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. The VC partner, somebody I greatly respect said, “Yeah, we like Gil and what they’re doing. We have world-class universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and more.

Venture Capital 313

Venture Capital Southern California Google Startup 313

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 15, 2017

Upfront Ventures was created 20 years ago as one of the original VC funds in Los Angeles. 10 years ago we found ourselves trying to persuade LPs and VCs that it was worth spending more time getting to know the LA market and now the most common refrain that I hear from them is “there really is something going on in LA.”

Dollar Shave Club 321

Dollar Shave Club Cornerstone OnDemand Riot Games Venture Capital 321

socalTECH

JULY 26, 2010

Pasadena-based Rockoco , a spinout of Caltech, has raised $1.5M in a funding round, according to lead investor the Pasadena Angels. According to the firm, it will use the funding to move the firm out of its current home at Caltech into its own facility.

Pasadena Angels 168

Pasadena Angels CalTech Pasadena Venture Capital 168

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 20, 2011

If you read this blog often you'll know that I'm a huge fan of First Round Capital. They have totally changed the way you run a VC firm, investing heavily in systems & events for their founders that are pushing the boundaries of the way our industry works. In 2008 they raised a much larger fund $132.5

Capital 284

Capital Venture Capital Technical Review Startup 284

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 17, 2009

Pasadena-based FastSoft , a developer of Internet acceleration appliances based on research out of Caltech, has raised $950K in a debt funding, according to a regulatory filing by the firm. No details on the funding have been announced by the firm. READ MORE>>.

CalTech 140

CalTech Miramar IP Pasadena 140

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 23, 2013

in a seed funding round. The funding was led by InterWest Partners, and also included a number of un-named angel investors. Caltech professor Jim Heath is a co-founder and board member of the startup, and the company has also licensed technology from the Scripps Research Institute. READ MORE>>.

Culver City 164

Culver City Startup CalTech Seed Funding 164

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 17, 2012

World-class education including Caltech, USC and UCLA. Think about venture capital. Those that were around 30+ years ago never had to think about branding – there were hardly any other VCs. But if you were going to start a venture capital fund today, you’d want to stand out. downtown LA].

Startup 304

Startup Venture Capital Los Angeles Woodland Hills 304

socalTECH

OCTOBER 22, 2009

Azusa-based CFX Battery , a developer of advanced battery technology, said today at Los Angeles Technology Week that the firm has just closed a $15M, Series B funding round. CFX, a spinout of Caltech, is developing both primary and secondary batteries. Tags: battery materials venture capital. READ MORE>>.

Azusa 153

Azusa CalTech Venture Capital Los Angeles 153

socalTECH

MARCH 25, 2010

Pasadena-based Materia , which is commercializing olefin metathesis catalyst technology developed by Caltech Nobel Prize winner Robert H. Grubbs, has raised $11.75M in a funding round, according to a regulatory filing by the firm today. Source of the new funding was not disclosed by the company. READ MORE>>.

CalTech 154

CalTech Pasadena Venture Capital Capital 154

socalTECH

OCTOBER 15, 2013

Culver City-based molecular imaging products maker Sofie Biosciences said Tuesday that it has raised $5M in a Series A funding round. The funding was led by Tata Industries, and also included MRM Capital and the Cycad Group. The new funding comes on top of a SBIR grant the company announced earlier this month.

Culver City 147

Culver City CalTech UCLA Venture Capital 147

socalTECH

JUNE 26, 2013

According to The Design Accelerator , it will help startups by selecting promising early stage, design-driven technology companies from the Art Center and Caltech communities for an intensive three-month program. >. The new incubator is headed by Mark Breitenberg and Erik Hovanec. READ MORE>>.

Incubator 178

Incubator Idealab Design CalTech 178

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 11, 2011

All of that are in this week’s episode of This Week in VC. He was a life-long entrepreneur and the first business he created out of college (actually, he founded it while he was at Caltech) was a company that manufactured high quality audio speakers. He sold so many that after Caltech he decided to open a retail store.

Competition 350

Competition Idealab Product CitySearch 350

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 22, 2018

We’ve also seen a substantial inflow of venture capital from all over the world.”. Caltech generates more patents than any other university while UCLA boasts more startups founded by its graduate than any other school in the nation. In fact, as is well-reported, the luster of Silicon Valley is fading.

Southern California 224

Southern California Dollar Shave Club SoCal Develop 224

socalTECH

JULY 12, 2012

An Illinois firm whose technology is based on, and licensed from Pasadena-based Materia and Caltech , has raised a whopping, $104M funding round. The funding will go towards its strategic growth plans. The funding will go towards its strategic growth plans.

CalTech 140

CalTech Pasadena Equity Funding 140

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 1, 2010

Los Angeles-based Equipois , which develops ergonomic arm technology, was the winner of a fast pitch competition hosted by the Monte Jade Science & Technology Association last week at Caltech. in the first tranche of a Series B-1 funding round, led by Penny Black. Equipois recently raised $1.3M READ MORE>>. READ MORE>>.

Competition 133

Competition CalTech Hollywood Venture Capital 133

socalTECH

JULY 10, 2009

Carlsbad-based Helixis , a developer of nucleic acid analysis tools based on technology spun out of Caltech, has raised $5.3M venture round. According to a regulatory filing, some of the funds involved in the deal include Advanced Technology Ventures VII and Domain Partners VII. out of a ongoing, $10.0M READ MORE>>.

CalTech 100

CalTech Venture Capital Equity Tool 100

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

Companies which received funding were BIXBIO LIMITED (genomics in South Africa); EpiCombi.AI Illumina's startup efforts are led by Amanda Cashin, PhD, co-founder and Global Head of Illumina For Startups. Limited (AI technology focused on cancer); Genegoggle Sp. biotech in Poland); NewStem Ltd.

Startup 203

Startup CalTech San Diego Invest 203

socalTECH

MARCH 9, 2015

Pasadena-based SlipChip , a Caltech spinoff developing microfluidics technology, has raised $26.5M as part of an ongoing, $30M funding raising effort, according to a filing from the company. Photo: Caltech, demonstration of technology licensed by SlipChip by the school. The filing says six investors participated in the round.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technology Sample Research 100

socalTECH

JULY 26, 2012

Impinj , a developer of UHF, radio frequency identification (RFID) chips which has linked to Caltech, and an office in Orange County, said today that it has raised $21M in an equity funding round, as well as dropped its plans for an IPO. Impinj said the funding came from AllianceBernstein L.P.,

Orange County 140

Orange County CalTech Equity Venture Capital 140

socalTECH

JULY 28, 2010

Laguna Beach-based venture capital firm Okapi Ventures , which is run by Sharon Stevenson and Marc Averitt , has seen its first portfolio exit, in Carlsbad-based Helixis. The venture firm closed its first fund, Okapi Ventures I, LP, in 2006.

SoCalTech 133

SoCalTech CalTech Venture Capital San Diego 133

socalTECH

JANUARY 30, 2009

Carlsbad-based Luxtera appears to have raised $26.75M in another venture round, according to this week's PricewaterhouseCoopers/NVCA MoneyTree report. The firm, which develops optical interconnects, is a Caltech spinoff. Tags: interconnect venture capital luxtera caltech optical semiconductor. READ MORE>>.

CalTech 100

CalTech Zone Ventures Outsource Development Venture Capital 100

socalTECH

MARCH 19, 2013

in a seed funding round, which included local high profile technology executives Ted Meisel, Gil Elbaz, Sean Moriarty, Jarl Mohn, along with Siemer Ventures. Rexter , a brand new, Pasadena startup looking to put business contact management on steroids, said today that it has raised $1.5M

eHarmony 193

eHarmony CalTech Seed Funding Pasadena 193

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 12, 2024

Credit: Apex Today, Apex announced their Series B funding round, led by XYZ Ventures and CRV, with participation from Upfront. Is it because of the rich engineering talent coming out of Caltech, UCLA, USC, Harvey Mudd, and all the other universities?

CalTech 237

CalTech USC UCLA Los Angeles 237

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

This Spotlight takes place Thursday, July 14, at The California Institute of Technology (CalTech). Where: CalTech 1200 E California Blvd Pasadena, CA 91125. The Caltech Entrepreneurship Club is the hub for innovators in the Caltech community who want to learn how to make their idea a reality. Event Details. to 9:30 p.m.

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100

socalTECH

APRIL 29, 2021

Thousand Oaks-based Capsida Biotherapeutics, a new biotechnology company focused on using adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering and cargo development platform to develop tissue-targeted gene therapies for multiple types of diseases, has uncloaked from stealth mode, saying it has raised $140M in total capital.

Westlake Village 113

Westlake Village Thousand Oaks Funding CalTech 113

socalTECH

OCTOBER 23, 2019

Glendale-based Beyond Limits , a venture-backed developer of artificial intelligence software, has named Meghan Sharp, Ph.D., the former Managing Director of BP Ventures/Americas, as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO). The company is headed by CEO AJ Abdallat. READ MORE>>.

Artificial Inteligence 100

Artificial Inteligence Venture Capital Glendale CalTech 100

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 30, 2012

This Spotlight takes place Thursday, February 2, at Caltech. Where: Baxter Hall | CalTech 1200 E California Blvd Pasadena, CA 91125. Take the next left on Holliston Avenue, into Caltech campus. Its mission is to encourage the growth and success of technology-based entrepreneurial ventures in Southern California.

CalTech 91

CalTech Company Companies Idealab 91

socalTECH

JULY 7, 2017

in a Series A funding. The funding was led by M Ventures (Merck Ventures BV, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA), and also included Legend Capital, Sabey Corporation, and Asset Management Ventures.

Culver City 124

Culver City CalTech Research Tool 124

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 8, 2014

billion in venture capital to LA’s technology startups and 2014 will shatter that figure. Over the past 4 years LA’s tech fundings have growing at a 30% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) which is > 4 times the US average VC CAGR (7%). In the last full year where we have data LA attracted $1.5

Entrepreneur 376

Entrepreneur Snapchat Startup Google 376

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 21, 2010

The new group, The Tech CEO Network , said it is looking to help bridge between the technology present at local schools like Caltech, UCLA, USC, UC Irvine, and other universities, and actual, viable companies. The founders of the group, Richard Koffler and John Morris , are two well known investors in the Los Angeles area.

Research 164

Research Tech Coast Angels Company Companies 164

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2011

One of the great joys of doing the web series This Week in VC every week is that I get to spend time with great people debating the issues of our day including how our industry is evolving as well as insights into how companies got started, got their initial traction and dealt with adversities. Oh, yeah. We then spoke about startups.

Startup 286

Startup Venture Capital Web Ideas 286

socalTECH

DECEMBER 21, 2010

Bolingbrook, Illinois-based Elevance Renewable Sciences , a developer of ingredients for use in personal care products, detergents, lubricants and other specialty chemicals and fuel markets, based on renewable feedstock, has raised $100M in funding, the firm said Tuesday. Materia, TPG, and Cargill were the original investors in Elevance.

CalTech 145

CalTech Pasadena Research Funding 145

socalTECH

DECEMBER 8, 2010

Culver City-based Sofie Biosciences , a firm developing agents and devices for molecular imaging, said today that it has raised $2M in funding. The firm said the new funding is its first institutional and large corporate financing for the firm. The round came from Cycad Group and other investors. READ MORE>>.

Culver City 145

Culver City UCLA CalTech Research 145

socalTECH

MAY 2, 2013

Despite a growing technology industry here in Southern California, local investors and entrepreneurs tell us there''s still a shortage of local, venture capital. In particular, funding for companies developing deep technology--software and cloud, as opposed to content and media--seems to be lacking. David Waxman.: READ MORE>>.

Invest 159

Invest Technology Startup Venture Capital 159

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 5, 2011

The CalTech Enterprise Forum presents Renewable Energy & The Smarter Grid: Opportunities for the Entrepreneur this Saturday May 7th. Federal stimulus money is playing a major role both nationally and regionally, funding major smart grid efforts in our own backyard. Caltech students can now register online. www.sce.com.

Enterprise Forum 56

Enterprise Forum CalTech Southern California Venture Capital 56

socalTECH

DECEMBER 16, 2010

According to the Pasadena Angels, one of the investors in the firm, the round also included the Tech Coast Angels and un-named venture capital firms. The Pasadena Angels said the funding will go towards expanding and growing Ondax's optic solutions. READ MORE>>.

Tech Coast Angels 159

Tech Coast Angels Pasadena Angels Pasadena Monrovia 159

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 17, 2010

We have universities like CalTech, UCLA, USC and many more. Funding is different – In Silicon Valley you have mega venture capital funds and many of them. They not only have gotten bigger but they have an amazing track record of funding the biggest names in the sector: Cisco, Apple, Google, Facebook.

Company 290

Company Companies Technology Startup 290