Sat.Feb 11, 2017 - Fri.Feb 17, 2017

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Understanding What’s Going on in #LATech

Both Sides of the Table

Upfront Ventures was created 20 years ago as one of the original VC funds in Los Angeles. Back then only 15% of our dollars were invested locally whereas today 50% of our dollars are invested in LA. 10 years ago we found ourselves trying to persuade LPs and VCs that it was worth spending more time getting to know the LA market and now the most common refrain that I hear from them is “there really is something going on in LA.

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Control your euphoria!

Berkonomics

One thing a senior manager can count on is that someday, something will go right, very right. Well, after all the disappointments, pressure and outright failures, this is NEWS. So we tend to go overboard a bit. As a member of the board, I’ve received calls on weekends, at night and texts at hours I didn’t even think existed – from CEOs who couldn’t control the euphoria.

Guide 243
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L.A. Startups Received $369 Million in Seed Funding in 2016

L.A. Business Journal

Seed-stage companies in Los Angeles received a total of $369 million in funding in 2016, according to report from Venice tech accelerator Amplify.LA.

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Hello Kitty Comes To Microsoft HoloLens, Thanks To SPACES

socalTECH

If you can't get enough of Hello Kitty , the iconic cartoon character owned by Sanrio, you can now add your own set of Hello Kitty holograms into Microsoft HoloLens--thanks to Playa Vista-based SPACES. SPACES said on Tuesday that it is bringing a new "Hello Kitty Actiongram" theme pack to HoloLens, the Microsoft virtual/augmented reality environment, adding 14 Hello Kitty holograms to the environment.

Content 176
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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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How Do I Feel About the Snap IPO Given I Didn’t Invest?

Both Sides of the Table

Every tech or major news journal in the country is preparing to write their Snap, Inc (creators of Snapchat, Spectacles, etc) stories and many of them seem to want a “How does it feel to have missed this investment story.” I won’t speak to most of them due to time and also due to the fact that I simply am not the story and don’t want to pretend like I am.

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Doppels Is the Birthday Matching App You’re Going to Love

Tech.Co

On your birthday, something special happens on social media: you receive hundreds of likes and well wishes from friends, family, high school classmates and people you haven’t talked to for years on Facebook. And while this has been the standard for years, one startup is hoping to personalize the birthday wishes even more. Doppels is a simple birthday discovery and smart gifting app that connects people through their shared birthdays.

Venice 128

More Trending

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Cosemi Sells Off Business Unit To Avago

socalTECH

Irvine-based Cosemi Technologies has sold off its photodetector chip business to Avago Technologies , and is refocusing its business on "active optical cables", the company said over the last few weeks. Financial terms of the sale were not announced. Avago is a unit of Broadcom Ltd. Cosemi said the deal also includes a supply agreement, where Avago will continue to supply it with photo detectors and other essential semiconductor components, such as lasers, for its products.

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Teradata Data Science Distinguished Speaker Series

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, February 23, 2017 -- Teradata Data Science Distinguished Speaker Series. Join Tech San Diego as we welcome Ramkumar Ravichandran, VISA. Ram has a track record of driving impact enabling effective data science decision-making, strategy formulation and execution. Ram drives Visa's actionable insights derived from Business Analytics, Advanced Analytics and A/B testing.

San Diego 100
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Dear Tom Price: Bundled Payments Help Patients and Reduce Costs

Xconomy

With all the talk of repealing Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), people have been taking a closer look at what the law has done for our healthcare system. It turns out the ACA is about a lot more than the problematic healthcare marketplaces. There’s the extension of parental insurance coverage to age 26 and the requirement of insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions.

Pricing 76
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Solar Umbrellas Take Charge at Coffee Chain

L.A. Business Journal

Zon hopes to help cover customers’ power needs with its device-charging solar umbrellas.

Customer 173
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How Float Is Tackling Millennials' Lack Of A Credit Score

socalTECH

If you're just out of school, at your first job--and you didn't get a credit card in school--you might just have a real difficult time of getting that first credit card. That's the experience that Max Klein , the CEO of Float (www.hellofloat.com) had, and is now looking to fix, with a new fintech startup which hopes to make it easier for Millennials to start to establish their credit record.

Startup 165
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Tech Panel: Cyber Security

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, February 23, 2017 -- Tech Panel: Cyber Security. Tech in Motion would like to invite you to the UCI Applied Innovation Center as we engage in a high-level discussion panel focused on cyber security and it's importance in every industry. The discussion will be led by some of Southern California's top cyber security minds. See https://www.meetup.com/TechinmotionOC/events/235448377/.

UCI 100
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With “Go,” Amazon Identifies Another Job It Can Do Better

Xconomy

Early last year, I “fired” talk radio along with NPR’s morning and evening editions. That same day, I “hired” Amazon Audible as my commute companion. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Audible is far better than its predecessors at doing the job I need done as I travel to and from my office – provide on-demand access to an array of rich, custom content.

Demand 75
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Snap Control Structure Could Hinder IPO Price

L.A. Business Journal

Concentration of voting shares with the co-founders could prove costly for Snap’s IPO.

Pricing 174
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Dreamscape Immersive Raises Series A Funding For VR Entertainment Centers

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Dreamscape Immersive , a developer of immersive, virtual reality entertainment experiences, said on yesterday afternoon that it has raised a Series A financing round. Size of the funding round was not announced, however, a regulatory filing indicates around $11.36M was raised in the round. The funding was led by Bold Capital Partners, the investment firm run by Peter Diamandis, and also included Warner Bros., 21st Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), IMAX Corporation, Westfi

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Startup Superhero Series with Kimberly Brooks - Dot-Com Entrepreneur, Artist and Tech Wizard at Lightray

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, February 23, 2017 -- Startup Superhero Series with Kimberly Brooks - Dot-Com Entrepreneur, Artist and Tech Wizard at Lightray. What is a Startup Superhero? Join us as Kimberly Brooks, Founder and Chief Strategist of Lightray, is interviewed by Kevin DeBre, Partner at Stubbs Alderton and Markiles, LLP, on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, stories from her Dot-Com adventures, and how entrepreneurship has changed for her today.

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My Lousy Presentation Allowed LogMeIn To Eclipse GoToMeeting

InfoChachkie

A version of this article previously appeared in Forbes. Last week, LogMeIn completed its merger with the GoTo services previously owned by Citrix (GoToMeeting, GoToWebinar, […]. The post My Lousy Presentation Allowed LogMeIn To Eclipse GoToMeeting appeared first on John Greathouse.

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Mattel Partners with Alibaba to Develop Toys for China

L.A. Business Journal

Toy maker Mattel Inc. of El Segundo has partnered with Alibaba Group of Hangzhou, China to market and develop products for Chinese consumers.

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Beepi Hits The Deadpool

socalTECH

Beepi , the online used car sales startup which expanded into Los Angeles in 2014, has shut down, according to reports. The Silicon Valley startup had raised more than $150M in funding. The company's $60M funding in 2014 had been focused on expansion to Los Angeles. READ MORE>>.

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Startup Superhero Series with Kimberly Brooks - Dot-Com Entrepreneur, Artist and Tech Wizard at Lightray

SoCal Tech Calendar

Thursday, February 23, 2017 -- Startup Superhero Series. What is a Startup Superhero? Join us as Kimberly Brooks, Founder and Chief Strategist of Lightray, is interviewed by Kevin DeBre, Partner at Stubbs Alderton and Markiles, LLP, on the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, stories from her Dot-Com adventures, and how entrepreneurship has changed for her today.

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6 Strategies to Keep Your Business Self-Sustaining

Startup Professionals Musings

Every new business owner looks forward to the day when their business becomes self-sustaining, and settles into a long-term growth curve that will assure financial success, as well as a lasting legacy. Unfortunately, in this age of vacillating customer trends and a wealth of new competitors scratching and clawing for a piece of the action, long-term growth requires constant focus.

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Silicon Beach Report Feb. 14: Mattel Partners with Alibaba to Develop Toys for China

L.A. Business Journal

Mattel partners with Alibaba to develop toys for China, PewDiePie original YouTube show canceled following anti-Semitic comments, and ZestFinance launches service to rate credit for millennials without borrowing history.

Develop 113
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ProSites Buys PracticeMojo

socalTECH

Temecula, California-based ProSites , which develops websites for dental and medical practices, has acquired Phoenix, Arizona-based PracticeMojo , the two said last week. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. ProSites says it offers up custom website design, search engine marketing, social media management, and pay-per-click services to over 14,000 dental, medical, and professional practices; the firm is led by Dr.

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MAKE IT Monthly - Social Media for Emerging Brands: DIY Tips for Big Results

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 -- MAKE IT Monthly - Social Media for Emerging Brands: DIY Tips for Big Results. New digital platforms enable emerging brands and products to gain awareness quickly and drive sales. But navigating the landscape can be daunting. Join Rick Kanter, founder of LA-focused e-commerce and lifestyle site barrio.la, as he demystifies today’s trends and breaks down how to plan and execute your digital strategy.

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10 Personality Types That Shouldn’t Be Entrepreneurs

Startup Professionals Musings

People who get stressed managing their own lives don’t make good entrepreneurs. Small businesses require multi-tasking, work prioritization, and decision-making, with no assistants or help from specialists. That’s why Fortune 500 executives usually don’t survive as startup CEOs. First you have to learn to accept total responsibility for things that happen to your business, just like you are responsible for everything in your personal life.

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Tinder Acquires Snapchat-Like App Wheel

L.A. Business Journal

Tinder announced on Thursday that it had acquired Wheel, a video-and-picture slide show app developer, for an undisclosed amount.

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Tinder Buys Wheel

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based mobile dating app developer Tinder has acquired another, Los Angeles mobile app firm, Wheel , the companies disclosed this morning. Financial terms of the buy were not announced. Wheel's founders, Paul Boukadakis and Chris Shaheen have both joined Tinder as executives. Wheel was backed by Mark Suster and Allen DeBevoise, along with other angels.

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AITP-LA February Tech Meetup

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 -- AITP-LA February Tech Meetup. AITP-LA February Tech meetup You are invited to an outstanding networking event to connect with professionals in technology, content management, digital media, project and quality management. Celebrate in LA with our many community partners – trade/professional associations and social networking groups.

AITP 100
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7 Rules For Maintaining A Creative Business Culture

Startup Professionals Musings

Within the startup realm, there is a big difference between having an innovative product versus an innovative business. Some startups have a new technology, but stick to a tried-and-true business model. Others take an existing product, and give it new life with a creative business model. The most competitive startups do both, all the time and every time.

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Silicon Beach Report Feb. 17: Rubicon Project Signs SoundCloud

L.A. Business Journal

Rubicon Project signs SoundCloud, Elon Musk is seriously pursuing tunneling as a business, and GM deploys 100 electric cars for car sharing program in Los Angeles.

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Shippabo Snags $1.8M For Global Freight Shipping Software

socalTECH

Los Angeles-based Shippabo , a developer of software used to help importers manage freight and shipping, including comparing quotes from freight forwarders, filing government paperwork, and other related functions, has raised $1.8M in a funding round. The funding, announced on Thursday, came from TenOneTen Ventures, Double M Partners, Slow Ventures, angel investor Joanne Wilson and others.

Software 124
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Silicon Beach Networking Mixer At Prince O' Whales

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, February 22, 2017 -- Silicon Beach Networking Mixer At Prince O' Whales. Our networking events attract professionals from entertainment, tech, social media, fashion, and marketing and we're quite popular with influencers as well. Meet new people and participate in lively discussions with outstanding names in the Silicon Beach community. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/silicon-beach-networking-mixer-at-prince-o-whales-in-playa-del-rey-tickets-32010446106?

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5 Success Practices of Ultra-Effective Business Teams

Startup Professionals Musings

It takes an effective team to attract and serve a community in business these days. With real-time online reviews and feedback via the Internet, and instant relationships via social media, a voice from the top that is inconsistent with what is heard from the firing line defines a dysfunctional and noncompetitive company for today’s customer. Thus team makeup is the critical success factor.

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Silicon Beach Report Feb. 15: Fika Ventures Raises $40 Million Seed Fund

L.A. Business Journal

Fika Ventures raises $40 million seed fund, Musk posts tweet opposing Muslim ban, then deletes it, Imax opens flagship virtual reality center on Fairfax, and more.

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Report: Amazon Launching New Game Studio In San Diego

socalTECH

Amazon.com is launching a new game studio in San Diego, according to reports , in an effort being led by former Sony Online Entertainment chief John Smedley. The new studio apparently is looking to hire on many of the game developers who were at SOE. Smedley had been at Sony Online Entertainment for 20 years, up until July of 2015. The new arm of Amazon is apparently recruiting developers in Orange County, among other locations, to bolster the new game studio.

San Diego 124
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805 Startups - Insight Into Dating, Social, and Lifestyle

SoCal Tech Calendar

Wednesday, February 15, 2017 -- Insight Into Dating, Social, and Lifestyle Industries - Speaker Series - Westlake. This is a free event and a part of the 805 Startups partnership with HUB101 to bring you valuable opportunities to learn and to network. The event features a panel of speakers with varying backgrounds and key experiences to share with you.

Startup 100