INDUSTRY INSIGHTS YOUR PEERS ARE READING
El Segundo-based Beyond Meat , which develops plant-based burger products, says it has added a long list of celebrities as investors in the company. MORE
Los Angeles- and Park City, Utah-based Locked On Podcast , which produces local sports podcasts for NBA, NFL, MLB, college, and other sports teams, says it now is producing 450 episodes weekly for its listeners, who are turning to the company for ports fans. According to the company, it is now delivering local professional and college sport podcasts in nearly sixty major metro markets in the US and Canada. MORE
The first-ever marketed medicine for the fatty liver disease known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, could be on the horizon. The data, from a closely watched drug known as obeticholic acid, aren’t perfect. MORE
San Diego-based private equity investor JMI Equity is the lead investor in Lytics , a developer of marketing personalization software, in a $35M, Series C investment announced by Lytics on Thursday. Lytics--which is based in Portland, Oregon--said the funding was led by JMI Equity, and also included existing investors Comcast Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, Rembrandt Venture Partners and Voyager Capital. MORE
Culver City-based Clutter , which offers up "on-demand" self storage of your extra stuff, has raised $200M in a Series D funding, the company announced on Wednesday morning. According to Clutter, the Series D funding was led by SoftBank Vision Fund with participation from Sequoia, Atomico, GV, Fifth Wall and Four Rivers. Clutter says it will use the new funding to accelerate expansion, grow its workforce, and other efforts. Clutter has now raised nearly $300M in total funding since 2015. MORE
Camarillo-based semiconductor developer Semtech says it has signed up a maker of mining equipment to use its LoRa wireless networking technology. According to Semtech, Transco Industries, a developer of mining conveyer equipment, has implemented its LoRa devices and wireless radio frequency technology into its conveyer belt applications, for safer monitoring of those devices. Financial impact of the win were not announced. READ MORE>>. MORE
Audi has added a new feature to the vehicle-to-infrastructure technology embedded in its newer models that’s designed to help drivers catch every green light. The tech, called GLOSA or Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory, is part of the automaker’s built-in traffic light-reading technology. And Audi says it’s the first automaker to include this GLOSA feature in its cars. MORE
Los Angeles-based customer experience and business process outsourcing provider TaskUs is expanding its executive team, saying this morning that it has named Robert Hayes as its new Chief Delivery Officer (CDO), and Curt Gooden as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). TaskUs said that Hayes will lead its global client operations, but did not say where Hayes had previously worked, only saying he had lead "large, global teams" within the industry. MORE
One of the things that founders have the most angst about is whom they should have on their board and at what stage of the business. MORE
Startups that are backed by professional financial investors almost always have a Board of Directors that consists of some set of founders, investors and sometimes independent directors. MORE
Westlake Village-based Hub101 , the startup coworking space which is associated with California Lutheran University, says it has begun offering up private office suites. According to Hub101, the suites start at $1299 per month, for a two-desk, lockable office. The rest of the space offers up a shared, open floor plan. Hub101 is a frequent space for technology industry gatherings along the 101 corridor. READ MORE>>. hub101 coworking startup technology MORE
Burbank-based streaming video startup Loop Media announced on Thursday that it has acquired ScreenPlay , a video service provider which licenses videos for use in such locations as Hard Rock Cafes, Norwegian Cruise Line, Yard House, Buffalo Wild Wings and Margaritaville. Financial details of the cash-and-stock deal were not announced. Loop Media said the deal will provide it with a "deep library" and licensing rights to over 200,000 music videos and film, game, and TV trailers. MORE
Software development tools maker Perforce , which is owned by Los Angeles-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital , has completed its acquisition of Rogue Wave Software , another developer of software development tools. Financial terms of the acquisition, which were first announced in January , have not been disclosed. Rogue Wave was based in Louisville, Colorado, and develops software used for open source development, API management, Java development, and other areas. MORE
Santa Monica-based private equity investor Arrowroot Capital is the lead investor in a funding round for parking technology developer ParkHub , in ParkHub's first instituional funding. ParkHub said it raised $13M in a series B funding round, which was led by ArrowRoot Capital, and which will go towards sales and marketing, plus product development. According to the company, the funding is its first institutional funding round. MORE
Irvine-based Avetta , a provider of supply chain management software, has merged with another supply chain risk management company, BROWZ , the companies said this week. Avetta is owned by private equity investor Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe. The combined firm says it has more than 85,000 customers in over 100 countries. Financial terms of the merger were not announced. The combined company will be led by John Herr, the CEO of Avetta. MORE
One Thing That Great Leaders Understand I was scanning Twitter this past week and I came across these great Tweets by Michael Seibel at Y Combinator. When I was young I thought management was about distribution/delegation of responsibilities. MORE
Rivian , a developer of electric powered pickups and SUVs--which has significant operations in Irvine--has raised $700M in a funding round, the company announced Friday morning. The funding was led by Amazon. According to Rivian, its first two vehicles--the R1T and R1S--provide over 400 miles of range, and are expected to be delivered in late 2020. The company is led by founder and CEO RJ Scaringe. MORE
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 --. MORE
A new report issued today by Silicon Valley Bank, says that startups are generally optimistic about their business opportunities, and they plan to raise capital and expand their workforces this year, despite "economic and political" uncertainty across the globe. The Startup Outlook Report--which was issued on Wednesday--polled 1,400 startup founders and executives for its conclusions. MORE
Symplr , a healthcare risk and governance software developer which is owned by Los Angeles-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital , has acquired API Healthcare , a provider of healthcare human capital management software. API Healthcare was owned by another private equity investor, Veritas Capital. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. MORE
Carpinteria-based cloud software developer Procore Technologies announced this morning that it has named Jim Sinai as its new Senior Vice President of Marketing. Sinai previously had been at Salesforce, where he had been for eight years. The new appointment comes as Procore has reached over 1,400 employees worldwide. Procore said Sinai will oversee global marketing for the company. MORE
San Diego-based Portfolium , a startup developing tools to allow students to showcase their achievements, projects, and other portfolio of academic work to potential employers, has been acquired by educational software provider Instructure , the two announced late Tuesday. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. Portfolium was founded in 2014, and was led by founder and CEO Adam Markowitz. MORE
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. Four reasons you should reconsider. MORE
Timing is the single most valuable skill of the modern economy, but I would argue its’s the least understood and also the least practiced. Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. When should you start a company? MORE
I understand that Adam Grant is a fairly popular professor at Wharton and has a book that some people loved called “Originals” (for me it interesting but not mind blowing, and I have some first-hand knowledge of some of its inaccuracies). MORE
Should All of Your Management Team Attend Board Meetings? The age old question for every startup is whom to involve in the board meeting. MORE
A new, Los Angeles startup-- Elves --said this week that it has launched a new service, aimed at helping users tackle travel booking, using both artificial intelligence and real human beings. According to Elves, it has just launched an app and booking platform, which lets travelers book and change flights via "real, human" travel companions backed by AI technology. MORE
Carlsbad-based satellite Internet and communications provider Viasat and social networking giant Facebook announced this morning that the two will provide high speed Internet to communities in rural Mexico who lack reliable internet or have no connectivity at all. According to the two, the deal will offer up Viasat's "Community Wi Fi" hotspot service to communities in an effort being backed by Facebook. MORE
Los Angeles-based Brainbase , a new startup building an online marketplace for intellectual property licensing, has raised $1 in a seed funding round, the company announced Tuesday afternoon. According to the company, the funding was led by Tera Ventures, and also included Sterling Road, plus angels Severin Hacker, Andrew Rabin and Hamid Barkhordar. MORE
Irvine-based cybersecurity software developer Cylance says it has extended its artificial intelligence driven, endpoint protection software, CylancePROTECT, to the AWS Marketplace. AWS Marketplace is Amazon's marketplace for business software that runs on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing infrastructure. According to Cylance, the deal will make it easier for customers to find, procure, and install its AI technology on AWS instances. MORE
TechCrunch LA
FEBRUARY 19, 2019
Audi has added a new feature to the vehicle-to-infrastructure technology embedded in its newer models that’s designed to help drivers catch every green light. The tech, called GLOSA or Green Light Optimized Speed Advisory, is part of the automaker’s built-in traffic light-reading technology. And Audi says it’s the first automaker to include this GLOSA feature in its cars.
Berkonomics
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
I cannot tell you how many times I have seen executive summaries of business plans in which the entrepreneur seeks $5,000,000 to build the business. Four reasons you should reconsider.
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 18, 2019
One Thing That Great Leaders Understand I was scanning Twitter this past week and I came across these great Tweets by Michael Seibel at Y Combinator. When I was young I thought management was about distribution/delegation of responsibilities.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
San Diego-based Portfolium , a startup developing tools to allow students to showcase their achievements, projects, and other portfolio of academic work to potential employers, has been acquired by educational software provider Instructure , the two announced late Tuesday. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced. Portfolium was founded in 2014, and was led by founder and CEO Adam Markowitz.
SoCal Tech Calendar
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 --.
TechCrunch LA
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Timing is the single most valuable skill of the modern economy, but I would argue its’s the least understood and also the least practiced. Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. When should you start a company?
Southern California Tech Central brings together the best content for technical professionals in Southern California from the widest variety of industry thought leaders.
Xconomy
FEBRUARY 19, 2019
The first-ever marketed medicine for the fatty liver disease known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, could be on the horizon. The data, from a closely watched drug known as obeticholic acid, aren’t perfect.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Burbank-based streaming video startup Loop Media announced on Thursday that it has acquired ScreenPlay , a video service provider which licenses videos for use in such locations as Hard Rock Cafes, Norwegian Cruise Line, Yard House, Buffalo Wild Wings and Margaritaville. Financial details of the cash-and-stock deal were not announced. Loop Media said the deal will provide it with a "deep library" and licensing rights to over 200,000 music videos and film, game, and TV trailers.
SoCal Tech Calendar
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Tuesday, February 26, 2019 --.
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 19, 2019
Startups that are backed by professional financial investors almost always have a Board of Directors that consists of some set of founders, investors and sometimes independent directors.
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Should All of Your Management Team Attend Board Meetings? The age old question for every startup is whom to involve in the board meeting.
Both Sides of the Table
FEBRUARY 17, 2019
I understand that Adam Grant is a fairly popular professor at Wharton and has a book that some people loved called “Originals” (for me it interesting but not mind blowing, and I have some first-hand knowledge of some of its inaccuracies).
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Santa Monica-based private equity investor Arrowroot Capital is the lead investor in a funding round for parking technology developer ParkHub , in ParkHub's first instituional funding. ParkHub said it raised $13M in a series B funding round, which was led by ArrowRoot Capital, and which will go towards sales and marketing, plus product development. According to the company, the funding is its first institutional funding round.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Camarillo-based semiconductor developer Semtech says it has signed up a maker of mining equipment to use its LoRa wireless networking technology. According to Semtech, Transco Industries, a developer of mining conveyer equipment, has implemented its LoRa devices and wireless radio frequency technology into its conveyer belt applications, for safer monitoring of those devices. Financial impact of the win were not announced. READ MORE>>.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Westlake Village-based Hub101 , the startup coworking space which is associated with California Lutheran University, says it has begun offering up private office suites. According to Hub101, the suites start at $1299 per month, for a two-desk, lockable office. The rest of the space offers up a shared, open floor plan. Hub101 is a frequent space for technology industry gatherings along the 101 corridor. READ MORE>>. hub101 coworking startup technology
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
A new, Los Angeles startup-- Elves --said this week that it has launched a new service, aimed at helping users tackle travel booking, using both artificial intelligence and real human beings. According to Elves, it has just launched an app and booking platform, which lets travelers book and change flights via "real, human" travel companions backed by AI technology.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 19, 2019
Irvine-based cybersecurity software developer Cylance says it has extended its artificial intelligence driven, endpoint protection software, CylancePROTECT, to the AWS Marketplace. AWS Marketplace is Amazon's marketplace for business software that runs on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud computing infrastructure. According to Cylance, the deal will make it easier for customers to find, procure, and install its AI technology on AWS instances.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
A new report issued today by Silicon Valley Bank, says that startups are generally optimistic about their business opportunities, and they plan to raise capital and expand their workforces this year, despite "economic and political" uncertainty across the globe. The Startup Outlook Report--which was issued on Wednesday--polled 1,400 startup founders and executives for its conclusions.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
San Diego-based private equity investor JMI Equity is the lead investor in Lytics , a developer of marketing personalization software, in a $35M, Series C investment announced by Lytics on Thursday. Lytics--which is based in Portland, Oregon--said the funding was led by JMI Equity, and also included existing investors Comcast Ventures, Two Sigma Ventures, Rembrandt Venture Partners and Voyager Capital.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Software development tools maker Perforce , which is owned by Los Angeles-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital , has completed its acquisition of Rogue Wave Software , another developer of software development tools. Financial terms of the acquisition, which were first announced in January , have not been disclosed. Rogue Wave was based in Louisville, Colorado, and develops software used for open source development, API management, Java development, and other areas.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Los Angeles-based customer experience and business process outsourcing provider TaskUs is expanding its executive team, saying this morning that it has named Robert Hayes as its new Chief Delivery Officer (CDO), and Curt Gooden as its new Chief Information Officer (CIO). TaskUs said that Hayes will lead its global client operations, but did not say where Hayes had previously worked, only saying he had lead "large, global teams" within the industry.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
Los Angeles- and Park City, Utah-based Locked On Podcast , which produces local sports podcasts for NBA, NFL, MLB, college, and other sports teams, says it now is producing 450 episodes weekly for its listeners, who are turning to the company for ports fans. According to the company, it is now delivering local professional and college sport podcasts in nearly sixty major metro markets in the US and Canada.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 21, 2019
El Segundo-based Beyond Meat , which develops plant-based burger products, says it has added a long list of celebrities as investors in the company.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Culver City-based Clutter , which offers up "on-demand" self storage of your extra stuff, has raised $200M in a Series D funding, the company announced on Wednesday morning. According to Clutter, the Series D funding was led by SoftBank Vision Fund with participation from Sequoia, Atomico, GV, Fifth Wall and Four Rivers. Clutter says it will use the new funding to accelerate expansion, grow its workforce, and other efforts. Clutter has now raised nearly $300M in total funding since 2015.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Carpinteria-based cloud software developer Procore Technologies announced this morning that it has named Jim Sinai as its new Senior Vice President of Marketing. Sinai previously had been at Salesforce, where he had been for eight years. The new appointment comes as Procore has reached over 1,400 employees worldwide. Procore said Sinai will oversee global marketing for the company.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Symplr , a healthcare risk and governance software developer which is owned by Los Angeles-based private equity investor Clearlake Capital , has acquired API Healthcare , a provider of healthcare human capital management software. API Healthcare was owned by another private equity investor, Veritas Capital. Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Los Angeles-based Brainbase , a new startup building an online marketplace for intellectual property licensing, has raised $1 in a seed funding round, the company announced Tuesday afternoon. According to the company, the funding was led by Tera Ventures, and also included Sterling Road, plus angels Severin Hacker, Andrew Rabin and Hamid Barkhordar.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
Carlsbad-based satellite Internet and communications provider Viasat and social networking giant Facebook announced this morning that the two will provide high speed Internet to communities in rural Mexico who lack reliable internet or have no connectivity at all. According to the two, the deal will offer up Viasat's "Community Wi Fi" hotspot service to communities in an effort being backed by Facebook.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 15, 2019
Rivian , a developer of electric powered pickups and SUVs--which has significant operations in Irvine--has raised $700M in a funding round, the company announced Friday morning. The funding was led by Amazon. According to Rivian, its first two vehicles--the R1T and R1S--provide over 400 miles of range, and are expected to be delivered in late 2020. The company is led by founder and CEO RJ Scaringe.
socalTECH
FEBRUARY 15, 2019
Irvine-based Avetta , a provider of supply chain management software, has merged with another supply chain risk management company, BROWZ , the companies said this week. Avetta is owned by private equity investor Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe. The combined firm says it has more than 85,000 customers in over 100 countries. Financial terms of the merger were not announced. The combined company will be led by John Herr, the CEO of Avetta.
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