Both Sides of the Table

MAY 28, 2016

I’ve been online for nearly 30 years (yes, there was CompuServe and Prodigy before the www), blogging for 10 and using social media tools since the earliest days. I love to watch networks evolve, see how crowds gather and communicate and curate and share. Twitter was the most unique social sharing platform that had emerged in my experience because it unintentionally innovated on a constraint of 140 characters (initially so that it could send messages as SMS, which it self had a size constraint).

Social Media 240

Social Media Snapchat Media Blogging 240

SoCal Tech Calendar

MAY 31, 2016

For today's Insights and Opinions article, we have Melinda Moore , author of How to Raise Money: The Ultimate Guide to Crowdfunding , who gives us some tips on crowdfunding. Instead of getting VC funding, a lot of startups and creative projects turn to the masses or the public -- often through popular crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter, AngelList or StartEngine.

Tips 159

Tips Guide Venture Capital Platform 159

L.A. Business Journal

JUNE 1, 2016

Docupace Technologies, which develops financial document management software, has raised a $16.5 million round of capital from Palisades Growth Capital and TVC Capital.

Doc 162

Doc Capital Software Technology 162

Berkonomics

JUNE 2, 2016

Over the years I have counseled entrepreneurs to think of a “no” response in terms of “yes, but…” There is always another way to say “no” that leaves the door open for creative thinking. Well, almost always. Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and say “NO” with strong conviction. It usually happens after several attempts to find a “yes, but” solution to a problem or issue that just can’t be resolved.

Tool 131

Tool Organization Report Entrepreneur 131

Advertiser: Aggregage

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.

Company

InfoChachkie

JUNE 2, 2016

A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Are you an entrepreneur that is thinking about dropping out of college? Answer the following four questions first. The startup careers of Zuckerberg, Ellison, Disney, Gates, Jobs, Branson and Dell make it seem that the path to entrepreneurial success is enhanced by avoiding a college degree. I even played into this mythology with a provocative article I wrote about college dropout successes.

Entrepreneur 130

Entrepreneur Startup Study Education 130

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 3, 2016

Culver City-based NantHealth has launched a new product, which provides molecular testing and decision support solutions for cancer patients. According to NantHealth, its new Genomic Proteomic Spectrometry Cancer or GPS Cancer product, measures the proteins in a patient's tumor tissue, and uses whole genomic and transcriptomic sequencing to help personalize chemotherapy treatment.

Culver City 122

Culver City Product Help Company 122

Eric Greenspan

MAY 31, 2016

I’ve been a student most of my life. Lately, I’ve spent a lot of time in “unfamily” court. While I really don’t want to be there, I kinda love it. I watch case after case and hope I’m not called next, so I can watch more. The judge is smart and fair and I like her. The process fascinates me. It’s very clickish in that you are a bit of an outcast if you don’t understand the complicated procedures.

Education 100

Education Help Course Custom 100

Tech.Co

JUNE 2, 2016

Did you know that approximately 4,000 preventable mistakes occur in surgery every year, resulting in about $1.3 billion in malpractice lawsuits? That’s right, apparently the skilled surgeons rooting around in your stomach are not only falling asleep at the wheel, but they are also costing hospitals more money than you’ve ever seen in your entire life.

Education 110

Education Platform Los Angeles Tool 110

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 2, 2016

Unmanned aerial vehicle maker 3D Robotics , which was started in San Diego but now is based in Berkeley, has raised nearly $27M as part of what looks to be an ongoing funding round. According to a regulatory filing by the company, the drone maker has raised $26,699,526 out of a target of $45M, in a round which kicked off on May 21st. The company has not yet announced details on the funding effort.

San Diego 122

San Diego Report Funding Capital 122

L.A. Business Journal

JUNE 3, 2016

Snapchat is reportedly set to roll out a redesign of its app in mid-June by merging its Discover and Live Story features.

Snapchat 173

Snapchat Report 173

Xconomy

MAY 31, 2016

BioMarin Pharmaceutical took a $680 million gamble when it bought Prosensa in 2014 for its experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment. Drisapersen (Kydrisa) had already failed a Phase 3 trial, but BioMarin bet it could dig through the data and win FDA approval. It lost that bet, and now BioMarin (NASDAQ: BMRN ) is pulling the plug on the drug.

Acquisition 75

Acquisition Conference News Ideas 75

Tech.Co

JUNE 2, 2016

This week the popular Los Angeles, CA-based ecommerce subscription company Loot Crate announced the successful close of a $18.5 million Series A fund. Loot Crate is monthly subscription that provides toys, accessories, swag and apparel based on pop culture, games, and other nerd related brands. They are considered a pioneer and one of the more successful offerings in the subscription space with more than 600,000 subscribers.

Downey 70

Downey Entertainment Los Angeles Commerce 70

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 1, 2016

Fountain Valley-based memory maker HyperX has signed an endorsement deal with professional basketball star Gordon Hayward , where the star will use the company's HyperX gaming headsets in marketing campaigns, for streaming game sessions, and more. Hayward--who plays professional basketball for the Utah Jazz--also is an avid video gamer , including competing in professional eSports games.

Marketing 122

Marketing Technology Product Develop 122

L.A. Business Journal

MAY 29, 2016

Websites such as Saatchi Art offer artists a new way for their works to click with collectors.

188

188

Xconomy

MAY 31, 2016

Technology is crucial for innovation—and innovation in technology is critical to innovation in just about every other arena. Why? Because it’s the forward march of technology that allows us to do more with less, improving our lives in the process. Just look at how we’re living right now. We communicate worldwide via email or Skype. We consume most of our media digitally—whether it’s music, text or video.

Technology 72

Technology Artificial Inteligence Cloud Computing Examples 72

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

As a startup investor, I often see business proposals looking for funding that really look like expensive hobbies looking for donations. I recognize that entrepreneurs tend to substitute vision and passion for formal processes, but no discipline or process in building something new is a sure way to spend money, rather than see any return and build a self-sustaining business.

Ideas 62

Ideas Outsource Development Startup Competition 62

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 3, 2016

Impinj , a developer of RFID and other wireless chips which has rseearch offices in Rancho Cordova and Newport Beach, has filed for an IPO, saying in a filing with the SEC that it is looking to raise up to $60M. The company has applied to list on the NASDAQ Global Market as PI. The IPO is being underwritten by RBC Capital Markets, Pacific Crest Securities, Piper Jaffray,Needham & Company, and Cannacord Genuity.

CalTech 116

CalTech Venture Capital Startup Equity 116

L.A. Business Journal

MAY 31, 2016

Online meal-kit seller Chef’d raised $12.3 million in Series A round financing.

Startup 150

Startup 150

Xconomy

JUNE 2, 2016

After a painful restructuring earlier this year, Berkeley, CA-based 3D Robotics appears to be raising additional capital. The high-profile drone startup, which raised $50 million in venture funding early last year in a Series C funding round led by San Diego-based Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM ), has raised almost $26.7 million in a combination of securities, convertible debt, and debt, according to a regulatory filing Wednesday.

San Diego 71

San Diego Funding Capital Startup 71

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2016

Aspiring entrepreneurs who rely only on traditional learning vehicles (teachers, classrooms, and risk-free practice) are doomed to failure in anticipating change today. Either they are never really ready to commit, study an opportunity until it has passed, or fail with tools and techniques from a bygone business era. The Internet and the current information wave have changed everything.

Entrepreneur 61

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Education 61

SoCal Tech Calendar

MAY 31, 2016

Beverlly Hills-based private equity investor Platinum Equity , and Van Nuys-based Electro Rent said Tuesday that the two are in a definitive agreement, where Platinum Equity will pay approximately $323.4M for Electro Rent. Platinum Equity said ti will pay $13.12 per share in cash for Electro Rent, which it says is a premium of 24.4 percent over the company's closing price on May 27th.

Van Nuys 116

Van Nuys Equity Pricing Company 116

L.A. Business Journal

JUNE 3, 2016

A weekly roundup of must-read L.A. tech investments and acquisitions.

Acquisition 100

Acquisition Invest 100

Xconomy

MAY 30, 2016

[ Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories examining entrepreneurship on MIT’s campus and beyond. ]. MIT’s approach to nurturing entrepreneurship has changed a lot over the past 50 years. Lita Nelsen has seen it up close—and played a part in its evolution—from her studies there in the 1960s, to her business-school fellowship in the late 1970s, to her 30 years working in MIT’s Technology Licensing Office.

Startup 67

Startup Compton Research Course 67

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2016

A question I often get as an adviser is whether or not to join a business incubator or accelerator as a way to move forward faster and smarter and increase the odds of business success. The simple answer is always yes, but like any other resource, finding the right one depends on your implementation stage, your own expertise, and what’s available in your geographic area.

Incubator 58

Incubator Startup Seed Funding Resource 58

SoCal Tech Calendar

MAY 31, 2016

Irvine-based Infinite RF Holdings , the parent company of Pasternack Enterprises and Fairview Microwave, has been acquired by private equity investor Genstar Capital. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Infinite RF Holdings is a supplier of radio frequency (RF) technology components, serving the aerospace/defense, industrial, government, consumer electronics, instrumentation, education/medical, and telecommunications markets.

Capital 116

Capital Equity Education Acquisition 116

L.A. Business Journal

JUNE 3, 2016

A weekly roundup of L.A. tech company and product launches.

Product 100

Product Company Companies 100

Xconomy

JUNE 2, 2016

I just returned from several days visiting Cuba with several of my BFFs. No amount of pre-reading prepared me for the wonderful experience. Americans cannot go as “tourists,” but must go on an approved people-to-people exchange. As such, we visited schools, farms, a university, children’s programs, museums, churches, a factory and the like. I’m sharing ten observations on everything from Communism to infrastructure to happiness.

Startup 63

Startup Artificial Inteligence Guide .Net 63

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2016

Savvy entrepreneurs start testing their ideas on potential customers even before the concept is fully cooked. They have enough confidence in their ability to deliver that they don’t worry about someone stealing the idea to get there first, and they don’t forget to listen carefully to critical feedback. They become walking public relations machines for themselves, as well as their idea.

Custom 58

Custom Customer Social Media Startup 58

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 3, 2016

Thousand Oaks-based Teledyne Technologies announced late Friday morning that it has scored a big win in its Teledyne Defence business unit, to help deploy a giant network of small satellites. According to Teledyne, Shipley, which is part of its Teledyne Microsave Solutions group, has been awarded a major supply contract from OneWeb Satellites, to support an effort to launch 900 small satellites.

Thousand Oaks 109

Thousand Oaks Networking Help Technology 109

L.A. Business Journal

MAY 31, 2016

Roundup of L.A. tech events in the next two weeks.

100

100

Xconomy

JUNE 3, 2016

States have been fighting to collect sales taxes from online retailers since the dawn of the e-commerce age. But today, online companies that sell services rather than merchandise also need to be concerned about state sales taxes. Even though most services are usually not subject to sales tax, some states are now asserting that certain online services are taxable either as software, data processing, or information services, even if the type of service would not be taxable if delivered the old fa

Sales 62

Sales Company Companies Software Review 62

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2016

Believe it or not, even large and mature companies often initiate entrepreneurial efforts inside their own companies, and they look for employees who have the right attributes to make this happen. If you want to explore the world of an entrepreneur, without jumping ship, this would be the way to do it. Entrepreneurs working inside big companies are called “intrapreneurs.

Startup 53

Startup Resource Entrepreneur Marketing 53

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 3, 2016

Irvine-based vehicle telematics provider Spireon reported Thursday afternoon that it has reached three million subscribers to its platform, and has named a new CEO. The company said it has named Kevin Weiss to the CEO position. Weiss was previously CEO of Unitrends, and also had served at McAfee, IBM, and other companies. Weiss replaces Marc Brungger, who now apparently is running his own investment and consulting firm.

IBM 109

IBM IBM News Sales 109

Jason Nazar

JUNE 1, 2016

The most surefire way to raise money is to have a great team, build a great product and get meaningful traction. Yet, I always get asked: “What’s the secret to win over investors in pitch meetings?” These are the pitch techniques the best entrepreneurs employ to raise billions in capital. None of this can substitute for the business fundamentals, but it never hurts to be the best pitch person in the room.

Slides 49

Slides Startup Entrepreneur Metrics 49

Xconomy

JUNE 3, 2016

It was fitting this week that, in the lead-up to two of biomedicine’s biggest self-celebrations, we were served ample reminder of the industry’s expensive decisions gone wrong. This weekend, much of academia and industry involved in cancer will gather in Chicago for the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology conference. Thousands of others will head to San Francisco for BIO, which has a distinct international flavor.

San Diego 62

San Diego Patents Acquisition News 62

LATechDigest

MAY 30, 2016

**. THIS WEEK’S EVENTS: see full calendar. Tuesday May 31. Hack for LA. Future of Transportation. Wednesday June 1. IBM Watson. Thursday June 2. QuePasa DTLA. LA Datatech Monthly MixR. Accelerating IoT. Friday June 3. Mobile App Hackathon (-6/4). Innovate Pasadena. Saturday June 4. JPL Open House SignUp. Women & Girls in Tech. **. Here’s what’s new in LA’s tech space: SNAPCHAT Raises $1.8B Series F ( link ).

Belkin 45

Belkin UCLA Funding Pasadena 45