Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have learned that it’s almost always quicker and easier to get cash from someone you know, rather than angel investors or professional investors (VCs). In fact, most investors “require” that you already have some investment from friends and family before they will even step up to the plate. Nobody likes a downer.

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Invest Technical Review Startup Ideas 135

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 14, 2010

The dinner parties now are filled with self-righteous angel investors bragging about how many deals they are in on. They have marked-up paper gains propped up by an over excited venture capital market that has validated their investments. Logic tells me the following: It is hard to make money angel investing.

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Invest Angel Technical Review Venture Capital 299

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2019

A popular approach for aspiring entrepreneurs these days seems to be to corner anyone who will listen, with a pitch on their current “million dollar idea.” In my opinion, ideas are a commodity, and are really not worth much, outside the context of a visionary leader who can execute. Positive inspirational communication.

Ideas 101

Ideas Startup Entrepreneur Resource 101

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 27, 2014

I started in 2007 with a thesis that my primary investment decision would be about the team (70%) and only afterward about the market opportunity (30%). Angels have been prolific for years now and they, too, rely on downstream money to cover their bets. So that means 2-3 good investments a year and we are doing well.

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Venture Capital Invest Press Startup 374

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 12, 2013

But as sweet as that success has been (we invested pre-revenue in a small team) today my even more important news was the further expansion of our partner ranks. The idea immediately resonated. At Upfront Ventures it means that he will have full investment authority no different than any other partner including me.

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Invest Venture Capital Startup News 340

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 7, 2022

Kardashian is launching private equity firm SKKY Partners in conjunction with ex-Carlyle consumer head Jay Sammons to invest in business across consumer products, hospitality, luxury, digital commerce and media, the Wall Street Journal first reported. Jenner will be joining SKKY as a partner, the Journal reported.

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Equity Journal Venture Capital Los Angeles 299

TechCrunch LA

DECEMBER 19, 2018

million in seed funding to begin building a manufacturing facility and expand its presence in Los Angeles as the city continues to grow as a hub for robotics and automation. . Gross and Barnehama met through a mutual friend in the robotics industry in Los Angeles, the chief executive of Embodied, Paolo Pirjanian, Barnehama wrote in an email.

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Los Angeles Angel Artificial Inteligence CalTech 207

TechCrunch LA

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

Software development companies tackling services for niche industries, like commercial real estate subcontracting, continue to find Los Angeles to be fertile ground for development. million in seed financing from some big names in the Los Angeles tech ecosystem. ”

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Los Angeles Software Angel Outsource Development 129

Berkonomics

JUNE 26, 2014

Angel investors, particularly those in organized angel groups, are typically former entrepreneurs who have had successful liquidity events in their pasts, or executives of companies who’ve retired with the funds from their stock options. So how an angel responds to your pitch depends upon his or her background.

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Angel Technical Review Coach Entrepreneur 191

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 16, 2020

Based in Los Angeles, Bümo had already managed to lock in a $2.4 and infection rates were rising in Los Angeles, the two founders realized that the cash they’d raised to open their first site at a Westfield mall in LA wouldn’t happen. The new idea is to replace the online preschool with targeted sessions twice per-week.

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Los Angeles Class Angel Social Media 167

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2023

But many have no insight or connections to the ethereal angel investment community, which In the U.S. In fact, there are a few key sites to help you find angels, including AngelList and Gust , but these don’t tell you very much about how angels work, and how to find the right ones for your startup.

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Venture Capital Angel Seed Funding Invest 106

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 8, 2015

A popular approach for aspiring entrepreneurs these days seems to be to corner anyone who will listen, with a pitch on their current “million dollar idea.” In my opinion, ideas are a commodity, and are really not worth much, outside the context of a visionary leader who can execute. Positive inspirational communication.

Ideas 115

Ideas Startup Entrepreneur Resource 115

Berkonomics

MAY 11, 2023

Checking with professional investors from angels to VC’s, the answer appears to be near unanimous: the quality of the proposed or actual management team comes in a strong first before the attractiveness of the business plan itself. It comes back to coachability and flexibility, also our insight from several weeks ago.

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Statistics Startup Ideas Entrepreneur 156

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

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 hear tons of ideas for early-stage apps. Lightspeed, Benchmark, IVP, General Catalyst, SV Angel and others.

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Snapchat Invest Technical Review Dollar Shave Club 214

Berkonomics

MARCH 25, 2012

For those of us who’ve invested in early stage companies, especially technology startups, we have confronted a universal problem. There are many ways to project the value of a company for purposes of pricing an investment, but all rely upon the revenue and profit projections of the entrepreneur as a starting point.

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Invest Startup Email Competition 321

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

In your opinion, are your angels more or less active this year? The ideas and people seeking money are out there in quantity. That has allowed us to be more focused earlier with these companies, and we can come to a decision much sooner to go ahead or not go ahead with an investment. Mike Napoli: It's quality versus quantity.

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Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

Tech.Co

JANUARY 28, 2016

Interested in meeting early-stage accredited investors in Los Angeles? At the LA Angel Investor Roundtable, the panel of investors will focus on pitching to early-stage investors, and what it really takes to get them to write you a check! Then register for the FundingPost Investor RoundTable on February 4th, 2016 at 2:00pm.

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Los Angeles Angel Venture Capital Writing 70

socalTECH

JANUARY 29, 2020

This week, Los Angeles-based Crosscut Ventures announced a brand new effort to provide health and wellness to the founders of companies it invests in, helping those founders with well being, mental health, stress management, coaching, and leadership development. Tell us about this new program?

Invest 113

Invest Framework Coach Startup 113

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 in companies associated with digital studio Science Inc.

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Los Angeles Angel Report Startup 234

TechCrunch LA

SEPTEMBER 13, 2021

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. SpotOn is paying $415 million in cash and stock for the Los Angeles-based company.

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Technical Review Software Review Invest Acquisition 296

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 25, 2021

The partners at MaC Venture Capital , the Los Angeles-based investment firm that has just closed on $103 million for its inaugural fund, have spent the bulk of their careers breaking barriers. “Our LPs invested in us… for lots of different reasons but at the top of the list was that we are a diverse team in so many ways.

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Venture Capital Capital Los Angeles Invest 225

SoCal Tech Calendar

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

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Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

socalTECH

AUGUST 29, 2013

Can tapping the power of the crowd not only help you find customers and help fund your project, but also help you shape your startup idea and find funding? A new, Los Angeles area startup, JumpStartFund (www.jumpstartfund.com) recently launched, offering up a combination of crowdfunding and crowd-advice for entrepreneurial ideas.

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Ideas Patents Funding Startup 178

SoCal Tech Calendar

SEPTEMBER 6, 2012

Monday, September 10, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. link] (more)

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

AUGUST 6, 2012

Monday, August 6, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. link] (more)

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2022

Venture capitalists (VCs) have long been seen as the top of the pyramid for startup funding sources, but in fact angel investors now fund over twice as many companies, according to a classic Crunchbase article. Individual angel investors and crowdfunding have been adding to the momentum, some say exceeding VCs in total amount invested.

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Guide Venture Capital Funding Class 136

SoCal Tech Calendar

AUGUST 9, 2012

Monday, August 13, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 30, 2012

Monday, July 30, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 19, 2012

Monday, July 23, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 8, 2012

Monday, July 9, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel OCTANE Ideas 113

SoCal Tech Calendar

JUNE 7, 2012

Monday, June 11, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

Tech Coast Angels 113

Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

socalTECH

MARCH 28, 2019

We spoke with Meredith Finn a new Partner at March Capital--who headed up that the Rise of the Female Entrepreneur sessions this year--to hear more about her perspectives on investments, what the Rise of the Female Entrepeneur was all about, March's interests in artificial intelligence and more. What's your role at March Capital?

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Capital Entrepreneur Invest Artificial Inteligence 162

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2015

These days, everyone wants to be an entrepreneur, pitching their latest and greatest new idea, and looking for someone to give them money. Angel investors, like me, have long figured out that asking to see the prototype is a quick way to separate the ‘wannabes’ from serious players. Quantify the implementation challenges.

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Ideas Outsource Development Startup Tool 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2023

Some entrepreneurs start polling venture capitalists for that multi-million-dollar investment before they even have a business plan. Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage.

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Startup Funding Organization Incubator 122

SoCal Tech Calendar

MARCH 23, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

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Tech Coast Angels Angel Ideas Invest 113

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

We saw an extraordinary opportunity, in general, and in LA in particular, to really focus in on technology in Los Angeles. There is a really genuine and real opportunity in the intersection of media and entertainment technology here in Los Angeles, and people are focused here on that for a legitimate reason.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

SoCal Tech Calendar

JULY 12, 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012 -- Tech Coast Angels Open Forum. Listen to Angels, Investors, Venture Capitalists and Catalysts and what they have to say about investing and being investor ready. Pitch your business, idea or concept through live video feed and hear feedback from industry veterans. Ask questions and learn.

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Tech Coast Angels Orange County Angel Activity 113