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Reflections on 2020: Andy Wilson, Alliance for SoCal Innovation

socalTECH

Today, we have Andy Wilson, Executive Director of the Alliance for SoCal Innovation (www.alliancesocal.org). In short, we accelerated our virtual and digital capabilities which has enhanced our ability to unify and elevate the massive and diverse SoCal region. He previously held C-level roles at Overture Services/Yahoo!,

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Tech Study Critical Of Region's Fragmentation, Geography

socalTECH

The Alliance says it is holding two events--one in Silicon Valley at the Computer History Museum, and another at UCLA--which will feature Southern California "thought-leaders" and technology and life sciences innovators, to try to connect them with investors and serial entrepreneurs from around the state and country.

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Surveying SoCal's M&A Landscape, with David Siemer

socalTECH

Google and Yahoo aren''t going to buy them, AOL has already made its bet, and your only real path to an exit is an IPO for any kind of liquidity. The large acquirers, the Microsoft and Yahoo''s of the world, were buying 20-40 companies a year. Their only option is an IPO. That''s true of many Southern California ad-tech companies.

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Twiistup 6 Highlights

Both Sides of the Table

In SoCal we are also leaders in affiliate marketing (Commission Junction), Internet video (Hulu) and bringing local businesses online (ReachLocal). There are now a second generation of entrepreneurs and companies that have learned from their last successes and are producing great new companies like TopSpin Media , Sometrics and GumGum.

Twiistup 228
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Launchpad LA – 10 Startup Companies to Watch

Both Sides of the Table

We had software executives from Google, Yahoo!, I first met him there and knew he was a talented entrepreneur that I wanted to work with some day. DataPop : DataPop was founded by performance marketing veterans from Yahoo!, Gyroscope is in double-dog secret stealth mode right now so I’ll focus more on the entrepreneur.

Company 276
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Want to Start a Technology Company in LA?

Both Sides of the Table

We have many seasoned entrepreneurs who have built successful companies here and made a lot of money for investors and themselves. I like to repeat the mantra, “necessity is the mother of all invention,&# meaning that because investors have this expectation you find entrepreneurs that focus on nearer term monetization.

Company 290
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Find Egg-breakers: People With Influence & Authority and Are Unafraid to Use Them

Both Sides of the Table

My friend and fellow SoCal venture capitalist Peter Lee wrote a post about the different roles within a VC and spent much time on the role of an associate. Then there is the EIR (entrepreneur in residence) who is usually at a VC for a temporary period of time and other individuals such as venture partners or operating partners.