Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'“Everybody’s got a plan – until they are punched in the face,” stated boxer Mike Tyson. My experience personally reviewing over three hundred executive summaries each year, all sent to me unsolicited, seems to bear out the truth in Tyson’s statement. Anyone can build a good – or great – plan. Investors have to look behind the plan and at the entrepreneur and his or her team, knowing that, over time, most of us have come to the conclusion that it is the execution of the ever-changing pl

Startup 245

Startup Summary Metrics Class 245

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'It looks like the war between the old and the new continues to rage on in Los Angeles, as the city--already the center of the fight between taxi drivers and ridesharing services like Uber, Lift, and Sidecar --is now the center of a storm between real estate agents and online real estate sites like Zillow, Trulia, and REALTOR.com. According to the Combined Los Angeles/Westside MLS (CLAW) , the group which handles all of the real estate listings for local Los Angeles agents, it is clamping down o

Los Angeles 247

Los Angeles Angel Santa Monica Sites 247

InfoChachkie

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'A version of this article previously appeared on Forbes. Software as a service (SaaS) is a popular business model because it facilitates the delivery of incremental value to customers, while allowing the vendor to adjust their prices over time. However, such price increases generally occur after new utility has been provided to the customers. If you haven''t already subscribed yet, subscribe now for free weekly JohnGreathouse.com articles!

SaaS 215

SaaS Pricing Sales Customer 215

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Sponsored by VISA Business One of the keys to maximizing the productivity and success of your team, as well as yourself, is motivation. It has been estimated that the average team member at any given time works at less than 50% of his capacity. Thus, mastering the art of employee motivation could double your chances of success over the average competitor.

Startup 108

Startup Resource Tips Layoffs 108

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

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'It’s been a short, but action packed few months since we were introduced to The Immunity Project ‘s goal to “develop a free vaccine for HIV/AIDS” The organization’s aptly named Twitter handle is @hackHIV and they’re the second nonprofit organization ever to be backed by Bay Area Incubator, Y-Combinator (YC). For those just tuning in, The Immunity Project is a nonprofit initiative using a unique combination of crowdfunding and venture capital, along with a nov

Artificial Inteligence 110

Artificial Inteligence AMA Organization Research 110

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Los Angeles-based Shopzilla , the online comparison shopping site owned by Symphony Technology Group (STG), announced today that it has acquired Ventura-based Connexity , the programmatic media buying company led by Dave Gross. Financial terms of the buy were not disclosed. According to Shopzilla, it will use the acquisition of Connexity to help bolster Aisle A, its "Audience Activation" division.

Ventura 225

Ventura Advertising Incubator Acquisition 225

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

'Just because you are an entrepreneur, or work in a startup, you can’t ignore the rules of building and maintaining relationships. Many despise these experiences in corporate environments, and leave for a startup, only to find that they have to be able to navigate a similar minefield there of workplace and business relationships to be successful. Jan Yager, Ph.D., an author and speaker on this and related subjects, outlines in her book a while back “ Productive Relationships: 57 Strategies for B

Startup 102

Startup Social Network Entrepreneur Mentor 102

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

' “We want to innovate the digital ad space in a whole new way.”. Enplug is a fast-growing, ubiquitous Silicon Beach company. You might be aware of their products – perhaps having seen their digital media signs in your favorite local restaurant or bar, but what you might not know is their compelling founders’ story and unique company culture.

Social Media 106

Social Media Startup Screening Advertising 106

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'Do you need a new website? Can''t find a good designer? A new, San Diego startup, Launchsite , has a new online marketplace and service which aims to help you find a website designer--by letting you post your website project, and getting three website concepts presented to you to pick from. According to the startup--founded by Daniel Qu and Jonathan Song--the startup''s online marketplace is aimed at helping people find a designer who can create a website that they not only need, but love.

Design 212

Design Help Sample San Diego 212

Steve Reich

FEBRUARY 16, 2014

'A fun, if manic, interview with Alon Goren.

40

40

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2014

'If you are one of the many people still searching for that job lost during or after the recent depression, or about to dump the loser of a job you have now, you should be working on starting your own business, in parallel with looking for that ideal job. Let me explain why this is a win-win deal, no matter what the outcome. You have probably secretly always wanted to run your own show, but with an existing job, never took the time to consider a startup.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Startup Social Network Ideas 102

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'This weekend marks the 12th consecutive Southern California Linux Expo, SCaLE12x. Corresponding with several of the founders, here’s the story of how it all began. The original founders comprised of Ilan Rabinovitch, Gareth Greenaway, Shyam Kapadia, Orv Beach, Lei Zhang, Phil Dibowitz and Scott Kilroy. Initially, the Simi Conejo Valley Linux Users Group led by Gareth Greenaway had already been throwing several “Linux Fest” events for four years in a row.

Southern California 97

Southern California SoCal USC Conference 97

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

'Bankrupt electric automotive firm Fisker Automotive has been sold to Chinese auto parts company Wanxiang Group , after a bankruptcy auction on Friday, according to the companies. The deal was worth $149.2M. Irvine-based Fisker Automotive has been in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings since last year. According to Reuters, the deal is expected to be presented in bankruptcy court Tuesday for approval.

Marketing 207

Marketing Company Companies 207

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'It''s SXSW season--the time of year when startups and other high tech companies head to Austin, Texas to launch their companies, hobnob with the digerati, and try to get seen. However, SXSW is a notoriously brutal place to launch a product or company--there are literally hundreds of companies doing the same thing, and trying to launch at SXSW can sometimes backfire.

High Tech 204

High Tech Pasadena Mobile Services 204

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'San Diego-based sports registration service Active Network has laid of over 100 people, according to sources near the company. Active Network has been contacted, but has not yet responded to queries about the layoff. No details on the layoff have been announced by the privately held company, and the company had not yet filed a notice with the state of California''s WARN system on any impending cuts.

Layoffs 197

Layoffs Activity Networking San Diego 197

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Over the last few years, there''s been an explosion in startup accelerators in Southern California, and in particular along "Silicon Beach" on the Los Angeles westside. One of the accelerators to emerge out of that boom a few years ago was MuckerLab (www.muckerlab.com), headed by Erik Rannala. MuckerLab is one of a number of accelerators who have managed to scoop up venture funding for its companies, with such portfolio companies Surf Air, Retention Science, Wallaby, Chromatik, and others.

Southern California 187

Southern California Incubator Startup Ideas 187

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Are you an engaged couple planning for your big wedding day? Wish you really knew how much things would cost, and what people have to do to make it happen? One, Los Angeles-based startup-- Happily , is hoping to provide some real-life information to couples through a new feature showing the real costs, budgets, vendors, timeline, and more of weddings.

Los Angeles 178

Los Angeles Startup Marketing Angel 178

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Los Angeles-based native advertising technology provider Nativo , which is led by Justin Choi and is venture backed by Greycroft Partners, e.ventures and Signia Venture Partners, has signed up five major newspaper groups as customers, the company reported Tuesday afternoon. Nativo said that Hearst Newspapers, the McClatchy Company, Gatehouse Media, Schurz Communications, and Sandusky Newspapers have all selected the firm as a native advertising provider.

Advertising 171

Advertising Los Angeles Content Report 171

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Irvine-based cybersecurity software developer Cylance announced today that it has raised $20M in a Series B funding, which came from Blackstone, Khosla Ventures, Fairhaven Capital and un-named private investors. Cylance says it is developing endpoint protection software which uses "math-based" and artificial intelligence technology to detect and prevent security issues.

Artificial Inteligence 170

Artificial Inteligence Tool Venture Capital News 170

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Carlsbad-based MaintenanceNet , which develops software used to manage maintenance and service contracts, announced Wednesday that it has raised a round of growth equity from private equity company Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors. Size of the funding round was not announced. MaintenanceNet said the company will receive a "substantial" investment aimed at furthering its worldwide operations, technology development, and other efforts.

Equity 168

Equity Outsource Development Funding Software 168

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Just how far and wide is the virality of Los Angeles-based Tinder ? According to a report from New York Magazine , Tinder has made it to yet another continent: Antarctica. The app, which lets users vote "yes" or "no" on other users they would or would not like to me--apparently helped connect (but not hook up) two scientists deployed for research there at two different research stations.

Research 168

Research Mobile Los Angeles Report 168

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Venice, California-based social media app developer Snapchat has made a significant, high visibility hire, saying this week that it has hired Peter Magnusson, a former engineering director from Google, as its new Vice President of Engineering. The high profile hire comes as Snapchat ramps its recruiting efforts. Snapchat said it is looking to hire as many as 50 engineers,/a> this year, a huge growth from just fifteen developers now at the company.

Snapchat 164

Snapchat Google Social Media Venice 164

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Los Angeles-based streaming television provider Hulu said Tuesday that it has named Tian Lim as its new Chief Technology Officer. Lim was most recently SVP of Product Engineering at Sony Network Entertainment International, heading up that company''s team which provided client and service engineering for the PlayStation Store on the web, PS3 and PS4.

Hulu 164

Hulu Chief Technology Officer Entertainment Web 164

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Pasadena-based Metacloud , the venture-backed provider of OpenStack-based cloud services has launched its own private cloud service, the company said this morning. According to Metacloud, its new Metacloud Hosted Private Cloud service will provide private cloud services to companies, giving them access to an OpenStack-based cloud platform and expert support.

Services 164

Services Ticketmaster Yahoo Pasadena 164

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Marina Del Rey-based textPlus , the venture-backed developer of mobile texting and calling applications, said Wednesday that it has launched a brand new, international calling app called GlobePhone. According to the company--which is backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, Matrix Partners, Upfront Ventures and The Raine Group--the new mobile app offers up inexpensive international calling, specifically aimed at people in the US with family and friends outside the country, and for those tr

Marina Del Rey 159

Marina Del Rey Startup Mobile Entrepreneur 159

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Irvine-based CrowdStrike , the computer security firm led by security industry veteran George Kurtz, said today that it has launched a brand new application for endpoint activity monitoring. According to the company, it has launched the app to provide real-time forensics, automated protection, and visibility into endpoints. The company is tapping technology from Splunk for the app.

Activity 159

Activity Tool Organization Software 159

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Aliso Viejo-based Corent Technologies , the developer of software which helps turn corporate applications into software-as-a-service, has raised another $3.0M in funding, according to a regulatory filing from the firm Wednesday. Details on the funding have not yet been announced by the company. Corent, which is led by Feyzi Fatehi, develops software used by companies to easily transition their.NET software applications to the software-as-a-service model, short cutting the time it takes for conv

SaaS 159

SaaS Technology Software Web 159

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'San Diego-based ACTIVE Network has split off its business products group, ACTIVE Network Business Solutions , and merged it with a Texas company, Lanyon. Financial terms of the merger and acquisitions deal were not announced. According to ACITVE Network Business Solutions, it is separating from parent company ACTIVE Network, and will merge with Lanyon to focus on the event marketing and meetings management space.

Activity 157

Activity Networking San Diego Acquisition 157

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Ridesharing app developer Sidecar said today that it has extended the rollout of its new version of its app beyond Los Angeles and Chicago, and has raised $10M in a new funding round. The Bay Area startup--which has been testing a new version of its app here in Los Angeles for the last three weeks--said its new app re-launches the company as a "mobile transportation marketplace", letting drivers set their own prices for rides, and letting riders select which drivers they want based on vehicle,

Los Angeles 157

Los Angeles Mobile Pricing Funding 157

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

'Los Angeles-based Wi-Fi network provider Boingo Wireless reported a win with a small city in Illinois, Rosemont, which is near Chicago. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Boingo said that it has been chosen as the official wireless service provider for the city, and will provide mobile Wi-Fi service for visitors and residents in high traffic areas of the city, along with its convention and entertainment destinations.

Entertainment 157

Entertainment Networking Los Angeles Mobile 157

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'Pasadena-based cloud-based collaboration and project management software developer Central Desktop says that it is profitable and growing, with a 70 percent year-over-year growth in its SocialBridge collaboration and work management software. Central Desktop, however, did not release any details on its finances or profitability. Central Desktop has been on a number of growth listings, however, including a listing on the 2013 Inc. 500|5000 list of fastest growing private companies.

SoCalTech 153

SoCalTech Pasadena Software Development Software 153

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'In one of the largest rounds for a Central Coast company in recent years--and the largest venture investment in San Luis Obispo ever--cloud software maker MindBody has raised $50M in a funding round. The company--which develops software-as-a-service which helps local businesses manage scheduling, staff management, point of sale, ecommerce, marketing, and more--said the funding came from Bessemer Venture Partners, Institutional Venture Partners, Catalyst Investors, W Capital Partners and Montreu

Tech Coast Angels 147

Tech Coast Angels Pasadena Angels Pasadena Venture Capital 147

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 21, 2014

'MagnaCom Ltd. , an Israeli company which has its U.S. operations in Laguna Niguel, said this week that it has added former Qualcomm President and Vice Chairman Steve Altman to the company as an advisor. As part of that move, MagnaCom said that Altman has acquired a "meaningful holding" in MagnaCom. Financial details of that investment were not disclosed.

Invest 147

Invest Venture Capital Mobile Angel 147

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Santa Monica-based NearWoo , the provider of mobile advertising software for local businesses, announced this morning that it has signed up twenty partners which it says provide advertising marketing and marketing services to small businesses. Nearwoo, whic his led by Jason Crilly, said those partners include GoGoIt, YDOP, Revenat Social, Follow Me Sticker, StoreFront Social, 3178 Agency, Hypewell, Velocity, YOTM, Top Spin, CAS Designs, Ask Joanne, Bashfoo, Bleapp, E Accountable, Digital Inboun

Marketing 147

Marketing Santa Monica Advertising Mobile 147

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

'Los Angeles-based Payvia , which is backed by Silver Lake Sumeru, said today that it has rebranded the company and refocused the company on SMS and MMS marketing. The company also said it has launched a new product, aimed at video transcoding for clients on a wide range of mobile devices. OUtspoken said it is now focused on mobiel video and rich media messaging services, and is serving such clients as Charlotte Russe, Cox Media Group, Emmis Communications, Entravision, and Jack in the Box.

Silver Lake 147

Silver Lake Mogreet Mobile Marketing 147

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

'Aliso Viejo-based storage networking hardware provider QLogic is moving further into the Ethernet market, via the purchase of an entire line of Ethernet hardware from Irvine-based Broadcom , the two said late Tuesday. According to the companies, QLogic will pay $147M in cash for certain 10/40/100Gb Ethernet controller-related assets and non-exclusive licenses to certain intellectual property which are related to Broadcom''s NetXtreme II Ethernet controller family.

Patents 147

Patents Acquisition Networking Customer 147