Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

Luckily, not all investors are looking for the same thing, so it pays to know what type of investors are most interested in what your startup brings to the table. The key is understanding how potential investors see you, and especially how they view the maturity stage of your startup. Congratulations!

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Startup Ideas Equity Invest 148

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

Fast forward to almost exactly one year later, and a lot has changed for the payments and software startup. Existing investors DST Global, 01 Advisors, Dragoneer Investment Group, Franklin Templeton and Mubadala Investment Company too doubled down on their investments in SpotOn, joining new backers Wellington Management and Coatue Management.

Technical Review 296

Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2022

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Startup 120

Startup Invest Equity Incubator 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Invest 89

Invest Entrepreneur Startup Equity 89

TechCrunch LA

MAY 12, 2020

Over the past three years the Los Angeles-based startup Maple Media has amassed a portfolio of roughly thirty companies and one hundred apps in its quest to become the IAC of app store businesses. The PlayerFM deal stands out as an example of what the company looks for in an acquisition target, said Ritter. ”

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Acquisition Media Los Angeles Google 136

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Local angel investment group Maverick Angels is merging its membership base into the much larger Tech Coast Angels , according to members of the groups. In recent years, the Maverick Angels had mostly been focused on running coaching programs and seminars for entrepreneurs. READ MORE>>.

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Tech Coast Angels Angel Press Coach 173

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

Luckily, not all investors are looking for the same thing, so it pays to know what type of investors are most interested in what your startup brings to the table. The key is understanding how potential investors see you, and especially how they view the maturity stage of your startup. Congratulations!

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Funding Startup Ideas Equity 125

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2023

The name “investment bank” somehow always sounded like a place where I could deposit my investments, and maybe even earn a little interest. Then I learned that these banks really negotiate investments and collect fees on the transactions, sort of like commercial banks do with loans to businesses. Very confusing.

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Funding Startup Invest Venture Capital 72

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Financial terms of the acquisition were not announced. Parchment got its start in Los Angeles as Docufide, a startup offering up handling of high school transcripts for colleges and university applications; Docufide was venture backed by the Tech Coast Angels and Pasadena Angels. READ MORE>>.

Brentwood 113

Brentwood Tech Coast Angels Pasadena Angels Pasadena 113

socalTECH

APRIL 7, 2014

For several years, the phrase "Los Angeles Venture Capitalist" had almost become an oxymoron. Local investments funds have had issues raising their new funds, and venture investors had started to hunker down with their portfolios, waiting for some sign of a thaw in the exit environment. READ MORE>>.

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Los Angeles Truecar Angel Anthem 187

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2021

Shots on Goal Being great as a startup technology investor of course requires a lot of things to come together: You need to have strong insights into where technology markets are heading and where value in the future will be created and sustained You need be perfect with your market timing. On Funding?—?Shots

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Funding Startup Writing Invest 294

TechCrunch LA

JULY 29, 2020

After raising $15 million in financing from one of technology’s most successful global investment firms, the Los Angeles-based consumer goods rental company Joymode is selling itself to an early-stage retail investment firm out of New York, XRC Labs.

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Invest Services Southern California Ideas 263

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2022

In the old days, every entrepreneur planned on taking their startup public, and making it big. Today the rate of startups going public (IPO – Initial Public Offering) is finally up from the dead zone of the last two decades, and is now double the rate back in 1999. Startups going public are laid open to competitors and critics.

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Startup Report IBM IBM 98

socalTECH

JULY 23, 2012

There's been a surge in startup accelerator activity in Los Angeles in the last year, as interest in starting a company in the region has grown, and a wide range of experienced entrepreneurs and investors have pitched in to help companies get to the next level. Of that, $97.47

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Los Angeles Angel Report Startup 234

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 18, 2023

Although many won’t admit it, true entrepreneurs can’t wait to exit their current startup, and build a new and better one with their next great idea. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

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Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 99

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 27, 2020

Los Angeles was always more than a one-industry town, even when it comes to technology startups, as media and entertainment (and social networking) were always the big draws in Tinseltown. We’re thrilled to help lead the way for the broader tech community in Los Angeles.” Image Credit: Getty Images/franckreporter.

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Culver City SaaS Los Angeles Social Network 249

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Startup 87

Startup Invest Incubator Ideas 87

socalTECH

AUGUST 14, 2013

The coworking trend--which started in part in Southern California and its high tech startup ecosystem--looks to be spreading East, with news this week that NextSpace has raised $500,000 and acquired a Chicago company, to establish its first coworking site outside of California. READ MORE>>.

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Acquisition Southern California High Tech Venice 159

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

For the elite startups and entrepreneurs who manage to attract the investor they dream of, and survive the term sheet negotiation, there is still one more hurdle before the money is in the bank. That might start with the CEO giving the investor pitch to the whole organization, and distributing the current business plan document to everyone.

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Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Nearly every successful tech startup I’ve observed over the past 20 years has gone through a similar growth pattern: Innovate, systematize then scale operations. Innovate In the early years of a startup there is a lot of kinetic energy of enthusiastic innovators looking to launch a product that changes how an industry works.

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Startup Technical Review Customer Custom 286

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 9, 2021

Although many won’t admit it, true entrepreneurs can’t wait to exit their current startup, and build a new and better one with their next great idea. For these reasons, I always look for an overt exit strategy in every startup I might consider for an angel investment. Set your startup health gauges and use them.

Startup 173

Startup Entrepreneur Metrics Acquisition 173

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 24, 2022

As a business consultant and angel investor, I often ask for your own assessment of marketing ROI , or customer acquisition cost (CAC). Are you making the proper investment, and is it paying off? Of course, you need work with partners and channel to quantity their costs and contributions and normalize total results.

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Customer Custom Acquisition Technical Review 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 2, 2013

People with money to invest have choices. Initially, you may be able to rely on friends and family to put you on the top of their list, but eventually you will probably need real professional investors (Angels and VCs). Most Angels I know get their payback from helping others, not from making money. Funding risk. Scalability.

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Invest Startup Venture Capital Ideas 107

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 8, 2019

Responding to Elizabeth Warren’s call to regulate and break up some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the venture capitalists that invest in technology companies are advising the presidential hopeful to move slowly and not break anything. This is not a new model, and it makes no sense,” says Narasin.

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Startup Chief Technology Officer Social Media 144

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Investing in entrepreneurs and startups is a fun but different world from investing in conventional stocks, bonds, and commodities. First of all, it’s more of an investment in people than in a business, since the startup is usually an idea barely half-baked when they need your money.

Invest 73

Invest Startup Equity Incubator 73

socalTECH

JULY 27, 2016

The The Stage Fund , a investment and acquisition firm focused on acquiring turnaround companies, has tapped a longtime Southern California entrepreneur, Dan Tamkin , as a new Managing Partner in Los Angeles. According to the fund, Tamkin will be setting up a West Coast office for the fund, which is based in Denver, Colorado.

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Los Angeles Chief Technology Officer Funding Angel 100

socalTECH

OCTOBER 15, 2014

The Disney Accelerator , the startup accelerator sponsored by Walt Disney and being run by TechStars, had its demo day Tuesday, showing off the nine companies to emerge out of the accelerator. The Disney Accelerator said that Smart Toy was acquired by Los Angeles-based children''s product firm Cartwheel Kids, and that SnowShoe raised $2.2M

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Class Startup Seed Funding Entertainment 185

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $3.62

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Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2017

There are certain topics that even some of the smartest people I talk with who aren’t startup oriented can’t fully grok. It’s common cocktail party chatter to hear people confidently pronounce that some well known startup is sure to blow up because, “How could they succeed when they’re not even profitable!”

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Startup Venture Capital Sales Course 227

Xconomy

JULY 10, 2019

That, plus robust merger and acquisition activity, set a record for venture-backed exit value—$165.2 More than a third of the companies that went public in the first half of this year were backed by venture capital.

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Venture Capital Invest Startup Activity 86

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2022

My friends who “grew up” with lifetime careers in General Motors, Exxon Mobil, or even IBM, are now often too embarrassed to even mention it. Most of their new claims to innovation are acquired through mergers and acquisitions from the entrepreneurial pipeline. On the other hand, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur.

Startup 126

Startup Artificial Inteligence Entrepreneur Offshore 126

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2014

I was reading Danielle Morrill’s blog post today on whether one’s “ Startup Burn Rate is Normal. I love how transparently Danielle lives her startup (& encourages other to join in) because it provides much needed transparency to other startups. Let’s set up a framework. Gross Burn vs. Net Burn.

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Startup Company Companies .Net 383

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 30, 2011

TechZulu is excited to invite you to the 2012 Startup and Entrepreneurial Forecast taking place on Tuesday Jan. We have a line up of amazing speakers who will share their insights and forecast for startup trends in 2012. Mike is actively involved with early-stage start-ups as an investor, advisor and board member.

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Tech Coast Angels Startup Angel Southern California 105

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

But today a startup that’s tackling a different aspect of the market — addressing the supply chain that subsequently turns the wheels of the bigger food distribution machine — is announcing a big round of funding as it continues to grow. GrubMarket has snapped up no less than 40 companies in the last three years.

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Startup Platform Software Los Angeles 249

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

Acrew Capital, a Bay Area venture capital investor, said this morning that it has added longtime Los Angeles venture investor Richard Wolpert as a Venture Partner at the firm. Acrew Capital says it was founded with a "core value" of diversity, with 63% of the Acrew investing team are underrepresented minorities and 88% are women or PoC.

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Venture Capital Los Angeles Invest Media 113

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 21, 2010

Los Angeles-based MySpace has been among the most visible of Southern California's Internet era success stories, although the site--now owned by News Corporation--has had its own share of ups-and-downs, as well as questions about its future. Here are four startups of them, and what they're doing: Demand Media. www.sodahead.com).

Startup 178

Startup Tech Coast Angels Demand News 178

socalTECH

MAY 28, 2021

Los Angeles-based FIGS, which makes medical scrubs and other apparel, has surged in its IPO debut, pricing on Wednesday night at $22 a share, and ending Thursday up 36% in its debut to 30.02. FIGS was started in 2013, raising a seed funding worth only $2M from Crocs, Mohr Davidow Ventures, 500 Startups, Karlin Ventures, and others.

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Seed Funding Startup Pricing Los Angeles 113