, via the software of DDS. The companies said the move would provide additional revenue for publishers who monetize their premium display advertising inventory via Rubicon's ad serving platform.

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