Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 29, 2017

I am so proud and humbled to be able to formally announce that Upfront Ventures has raised its 6th venture capital fund in the past 21 years. Upfront VI is our latest core fund and is $400 million to invest in early stage entrepreneurs. 88% of the deals we do are Seed or A-Round investments and our median check size is $2.8

Funding 287

Funding Venture Capital Santa Monica Invest 287

Tech Coast Venture Network

MARCH 9, 2011

Last year, venture capitalists and angels who co-invested with them placed $7 billion into seed and early-stage deals, an 11 percent increase from 2009, according to the most recent PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association MoneyTree report. Meet angels via the entrepreneurs they’ve funded.

Tips 100

Tips Capital Tech Coast Angels Screening 100

socalTECH

MARCH 21, 2014

In a world with a rash of startup incubators and accelerators, super angels, crowdfunding sites, and more, what''s the relevance of organized angel investments groups? First off, for those not familiar with the Pasadena Angels, talk about the group? He started the group because he wanted to help companies succeed.

Pasadena Angels 162

Pasadena Angels Pasadena Angel Startup 162

socalTECH

JULY 14, 2009

Contrary to the common belief that Southern California "should be an easy place to raise money" with all of its' entertainment and real estate wealth, it is a very difficult place to raise Venture Capital for technology start-ups. So how does an entrepreneur based in SoCal get the attention of VC funds today?

Venture Capital 100

Venture Capital Southern California Invest Tech Coast Angels 100

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

If you track the venture capital industry it would be hard to miss the conversation going on this week over AngelList “Syndicates.” My favorite new VC blogger, Hunter Walk, weighed in with some thoughtful comments about how Syndicates might actually pit, “ angel vs. angel.” Bowery Capital).

Venture Capital 356

Venture Capital Invest Course Technical Review 356

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2011

If your startup is looking for an angel investor, it makes sense to present your plan to flocks of angels, and assume that at least one will swoop down and scoop you up. The challenge is to find the right angel for your, and for your situation. Angel investors are people too. Or does it? Keiretsu Forum.

Angel 102

Angel Keiretsu Organization Template 102

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Bain Capital Ventures' Jamison Hill. We are in phase three of the influencer economy,” Bain Capital Ventures senior principal Jamison Hill, who led the firm’s investment in the influencer shoutout marketplace Cameo , tells TechCrunch. We are in phase three of the influencer economy.

Platform 170

Platform Marketing Tool Venture Capital 170

Steve Reich

AUGUST 9, 2012

At a recent accelerator event on the West Side, a friendly young founder told me that he had been coached by his mentor not to talk to Angel groups. As a Pasadena Angel, I wanted to be shocked, but I wasn’t. The Angel funding process can be arduous. We know we’re short of capital, particularly in LA.

Angel 49

Angel Pasadena Angels Venture Capital Pasadena 49

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

The theme for Silicon Beach Fest Hollywood is startups and Hollywood, featuring leaders from movie studios, music labels, agencies, and startups in entertainment – how Hollywood studios are investing and working with startups, and how Silicon Beach startups are making entertainment businesses. See you there!

Hollywood 100

Hollywood Screening Ideas Entertainment 100

socalTECH

APRIL 4, 2011

In our Insights and Opinions section today, we have an article from Frank Peters , angel investor and podcaster at the Frank Peters Show , who talks about how he's suddenly taking another look at social entrepreneurship and ventures in a new light. That's what I thought 3 years ago when the Tech Coast Angels screened BikeStation.

Tech Coast Angels 170

Tech Coast Angels High Tech Satisfaction Invest 170

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 6, 2012

I had been trading emails & Tweets with venture capitalist John Frankel and we were to meet in person in March 2011 at SxSW to talk about Klout and other investments he had made. I had been hanging around Klout for a year and many of my friends had angel funded the company and were champions. I was used to this debate.

Cornerstone OnDemand 303

Cornerstone OnDemand Venture Capital GRP Partners Startup 303

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 17, 2010

At VT KnowledgeWorks we screen prospective clients for their Market opportunity, for the Magic that they offer to their prospective customers, and for the Moxie displayed by the start-up team. There is a growing fellowship of special-case start-up programs operated by closely-knit, permanent groups of angel-mentors.

Incubator 80

Incubator Mentor Capital Startup 80

Steve Reich

FEBRUARY 15, 2012

was launched with nearly $2mm in Angel funding from the Pasadena Angels and Tech Coast Angels. We had an advocate in each Angel group who aggressively lead the effort. Someone has to do the heavy lifting of advocating, organizing, and building enthusiasm about your company within their Angel group.

Tech Coast Angels 40

Tech Coast Angels Angel Pasadena Angels Startup 40

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 25, 2010

“Yes&# was given to me by one of my favorite angel investor / seed VC’s to work with – John Greathouse of Rincon Venture Partners and author of the blog InfoChachkie that you should check out because it is filled with great info from a guy who has been a very successful operator. . It is how angel rounds come together.&#.

Guide 293

Guide Funding Venture Capital Technical Review 293

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2013

But less as a complaint and more as advice to younger networkers, the more you invest in relationships the more you will get when you need. One of the most common questions I hear from first-time entrepreneurs is, “How do I meet angels?” Think about it – who knows angels the best? ” Be authentic.

Venture Capital 407

Venture Capital Press GRP Partners Blogging 407

socalTECH

OCTOBER 8, 2008

Los Angeles-based Channel M, a venture backed provider of in-store TV networks, announced Wednesday that PLS Check Cashers, a check cashing chain, will use the firm's programming and advertising. According to Channel M, PLS Check Cashers will offer both English and Spanish content at 50 PLS Check Cashers locations nationwide.

Advertising 124

Advertising Screening Los Angeles Content 124

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

But as we’ve all gotten used to the standard “banner&# across the top of our screens or the “sky scraper&# along the right-hand side we’ve trained ourselves not to look there any longer. The standards were set by the IAB ( Interactive Advertising Bureau ), which was founded in 1996. It certainly resonates with me.

Media 288

Media Advertising Screening Content 288

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 10, 2010

If your startup is looking for an angel investor, it makes sense to present your plan to flocks of angels, and assume that at least one will swoop down and scoop you up. One of the most common questions I get is “How do I find angel investors?” Here are three of the largest flocks: Angel Capital Association (ACA).

Angel 48

Angel Keiretsu Startup Template 48

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 8, 2018

We strive to invest in companies that are consciously working to create a diverse leadership team?—?one We have much work still to do but: A few data points on Upfront Ventures - 25% of our investment dollars in the past three funds have gone to founding teams with at least one female founder.

Venture Capital 284

Venture Capital Coach Ideas Startup 284

socalTECH

AUGUST 20, 2010

For this morning's interview, we thought we'd talk with Los Angeles-based Sidebar (www.sidebar.com), a venture backed startup in the mobile space, to learn more about what they are up to. What happened with smart phones, is consumers are buying more and more applications, but a screen can only fit a dozen icons.

Content 189

Content Screening Mobile Custom 189

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 13, 2012

We've had tremendous success so far, with six graduations, with $55 million in early stage capital raised by those companies coming through the incubator after only two years of operations. Is there a screening process or criteria for firms to use the facilities? So far, those results are very good, and we're really excited about it.

Incubator 212

Incubator San Diego Technical Review Development Team Review 212

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 8, 2009

You’ve pitched several angels and VC’s. Most of them are telling you that they just need to see a bit of traction before they’d be prepared to invest. Investors are giving you a version of the “soft no,&# which basically means that they’re not prepared to invest now. They make progress.

Venture Capital 309

Venture Capital Guide Startup Technical Review 309

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 13, 2011

My initial desire to blog came from something that’s always been my approach to investing – I’m a nerd and I love to play with the technology and part of my approach has really been to understand things both at a user level and at a reasonably deep tentacle level. “My Either it’s a bunch of pictures or screen shots or it’s a bunch of words.

Venture Capital 288

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Software Review 288

Tech.Co

JANUARY 19, 2016

The round is led by Subtraction Capital, and includes investments from PayPal co­founder Peter Thiel , Indicator Ventures, and venture debt lender Western Technology Investment (WTI). Investing in Caplinked was an easy decision for us,” explained Subtraction Capital General Partner Jason Portnoy.

Doc 120

Doc Invest Screening Capital 120

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 10, 2012

I see it first hand in Los Angeles where given the growth of YouTube networks the worlds of art & technology are colliding. Many “tech companies” now have green screens. Spark Capital, Flybridge, Founder Collective, NextView Ventures … all in Boston or Cambridge not west of the city. And make-up artists.

Technology 313

Technology Rustic Canyon Cloud Computing Beverly Hills 313

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 19, 2015

As an angel investor, I get requests almost every day to review a new product or website, and provide feedback on its potential success. Yet I can’t remember the last time any entrepreneur asked me to assess personal potential, despite the fact that most investors will admit they invest in the person more than the product.

Startup 106

Startup Incubator Entrepreneur Metrics 106

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 20, 2011

Maneesh works with Miramar portfolio companies to identify growth drivers, potential business partners and evaluate prospective investment opportunities. Maneesh’s prior investing experience includes an associate position at El Dorado Ventures. in venture capital and publicly launched in May 2011. He joined Miramar in 2006.

Orange County 106

Orange County Miramar Startup Tech Coast Angels 106

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 13, 2018

I always tell founders … “An investors job is to deploy capital and make a return. If you truly believe that you, your company and your products are exceptional and your company will be valuable then you’re actually doing them a FAVOR by helping them invest in your startup. an investment in your company.

Venture Capital 332

Venture Capital Funding Startup Sales 332

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2010

My original thinking from Oct ’09 was, while I didn’t (and still don’t) have a crystal ball I worried that: consumers were over-stretched with debt (and make up 77% of the economy), unemployment would continue to rise, which in turn would drive the stock market south and cut the rate of M&A activity and VC investment even further.

Entrepreneur 298

Entrepreneur Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 298

Tech.Co

JULY 12, 2017

” For startups entering program they receive investment capital, access to coworking space at Disney’s creative campus and mentor support and guidance from top Disney executives, entrepreneurs, investors and other notable business leaders from the entertainment and technology communities, and have a Demo Day at the campus.

Artificial Inteligence 108

Artificial Inteligence Startup Entertainment Press 108

Xconomy

NOVEMBER 13, 2016

The idea was to feature early stage companies in the region that have not attracted much attention or raised a substantial amount of startup capital. I started with a list of companies already screened by the San Diego Venture Group’s annual venture summit, and consulted with investors and startup mentors to refine the list.

San Diego 40

San Diego Technical Review Artificial Inteligence Startup 40

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 6, 2011

I was an angel investor in his company, made a bunch of calls on his behalf and then I personally sent it out on AngelList. When I described to people why I initially invested my calls went something like this, “He’s taken kicks to the face for nearly 2 years and is still standing. Through this process he raised $2 million.

Startup 292

Startup Venture Capital Blogging Summary 292

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Draw Your Ideas - A VC : Venture Capital and Technology , May 16, 2010 I saw Jack Dorsey give this talk at The 99% Conference last month. He started targeting the ad by location and interest, and the number of potential people he was reaching began decreasing on screen (Facebook tells you dynamically). Tesla is not. It's a great talk.

Startup 248

Startup Venture Capital Conference Social Media 248

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 26, 2016

I recently sat down with Troy Carter to talk about what he does and why he believes it is applicable to venture capital. Troy represents what I believe the best magic of Los Angeles is – the merging together of creative talent with technical talent and he brings the lessons learned from these two fields into investments nationally.

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Mentor Venture Capital Marketing Product 150

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Last year I was on Sand Hill Road in Silicon Valley meeting with one of the most prominent venture capital firms in the country. Los Angeles. In my LA I often see computer screens open with entrepreneurs talking about digital media. There are no $600 million funds in Los Angeles. Let me use LA as an example.

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2010

Our guest this week on #TWiVC was Dana Settle , partner at Greycroft Partners , a venture capital firm with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Current round: $8mm in Series B from RRE Ventures (Will Porteous)(lead), SoftBank, Hearst Interactive Media, SV Angel (Ron Conway), Founder Collective.Total raised: $11.5mm. Go Boulder!

Venture Capital 240

Venture Capital Startup Platform Technical Review 240

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 26, 2012

round from the NFL's Drew Brees, skating's Rob Dyrdek, and a number of local venture and angel investors to create what the company hopes is the dominant provider of social and mobile sports game. We have invested in a very robust platform. Wedge Buster just raised a $2.2M They're fun, addictive, and easy to play. READ MORE>>.

Mobile 248

Mobile Platform Startup Examples 248